Winter Shoe, Space Constraints

[Matt]

Hi everyone. The FashionBeans community seems pretty good at recommending shoes and clothing, so I thought I'd cast my net out for a little bit of advice. I need a new shoe for winter. The biggest problem I'm facing is that I'm moving to a new country soon, and so I'm a bit tight for space. I figure I can pack four pairs of shoes. The three I currently have are...

1) Grey Chuck Taylors



2) Florsheim Kenmoor shoes in a burgandy



3) Tan leather penny loafers (look something like this...I don't have the exact shoe with me now, and I just bought them)



So I need a fourth pair. I wear mostly jeans and chinos in the winter, so I'm considering a boot of some sort. The second biggest problem I have is that I love to walk, and I can't really walk far in pairs 2 and 3 above, so I need something that is great for walking but is also going to look great at night in the city. I've found some really nice hiking boots that satisfy these requirements, but they run somewhere between 300-500 USD, which is a bit steep if I can avoid it. Any suggestions? My style is currently evolving, but I'm going for a stylish tall, thin 30-something with an occasionally edgy piece (probably not these shoes). Thanks!

[Ares]

you cant go wrong with a pair of red wing 875's, ive got a pair and theyre lovely shoes. theyre very versatile and although pricey (£170-£200)- they will last for a long time.
they come up big so you will probably need to go between 0.5-1 size down on your normal shoe size though.

[Nath6644]

Get a good quality pair of Brogue boots: they're so versatile! Great with blazer and shirt looks but also have a slight rugged, indie vibe which works with more casual outfits.

Here's some badboys from Hudson:


H By Hudson | H By Hudson Angus Brogue Boots at ASOS

[Matt]

Nice idea on the Red Wing. I was considering those, but I'm wondering if I'm leaning too heavily on the buffed leather shoes and should go for something with a different finish. Maybe something like the 8152 in grey? Or the 8878 in dark brown. It says those are modeled after the 875s. Did you look at those at all when you were picking out yours?

[Matt]

Those look like some stylish boots as well! How's the fit on them? It looks like they might be a toe pincher and not something I'd want to walk around a full day in. Is that toe as tight as it appears?

[Ares]

the 8878's are lovely, i had wanted the 875's for a while & didnt really consider the 8878's (sort of wish i did now hahaha!)

[Ares]

to add another boot into the mix... Sort of like a cross between brogue boots and red wings.

These are all pics of grenson freds - they will set you back around £200-£230

[Pin Money]

Get a good quality pair of Brogue boots: they're so versatile! Great with blazer and shirt looks but also have a slight rugged, indie vibe which works with more casual outfits.

Here's some badboys from Hudson:


H By Hudson | H By Hudson Angus Brogue Boots at ASOS

I have these and they are sooo comfy. Really soft leather, and if you wear some thick hiking socks with them, peeping out the top and with a turn up on your jeans / chinos, you have a very stylish and practical boot.

Leather soles may not be the best option though as if you walk a lot they will wear out, and re-soling can be costly. Also if the weather is bad they can soak through and are not very grippy.

They have these two in the All Saints archive at the moment. Very good price, and the rubber sole is extremely practical (and pretty cool). Both pairs are £65 and fulfill your requirement for a different finish to your other shoes too.


Brisk Boot


Mercury Boot

[Black Sheep Boy]

I'd put in a vote for the Grenson Fred too, I've got a pair with commando soles and they're fantastic shoes. Expensive though.

Those AllSaints ones look like a good deal.

[Matt]

I have these and they are sooo comfy. Really soft leather, and if you wear some thick hiking socks with them, peeping out the top and with a turn up on your jeans / chinos, you have a very stylish and practical boot.

Leather soles may not be the best option though as if you walk a lot they will wear out, and re-soling can be costly. Also if the weather is bad they can soak through and are not very grippy.

They have these two in the All Saints archive at the moment. Very good price, and the rubber sole is extremely practical (and pretty cool). Both pairs are £65 and fulfill your requirement for a different finish to your other shoes too.

I do like those options. Good point about the soles, too. I hadn't consciously thought about the sole material, though one reason I was originally looking at Red Wings is that I know people who have used them as a workboot in the construction industry and they are very durable (I assume that's true for their non-steel toed boots).

With all these possibilities, I think I need to visit some stores to check these out and see how they feel. Does anyone here have any good experiences with returning shoes bought via mail if they don't fit properly? I've seen quite a few stores offer free returns up to a month after the sale so long as the shoe hasn't been worn outside, but I don't know if that holds true for mail-order as well.