Spectator Shoes

[st63]

As a long time spectator shoe owner and fan, I will say stay AWAY from the synthetic "dance" styled shoes....they're meant for dancing indoors only, and fall apart in no time with normal wear. Also stay away from the "pimp" shoes made by Stacey Adams....not good quality, and usually garish looking(though if you can find a vintage pair of Stacey Adams, say from the 60s or earlier they're a good bet) Best bet is to look for a decent pair made by Allen Edmonds or Bally...they can be pricey new, but you'll find them on Ebay from time to time. I found a pair of black and white A.E. on Ebay a while back for less than $200.

 

[Retro Spectator]

Please clarify this question. a vast majority of the true vintage specs were made with calf/ suede or calf/ buck. Less common was the reptile/ suede or reptile/ buck. what other options are there?

What I meant was the dark area. I understand that lots of Spectator shoes had/have suede/buck for the white part, but I have never seen a pair of vintage spectator shoes with suede for the dark part.

As a long time spectator shoe owner and fan, I will say stay AWAY from the synthetic "dance" styled shoes....they're meant for dancing indoors only, and fall apart in no time with normal wear. Also stay away from the "pimp" shoes made by Stacey Adams....not good quality, and usually garish looking(though if you can find a vintage pair of Stacey Adams, say from the 60s or earlier they're a good bet) Best bet is to look for a decent pair made by Allen Edmonds or Bally...they can be pricey new, but you'll find them on Ebay from time to time. I found a pair of black and white A.E. on Ebay a while back for less than $200.

When I was talking about the ugly colors and lizard print shoes, I was actually thinking specifically about Stacy Adams, and Giorgio Brutini.

 

[st63]

You're right, I've seen plenty of vintage spectators with suede/buck inner panels, or even mesh, but I've not seen any with suede for the wings or toe....here's a link to some very interesting spectator shoes in the Harry S. Truman collection...good insight into some classic styles.
http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/harry-s-truman-shoe-collection/

 

[Isshinryu101]

What I meant was the dark area. I understand that lots of Spectator shoes had/have suede/buck for the white part, but I have never seen a pair of vintage spectator shoes with suede for the dark part.

So, the dark sections are suede? What are the white sections made of. Buck/ suede was used there because white calf darkens heavily when it flexes. Often the creases appear nearly black... a bad look. Suede/ buck creases less than calf and remains white at the crease. Not so much a "style" issue as what works with the colors.

 

[Isshinryu101]

Some interesting info and pics about vintage spectator shoes. I hope to double the size of the page in the coming months.

http://vintageshoesaddict.com/mens_shoes/spectator_shoes.htm

 

[Retro Spectator]

So, the dark sections are suede? What are the white sections made of. Buck/ suede was used there because white calf darkens heavily when it flexes. Often the creases appear nearly black... a bad look. Suede/ buck creases less than calf and remains white at the crease. Not so much a "style" issue as what works with the colors.

I assume the white sections are suede/buck too. I was actually referencing this specific Ralph Lauren pair. Why they put a brick sole on a pair of spectator shoes is beyond me. I wasn't actually interested in purchasing these shoes, but I do shop around a lot.

 

[dh66]

I assume the white sections are suede/buck too. I was actually referencing this specific Ralph Lauren pair. Why they put a brick sole on a pair of spectator shoes is beyond me. I wasn't actually interested in purchasing these shoes, but I do shop around a lot.

Those are a decent looking pair of shoes and would look great with more casual pants like chinos. The polo tag on the heel pretty much kills it for me though. How gauche. Why not just leave the price tag hanging on them like the cats in the 'hood do.

 

[Retro Spectator]

I have to agree that the polo logo ruins the shoes. Why would any company put their logo outside their product unless they wanted free advertising. I find it kind of funny though, as they put it on the heel, and that part is covered by your pants.

 

[fashion frank]

You're right, I've seen plenty of vintage spectators with suede/buck inner panels, or even mesh, but I've not seen any with suede for the wings or toe....here's a link to some very interesting spectator shoes in the Harry S. Truman collection...good insight into some classic styles.
http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/harry-s-truman-shoe-collection/

Thanks for that link to the gazette its very nice, and I subscribed to it.

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[Isshinryu101]

I assume the white sections are suede/buck too. I was actually referencing this specific Ralph Lauren pair. Why they put a brick sole on a pair of spectator shoes is beyond me. I wasn't actually interested in purchasing these shoes, but I do shop around a lot.

AH. Not even a tue vintage style. That longwing gunboat is basically a 1960's and newer style. An all suede shoe isn't really out of the box, but it is not the way it was done in golden era

 

[cpdv]

I have to agree that the polo logo ruins the shoes. Why would any company put their logo outside their product unless they wanted free advertising. I find it kind of funny though, as they put it on the heel, and that part is covered by your pants.

It all depends my friend what part of what decade you prefer! Often the only time the bottoms of my trousers touch my shoes is if I'm wearing late 20s early 30s ones and that is only brushing the top.

 

[Succotash]

http://www.jpeterman.com/!e1K5LSeZoOm7JOe5U1LbfQ!/Classic-Spectator-Shoe

I'm sure it's somewhere in the 105 pages of this thread but I'm lazy....
Anyone have these? I think the photographs (real live photographs!) look lovely. I'm always hesitant with online shopping however.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Some interesting info and pics about vintage spectator shoes. I hope to double the size of the page in the coming months.

http://vintageshoesaddict.com/mens_shoes/spectator_shoes.htm

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: what you (and Cookie) don't know about vintage men's shoes and the styling, construction and care thereof isn't worth knowing. Just seeing the colour combinations and styles placed in one place, on your page, is a real treat. :eusa_clap

 

[LuvMyMan]

http://www.jpeterman.com/!e1K5LSeZoOm7JOe5U1LbfQ!/Classic-Spectator-Shoe

I'm sure it's somewhere in the 105 pages of this thread but I'm lazy....
Anyone have these? I think the photographs (real live photographs!) look lovely. I'm always hesitant with online shopping however.

Past experience with anything Peterman sells it is above average quality. You should look and study the pictures of those shoes. They are a longer toe shoe than a normal spectator. That means you may find the size a bit big on your foot for overall length, (something you need to consider when ordering). Make sure if you order them, in case they do not fit properly, they will allow a return for either a refund or to send a different size shoe. I cannot say that all the shoes Peterman sells are super nice quality, but if I am not mistaken, these are made in Italy and as before mentioned, should be above average quality and perhaps worth the price they are asking for the shoes.

 

[fashion frank]

I'm posting this here but not sure if there is another Thread dealing with this shoe company " ferro aldo" can anyone enlighten me as to the quality and story with this company.

All the Best, Fashion Frank

 

[Retro Spectator]

I have seen lots of Ferro Aldo on Amazon, on my quests for spectator shoes with white tops. They seem to make cheap synthetic shoes, but I do not know about the quality of their shoes. I would assume they would be low to medium quality, but I could be wrong. They make a lot of classic colored shoes, but they also seem to make pimpishly colored shoes too. Many of their shoes have crocodile/lizard print. However, I only have knowledge of their shoes being sold on Amazon. Perhaps in other places, they make higher quality shoes.

 

[Retro Spectator]

I found these shoes on Amazon. Have you ever heard of the shoe company One Huge Step? Are they any good?

 

[Two Types]

AH. Not even a tue vintage style. That longwing gunboat is basically a 1960's and newer style.

Interesting. I didn't realise that style didn't come in until the 1960s. Over here most people referred to them as 'American brogues'. As such, i assume they were an American innovation.
They are my favourite style.

 

[Claudio]

http://www.jpeterman.com/!e1K5LSeZoOm7JOe5U1LbfQ!/Classic-Spectator-Shoe

I'm sure it's somewhere in the 105 pages of this thread but I'm lazy....
Anyone have these? I think the photographs (real live photographs!) look lovely. I'm always hesitant with online shopping however.

Bit bold to say a shoe is 'hand made' unless there is hand stitching involved. And at just over 100€ full retail price and manufacturing in Italy, that is impossible. So at the very least they are not giving you the correct information. It could however be made in Italy by CHinese slave labour (there is LOADS of that there) but highly unlikely the quality is going to be any good.

 

[Isshinryu101]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: what you (and Cookie) don't know about vintage men's shoes and the styling, construction and care thereof isn't worth knowing. Just seeing the colour combinations and styles placed in one place, on your page, is a real treat. :eusa_clap

Thanks, Benny! I've never actually met you, but I DO know that I met Cookie maybe 6 months after you landed some extremely nice spades from him. I STILL wish I had gotten interested in Vintage Shoes a bit earlier lol.