Building my Magnoli boots; an open discussion.

[KeyGrip]

Happy November, everybody.
As I'm tired of buying cheap shoes and then quickly destroying them, I've decided to order a pair of Magnoli's "Adventure Boots." However, I have not decided the exact specifications. I suppose the normal procedure would be to put my questions to Mr. Magnoli directly and privately, but I think the process might be interesting for others and I definitely want the input of as many Loungers as possible; especially those who own a pair of these boots, or a pair of similar boots like the Redwing Gentleman Travelers or White's Semi-Dress.

My first questions:

Color:
With footwear, do you try to compliment the color of your pants? I wear black pants almost exclusively. And in the situations in which I would not be wearing black pants, I would certainly not be wearing these boots. I would go ahead and get black boots, but they're just a little boring. So my first choice is cordovan. I think it is dark enough to go with black pants while being light enough to be interesting. Thoughts?

Materials
The standard is calfskin, but a cowhide version was recently offered. I doubt I actually need the extra ruggedness, but if anyone could comment on the practical differences between the two materials, that'd be great.
I have already decided on the rubber "combat" sole as a prerequisite for a work boot, so I'll stick with that unless I can get a sole similar to the type found on Doc Martens.

Toe stitching
On the fence about this one. Like the look either way but I'd like to know if the stitching would affect the boot's resistance to water. Is contrasting stitching part of a specific style, trend, or era?

Thank you for reading, I look forward to your help.

 

[filfoster]

Your best foot forward

I love Indy Magnoli's work and am a solid customer but I wonder why you have decided against the 'original' Alden 405's?

 

[KeyGrip]

I chose Magnoli primarily because, as I understand it, I can order a shoe that will fit my foot better. As I found out in my recent shoe buying experiences, my feet have rather odd proportions. They are a little tall compared to their length and width. My hope is that by taking the right measurements I can have Magnoli compensate for that, and that is how I justify the extra cost over a pair of Redwings. I'm not set on having the original of anything, as long as I can get a pair of tough boots that fit well.

On a side note, do you own a pair of these Aldens? If so, how do you like them?

 

[IndianaGeo]

I own the 405's

I chose Magnoli primarily because, as I understand it, I can order a shoe that will fit my foot better. As I found out in my recent shoe buying experiences, my feet have rather odd proportions. They are a little tall compared to their length and width. My hope is that by taking the right measurements I can have Magnoli compensate for that, and that is how I justify the extra cost over a pair of Redwings. I'm not set on having the original of anything, as long as I can get a pair of tough boots that fit well.

On a side note, do you own a pair of these Aldens? If so, how do you like them?

I have a pair of the Alden 405's. For me, they're a very, very comfortable boot. However, in my opinion, they don't feel as substantial as I expected. They feel a bit "thin" to me. Overall I'm pretty happy with them, but I've yet to find my dream boot. I'm interested in what I've heard and read about White's. I'm not crazy about the Redwing GTs as they have a rather bulbous toe.

IndianaGeo

 

[filfoster]

405's are A-OK

I chose Magnoli primarily because, as I understand it, I can order a shoe that will fit my foot better. As I found out in my recent shoe buying experiences, my feet have rather odd proportions. They are a little tall compared to their length and width. My hope is that by taking the right measurements I can have Magnoli compensate for that, and that is how I justify the extra cost over a pair of Redwings. I'm not set on having the original of anything, as long as I can get a pair of tough boots that fit well.

On a side note, do you own a pair of these Aldens? If so, how do you like them?

After a year of wrestling with my conscience and winning on many smaller things, I finally gave in a month ago and bought them at a 'decent' price online, with free shipping. I had heard about the sizing issue on this forum, so I ordered a half size smaller than I normally would have. They fit fine and are more comfortable than I thought they might be. Like most shoes, it will be nice to see them age and get some character with more wear. Good luck on your Magnoli's. I expect they are as nice as his other things.

 

[KeyGrip]

It looks like I'll go with the cordovan color, as Ask Andy's color guide says it goes with everything except a black suit. No problem there. As for the stitching, I'm going to go without and see how that looks.