Eastland Made in Maine - Part Deux

I caved. I went back to get the other pair of Eastland Made in Maine shoes, that I had been eyeing for some time. My older mocs (mostly Quoddy and Yuketen) are all quite worn out, and they are my go-to summer kickers, so I felt it was an investment worth making. 

They fit me perfectly and the construction of the shoe feels very solid and very sturdy. The leather choice isn't that interesting per se, but this Chromexcel from Horween feels a bit different from the other Chromexcel footwear I have. It's more waxy, more greasy and bit thicker as well. I'm sure, it'll wear in very nicely. But the colour however is a bit more interesting than the more regular colours you often see, although it's not crazy like some of the more recent moccasin, we've also been seeing.

Another nice feature is the leather mid sole. It's not an original feature, as far as I know, when comparing to bluchers in old LL Bean catalogs for instance. but it is a feature I quite enjoy.

Nice grain on the leather. It has a bit more character than regular Chromexcel, though still very subtle.

Perfect stitching.

I wouldn't mind adding more Eastlands to my shoe collection. They very well-made.

Now this post wouldn't be complete without a video. I hope I haven't posted this one before. It's hard to keep track. This video shows the Rancourt factory, where I'm quite sure, that Eastland's Made in Maine collection is made. It'll make you appreciate your shoes more.

Recent Purchase - Loake Bakewell

Damn order got cancelled. I love shops, that don't manage their stock very well.

I have basically stuck to my non-shopping promise, that I made, when I purchased a rather expensive pair of Viberg Oxfords. This has been rather boring in terms of blogging, but personally it has been a pleasure actually. I have a very big wardrobe as is, so I haven't really felt the need for any new purchases, although the sale has had some nice offerings, that were very tempting. 

But when I came across this model from Loake called "Bakewell" online at a great price, I couldn't help but pull the trigger. I'm not entirely impressed by Loake as a brand, but I have seen some shoes and boots from their "1880 line" and they have all been of a rather good quality. They aren't Crockett&Jones, Tricker's or Edward Green quality, but they are also a lot less expensive. The "1880 line" is still made in Northampton, England, which matters a whole lot to me.

Hopefully these shoes will fill a void, that I have in my wardrobe for a pair of casual, non-moc toe, non-workwear, oxfords, that I can wear all year round. And of course also wear with jeans. A pair of kickers basically. Furthermore I have rather wide feet, so the G-width of these shoes will hopefully fit me really well, and I'm keeping my finger's crossed tightly, that the leather is of a somewhat decent quality. If the quality is just above mediocre, I'll be thrilled.

I'll of course try to give an in-depth impression on them and pictures to boot, once I finally receive them. Hopefully this experiment will turn out successful.

Tricker's x The Bureau - Orange Cordovan Toe Cap Super Boot

I think the title says it all: Super Boots.

If you have £555 to spare and you are in dire need of a pair of boots, you shouldn't hesitate.

Buy them here

But I'm I the only one, that is just slightly hesitant about all of the collaborations and special make-ups, that Tricker's are doing right now? I like Tricker's a lot and I have a massive amount of respect for the brand itself. And I of course understand, that they are using the momentum, but I'm just concerned, that they are abusing it on behalf of their brand and the quality. 

I have seen some Tricker's recently, where the welt was scratched - going wrecked - and not as well-polished and sewn, as it should have been, which probably should have deemed them as seconds, but they weren't.
On top of these issues I feel, that there are still some very good English maker's, that are getting very little attention compared to Tricker's. I'll try to do more on English shoe manufacturing at some point, but I can of course reveal, that I'm thinking of brands like Cheaney, Crockett&Jones and for instance William Lennon. Loake could also be included, but I can't believe, that they are moving production away from England. This is also why, I don't much attention to Grenson anymore. Grenson is marketed as being very British, but everything is assembled in Pakistan or Portugal, if I remember correctly and the quality has taken a hit.

This is of course just my ranting, but if you have any ideas, views or insight to the subject, feel free to share them.