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On Sale at Nordstrom: Anniversary Sale Picks
Prices as marked, free shipping and free returns. Sale ends August 4th.
Six months ago, I wrote about how Nordstrom lost its place to Brooks Brothers as the best place to buy first-quality Allen Edmonds. Well, the balance shifted again with this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, as they have a handful of Allen Edmonds favorites for $242.90. While a far cry from the discount of a few years ago, it’s still a good $15 cheaper than the lowest price at Brooks Brothers in their recent sales. Plus, for those who don’t have Shoprunner, Nordstrom’s free shipping and returns are a welcome alternative to Brooks Brothers’ high shipping charges and restocking fees.
Pictured above at top, from left to right:
Allen Edmonds McAllister Wingtip Oxford in Black
More interesting and less formal than your standard black cap-toe, wingtip oxfords were originally intended for less formal suiting fabrics like flannel. These days, in all but the most conservative settings, you could probably get away with wearing them with a dark worsted suit.
Allen Edmonds Strand in Walnut
The Strand in Walnut has long been a favorite online, and this is a good price, but I’ve somewhat tempered my enthusiasm, as noted in this long-ish comment on Reddit. They’re a good-looking shoe, but to me they only really work well in the warmer months, during the day, with light-colored trousers or casual navy suits. In pretty much any other setting, I think they draw far too much attention to themselves. So don’t look at them as a must-have or a staple, but certainly consider them if you find yourself wearing the sort of things I’ve mentioned above. It’s a pity that this sale doesn’t include far more versatile versions of the Strand, such as the Bourbon Calf.
Allen Edmonds Park Avenue in Black (and Brown)
As they say, if you own only one black dress shoe, it ought to be the Park Avenue. That said, if you wear suits often but don’t work in a very conservative environment, consider the Park Avenue in brown burnished calf instead (or as a complement to the black version). I find it a far more stylish color.
Allen Edmonds LaSalle in Chili
I’ve developed a bit of a soft spot for split toe bluchers, and judging from pictures I’ve seen, the LaSalle is a fine option. It’s hard to get a gauge of what “Chili” really looks like; the image I used up top from Nordstrom originally had the Strand way over-saturated, so I tweaked it a bit in Photoshop to be more representative of the real color, and the LaSalle adjusted to the brownish color you see. I’m pretty sure the saturated red color in Nordstrom’s default image is off, especially when compared to this. In any case, word online is that the Chili develops a nice patina over time, much nicer then Allen Edmonds’ other leathers.
The Neumok in Acorn is another Allen Edmonds shoe worth considering in this sale. Unlined and with a burnished toe, it’s a more casual take on the wingtip oxford, and priced accordingly—$182.90. I expect it will look great with denim and corduroy pants in the fall.
The Wolverine 1000 Mile McClean is perhaps the most surprising inclusion in the Anniversary Sale. The boot appears to be a cap-toe version of the original Wolverine 1000 Mile boot, and may be a Nordstrom exclusive, as there’s almost no mention of it anywhere else. I’ve gotta admit I’m quite tempted by the McClean—the $229.90 sale price is well below what most boots in the 1000 Mile collection go for, and I’ve been eying the original 1000 Mile boot as a goto casual boot for the fall. I actually think the McClean is a better-looking boot than the original (see a great side-by-side review here), but I already own a pair of cap-toe boots, and would have trouble justifying a second pair.
And for my token non-footwear pick, check out the Todd Snyder + Champion sweatshirt in salt and pepper. Great color, great details, made in Canada—I believe I read somewhere that they’re produced in the same factory as Reigning Champ, but I can’t seem to find the reference anymore. Note that reviews say this fits slim; you may need to go up one from your normal size.
To see all the men’s merchandise in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, click here.