Win it: Allen Edmonds Shell Cordovan Strand Oxfords

Reader Appreciation Week: Shell Cordovan Strands – $595

Consider this week five days of saying thank you. Without your readership, your emails, your terrific comments, and your willingness to spread the word, Dappered wouldn’t exist. The collection of good guys who frequent this corner of the internet is by far the greatest achievement of this website. And to say thank you, we’ve put together five, splurge-worthy giveaways that’ll hopefully express our gratitude. Welcome to Dappered’s Reader Appreciation Week. Good luck, and thanks a million.

Cordovan Leather was a space age material lonnng before there was a space age. Hyper-durable, wildly smooth, and visually deep, it takes six months to transform a horse hide to this finished leather. The material itself is a piece of natural art. The master of Cordovan is the Chicago based Horween Leather Company. Cut and sew Horween’s top of the line product into the flagship dress shoe of the American Shoemaker Allen Edmonds, and you get a stunner of a combination.

A classic dress shoe with just enough flash, the Allen Edmonds Strand (especially in cordovan) is the holy grail of men’s footwear to plenty. They’re a half brogue with plenty of perforations and pinked edges, but the non-porous, glass smooth nature of the Cordovan gets shown off on the panels that are left free of those details. Wingtips are great, but when you’ve got leather like this, it’s easy to over-clutter with all those edges, stitching, and lines.

The step-by-step Horween Cordovan process.

Built on the Goodyear Welted 5-65 last, Strands are slightly elongated, but nowhere close to the foot-spears some European (or European styled) shoe brands crank out. The toe is a perfectly rounded off point. No chisel, not stubby, just right. The silhouette isn’t elderly and it certainly isn’t trying too hard.

Cordovan is as non-porous as leather gets. So a high shine sticks around.

The current shade of Cordovan is the epitome of versatile. Deep brown with some reddish tones, it hits the sweet spot for pairing with almost any color of suit or trousers. That Cordovan shine is going to grab some eyes, but the color isn’t trendy, and they’re deep enough to wear with darker shades (lighter brown shoes can clash with darker clothes).

Word is Allen Edmonds is working on a new shade of Cordovan leather for a web-gem run starting sometime in September. Don’t worry, this current standard Brown Shell Cordovan isn’t going anywhere. The new shade will be an addition to their lineup. Expect an in-person review of that new shade in the coming months. But points to Allen Edmonds for trying something new, especially when this classic Brown Cordovan pair proves, without a doubt, they certainly don’t need to.

Enter here to win (update, entries are closed) a pair of Allen Edmonds Brown Shell Cordovan Strands in your size. One entry per person. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm ET 8/14/13. Thanks to Allen Edmonds for providing not just Strands, but Cordovan Strands for Reader Appreciation Week.

Update: Congrats to Brian S. of Denver who won the random drawing for the Cordovan Strands. Once again, can’t thank Allen Edmonds enough for providing a pair of their flagship shoe in Cordovan for reader appreciation week.