In Review: The Allen Edmonds Carlyle Oxford

Allen Edmonds Carlyle Oxford – $349 ($450)

NOTE: The AE Carlyle is marked down by over $100 thanks to their currently running Rediscover America Sale, which runs clear through October 27th, 2025.

How do you make a super versatile, minimalist, modern dress shoe, without getting boring, or, going over the line and looking super futuristic or risky?

This is how.

Sleek and simple. A shoe for the 21st century without looking like Science Fiction.

The Allen Edmonds Carlyle has lines as clean as a Jaguar E-Type, but the simple stitching and two piece construction prevents the uppers from looking like the ship in Flight of the Navigator (something that many a true whole-cut can fall victim to).

The last is a relatively unique one. It is NOT the same last that the popular Strand and Park Avenue is shaped around. The 108 last is what the Carlyle is formed around, and it’s distinguished by some elongation and a tapered, flatter toe. Some guys find these things to be a little tight through the middle, but I found them to be relatively accommodating for my slightly wide feet. I normally wear a 10.5 D and a 10.5 D was still fine here, but I was wearing thin dress socks. If you’re on the border, and often wear thicker socks, you might want to try jumping up a width. Maybe.

An oxford that can be dressed down if you choose.

Unlike most (all?) other Allen Edmonds dress shoes, these come with FLAT waxed laces, instead of the standard, spaghetti thin round style. And I’m kinda digging that choice for this particular shoe. Why? Because they add a little more visual heft to such a simple looking shoe. That and those wider laces make it easier to dress these things down if you so choose. How? Well, use straight bar lacing when wearing these things with a suit. When going a bit more casual? Use the standard criss-cross method. It’s like losing the tie. Only for your feet.

Want to dress em’ up even more? Use straight bar lacing.

Or you could just not overthink it and keep your shoes laced the same way all the time.

Goodyear welted of course, and easily recraftable once the soles wear down. Available in five different shades of calfskin, but boy does the walnut (shown in this post) look great on these things. AE’s walnut is much more nuanced and marbled in person compared to how it’s shown on the Allen Edmonds site. More copper and reddish hues, and less yellow-y.

The Allen Edmonds Park Ave. will never, ever go out of style. But if you’re looking for a simple shoe that projects less dusty, dimly lit corner office, and more agile mover and shaker, then the Carlyle is certainly worth your attention.

Enter here to win a pair of Allen Edmonds Carlyle Oxfords in your chosen size, width, and color of calfskin. One entry per person. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm ET 4/11/17. Many thanks to Allen Edmonds for lending us a pair for in-person testing/photos, and then supplying a pair for our giveaway!

UPDATE: Congrats to M. Armes who won the random drawing for the Carlyles!

AE’s walnut calfskin is something. The good kind of something.