Allen Edmonds Park Avenue Sneaker or Strand Sneaker – $295
I love you Allen Edmonds.
But you’re not making it easy.
The trolls are at the gates, and I’m not here to be your white knight sycophantic shill. Trolls are gonna troll. That’s not the concern. The concern, for some of us Allen Edmonds Fans, is that stuff like these things, which let’s be real here are destined for the clearance section, will hurt the bottom line and therefor make it more likely that the classics (like, y’know, the actual Strand and Park Avenue) get hurt in the process.
Some might speculate that over the last few years, this has already started to happen.
Look, dressy sneaker mashups can work. And maybe I’m wrong here, but I just don’t think these do. They’re neither here nor there, and the uppers just don’t “fit” on the sneaker soles. They’re like when some maniac takes a sports car, jacks it up, and puts monster truck tires on it.
And they did it to their flagships. The Park Avenue. The Strand. They crossed the streams. Never cross the streams.
At least they’re not the new Lombard boots. Oof.
Allen Edmonds. I still love you.
And I wish I had a solution.
But I don’t. Other than it would benefit many of us to stop trying to be great all the time. Stop trying to be all things to all people. Stop being hyper reactionary. Don’t try to be great. Instead? Be great at being good. I think that’s part of why Dappered is still around, more than a decade into this nonsense. Are we the BEST style site on the web? Heck no. Are we the SMARTEST style site on the web? Not even close! Are we the most UNIQUE style site on the web? Hardly. There are plenty of affordable men’s fashion sites and a zillion budget-based-fashion Instagram handles out there.
Yet why are we still in business, after almost a dozen years?
Because we’re (somewhat) great at being good.
Meanwhile, these very good sneakers are from a brand called (wait for it) GREATS.
And they are $100 less than the new Allen Edmonds.
We. are. good. Good? GOOD! Come, see the consistent good! Bathe in our proficient mediocrity! And a funny thing happens when you’re great at being good. You also end up hitting on great every so often along the way (I think?). Go for consistent, daily “good”, and you’ll hit “great” arguably much more often than if you would’ve been chasing great all the time. Counter-intuitive yes, but chock full of so much pragmatism that you’ll drown in the efficacy. Bring a snorkel. You’ll need it.
See you in the clearance section Strand and Park Avenue sneakers. I’m sure there are still some tattoo shoes left in there that can show you the ropes. Maybe you can be buffed and shined on the fly with a $70 pocket square.
Gosh I hope I’m wrong.
I really do.
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