Wear & Tear : Thom Browne Wingtips
How do they hold up?
Quality?
Is it worth the money?
These are going to be the points I’ll be discussing in today’s post…
The infamous “click clack” of the Thom Browne wingtip. The only shoes I’ve ever owned with actual metal taps.
What are taps you ask?
They are small pieces of plastic (or in this case metal) that go on the heel and/or the toe of a shoe. They keep you leather soled shoes from wearing down so quickly. Kind of an essential if you’re a New Yorker because you’re walking around so much!
FYI – I purchased these shoes at the 100 Hudson St location in the spring of ’08 – so i’ve had these about 2 years.
When I first got them I wore them almost every day as how could you not?! I’ve worn these through a a few rainstorms some snow and yes even through mud (that took a while to clean off)
A few things I want to point out are they are very heavy. I mean heavy, I think my calves have gotten bigger wearing these. They are just solid as a rock.
Also for these shoes I want to take into account that I polished them every other week and always kept the lasted trees in them when I wasn’t wearing them
So…
How do they hold up? 9/10
A new shoe
Mine
These shoes hold up beautifully!
As you can see , the taps have worn down a bit and there’s some wear on the sides (above). I might replace the taps next year, not sure though yet.
Look at how thick that sole is!
Bit of wear on the toe
There are a few (hidden) scratches in the leather but I’ve kept them pretty covered up with polish. Thank goodness its scotch grain, that also helps too.
Made in England
Scratches here and there
Quality? 10/10
Beautiful Welt
These shoes were bench made in Northampton, England by Trickers. There is a reason they have a Royal Warrant y’know. The leather is sourced from France, the stitching on the welt is impeccable and the broguing is perfect. A beautiful quality shoe.
Is it worth the money? 4/10
Sadly these shoes are insanely expensive, around $1,250!
That’s way too much, I was barely able to afford them and that was with the credit I used at the store. If I had to pay retail for these out of my pocket I would flip.
Don’t get me wrong they are BEAUTIFUL shoes, absolutely amazing quality but its just too much for me.
A good pair of shoes should run you around $350-550 depending on what you get (cordovan etc). Lasted shoe trees (shoe trees made from the last the shoe was made off of) will run you around $100. So where is the rest of the mark up?
OH! There it is!
So if you got the money to throw down on an insanely nice pair of wingtips go for it!
Otherwise, my future is nothing more than Mark McNairy and Alden.
Nice post! 2.5 years is great for taps. I think @pletty’s Alden’s have rubber ones maybe? How would those compare?
The Black Fleece shoes are great! Almost exactly the same design but made in America. Sturdy, thick, and about $500.
Yeah I like the Black Fleece shoes. the sole isn’t nearly as thick and even though its horween leather the scotch grain wears smooth very fast. They’re pretty nice though. I’ll be doing a wear and tear on those eventually.
Nice shoes.
My American made Florsheim Royal Imperials have a sole just as thick, and have laste djust as well. I’ve had them for three years, but they were a second hand purchase, already old when I got them.
$1250?!?! That’s where you lost me.
i was lucky enough to not have to pay that price but yikes they are expensive