allen edmonds shoes with jeansToday is October 31st, 2017 and though autumn technically began over a month ago, the temperature has remained largely in the 70’s up until this morning. My wife, who has plenty of other reasons to be perpetually annoyed with me, has begun to tune out my daily calling of shenanigans on Mother Nature.

I couldn’t be more ready for the fall -actual fall, with crisp air and leaves crunching under your shoes and all that jazz- if you were to force me into a cable knit sweater after a pumpkin spice latte bath. In fact, I’ve been throwing comfort to the wind with regard to the clothes I’m wearing. Seventy-five degrees and sunny? Time for a wool sport coat, regardless of sweat and comfort. It’s October, it is autumn, and for goodness’ sake, I AM GOING TO DRESS LIKE IT.

In that spirit, I got my hands on some brand new Allen Edmonds shoes for the fall. The Addison Penny Loafer is a Goodyear-welted calfskin penny loafer with a Dainite sole, and it’s perfect for chilly day looks. The Dainite sole makes me confident that they’ll hold up well on rainy fall days too.

Long story short, these are fantastic, versatile shoes. Below is a full review of my experience with them.

Note: See our other reviews of Allen Edmonds Dainite sole shoes including the Sullivan Street Boot and the Strandmok Brogue.

Allen Edmonds Addison Loafer Review

brown allen edmonds penny loafers

[Buy Allen Edmonds Addison Penny Loafer]

Everyone and their uncle knows who Allen Edmonds is, and they need little in the way of introduction from us. It’s worth mentioning, however, that the company is one of the last remaining U.S.-based shoe manufacturers and that they are known for exceptional quality along with classic American style.

The Addison is an American-made penny loafer with an upper made from Chromexcel leather, a rubber Dainite sole, and is Goodyear welted. All in all, a recipe for success.

What’s In The Box?

allen edmonds shoe box

The box itself is quite sturdy and spacious. Tiny man that I am, I take a 7D (that’s a 6E for you British readers), but you could easily fit a shoe three sizes bigger into it.

Allen edmonds flannel shoe bags

I was delighted to see that these shoes come with two separate flannel shoe bags. As I’ve said in past reviews, this is a huge value add as it prevents scratching and scuffing, extending the life of your shoes significantly.

The Look

man in plaid jacket and jeans

I absolutely, positively love how these shoes look, both on and off the foot. The double sole offers two distinct colors (grey and light brown), and the contrast stitching is quite handsome.

Two men on a bench taking pictures

Above: Charles-Philippe gets a shot of Mike’s new shoes

I tend to dress casually nowadays, and a beefy penny loafer like this is perfect for my workaday denim-and-a-sport-coat uniform. I would not suggest pairing these shoes with tailored trousers or suits. Handsome as they are, they lack the formality that such outfits require.

man standing against green wall

[Buy Allen Edmonds Addison Penny Loafer]

The Feel & The Importance Of Breaking Shoes In

From a high level, these shoes feel great after getting broken in a bit. If you’re looking for a comfortable penny loafer, you should definitely check these out.

Full disclosure: I’d never owned a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes before these, so I was unsure as to how they’d feel on my foot. I have a somewhat high instep, and penny loafers can be hit or miss for me in terms of whether or not my foot gets uncomfortably squeezed.

allen edmonds loafer closeups

Thankfully, these shoes wound up feeling great after a one-day breaking in period. Breaking in, for me in this case, included minor discomfort on my instep and around my heels. Nothing major by any means.

This is as good a time as any to talk about acquiring new shoes and the process of getting them to “learn” your foot.

Not every shoe is going to feel like a buttery pair of magic slippers from the moment you put them on. Even the best shoes around can require some time to mold to your foot, and the only way to make this happen is to wear them.

closeup of allen edmonds shoes

In my experience, the best thing to do is to wear new shoes in a controlled environment for the first few wears. By “controlled environment,” I mean a place where you can easily change shoes if you need to. You want to give your shoes enough time to break in, but you also don’t want to be stuck in discomfort for, say, a full work day.

The Construction: Goodyear Welt & Dainite Soles

allen edmonds shoe details

Left: Rubber Dainite sole Right: Gentleman’s cut

The Addison penny loafer, like many Allen Edmonds shoes, is crafted with Goodyear welt construction. We have gone on ad nauseum about the benefits of this construction method on various pages and posts on this website, but it warrants repeating:

Goodyear welted shoes are an exceptional value because they can be repeatedly resoled. These loafers retail at $325, but there’s no reason to think that you can’t have these shoes for less than a decade if you take reasonably good care of them. For you math guys, that’s $32.50 a year for ten years.

brown loafer with dainite sole

Not bad at all, right?

Also crucial to the operation are the Dainite soles. Made of studded rubber, these offer additional water resistance, traction, and casual élan.

Rating: 5 Out Of 5 Stars

If you’re looking for a workhorse of a casual shoe that’s well-constructed and handsome, look no further than Allen Edmonds’ Addison loafer. They look good, feel good, and will last you years!

You can purchase the Allen Edmonds Addison Penny Loafer directly from AllenEdmonds.com.

Suggested Reading:
Allen Edmonds Addison Loafer
Reviewed by Michael Oxman, on
.

“I’m a big fan of these shoes!
The high-quality construction, top-notch leather, and handsome look make this shoe an instant classic. Highly recommended.”

Rating: 5.0 ★★★★★

About the Author:

Michael is a husband, father, clothes horse, musician, and Asian food enthusiast. When he's not blogging or changing diapers, he's playing bass guitar and singing in his Beatles tribute band.

2 Comments

  1. Carl Porcelli May 1, 2019 at 2:46 pm - Reply

    There was an ad on my Facebook feed the shoes were very very cheap are they the same shoes that you sell at Nordstrom’s they have the same names and if they are there cheap please email me with prices and how much I need to spend to get free shipping thank you very much

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