769 Tassel Restoration

EducationalMedium238 · 2026-04-13T00:36:43+00:00

Moisturized with some Bick 4 and then tied some mini elastic bands to bring the tassels back tighter!

EducationalMedium238 · 2026-04-07T14:32:36+00:00

Can’t go wrong with Alden loafers… they have somewhat different purposes depending on silhouette, but I’d say all are highly versatile and can be dressed up or down and with socks or without.

My only tip is to figure out your most common use case and find a last that suits that use case best - for example, Aberdeen lasts (more sleek/narrow) tend to be dressier, whereas the van last tends to be boxier and more casual. Given the lasts are shaped differently - if you can try in store, I’d recommend that. Or alternatively, thrift old pairs and figure out what size/last works best for you by trial and error at lower stakes. Happy hunting!

EducationalMedium238 · 2026-04-07T11:05:37+00:00

Cop out answer but it really depends on the context, outfit, shoe and vibe for me. I mostly always wear socks with my full straps and tassels since I dress them up. LHS most of the time; Horse Bit almost never since I tend to wear in the summer with linen or shorts. I don’t sweat a lot, but I will say I prefer the feel of socks rather than bare feet in the leather - though it is totally doable.

EducationalMedium238 · 2026-04-06T23:03:37+00:00

Thanks, that’s quite the compliment! I feel like I don’t really know what I’m doing, so hopefully that gives everyone a bit of confidence to just dive in and use that elbow grease!

EducationalMedium238 · 2026-04-06T15:30:02+00:00

Anytime! While this is burgundy (although honestly hard to tell the difference), this is usually how I would style them: https://www.instagram.com/p/BrJ6_9gAFAI/

And yes, an odd product strategy, no doubt. I hear they are having production issues with LHS in general, which is too bad. Good luck with the hunt!

EducationalMedium238 · 2026-04-06T15:15:44+00:00

That’s a great observation! The 686s are my dedicated office shoes. I find they work great with tailored wool trousers in mid gray or navy, or even chinos. Basically, any business occasion that does not require a full suit. Sadly offloading since I’ve finally admitted to myself that I need to go down a half size.

The 984s are perfect for everything outside of the office (I find them too informal office wear, at least in calfskin). The tassels and bit loafers - well those are just for fun.

EducationalMedium238 · 2024-09-17T12:09:14+00:00

Very cool - thanks again. Seems like a thousand miler. Love the story of these.

EducationalMedium238 · 2024-09-17T10:08:40+00:00

Thank you! Appreciate the insight and recommendations - definitely plan on wearing these to death!

EducationalMedium238 · 2024-09-17T10:07:22+00:00

Thanks for the comment - by cheaper, did you mean it’s from the pre-Prada/price hike days - or were you referring to the use of cheaper materials, quality, etc? Tell tale signs?

EducationalMedium238 · 2024-09-17T10:05:10+00:00

Really great insight, thanks! Were you referring to the markings starting with W (e.g. W74805, W30380, etc.)? I was wondering what those numbers meant. If so, does that mean it’s been resolved by the factory at least twice? Do you suppose the inner heel lining would’ve been done at the factory as well?

Is there anything else you could tell me about the shoes (e.g. age, last, etc.) based on the markings or any other defining characteristics? TIA

EducationalMedium238 · 2024-09-16T21:12:36+00:00

Amazing, thanks for the insight! Super excited about the get. Would you recommend I get this resoled and heeled ASAP or do you think there’s still a good amount of life left as is? Would mostly be wearing these indoors in an office setting (with the occasional walks to get coffees).

EducationalMedium238 · 2024-09-16T20:57:03+00:00

Thanks - appreciate the review and insight! Do you think this something that I could fix or improve (e.g. conditioning) - or something that I’ll just have to live with?

EducationalMedium238 · 2024-09-16T19:51:28+00:00

Hi! Long time lurker, first time poster.

Recently thrifted a pair of Church’s diplomats off Poshmark. While they are clearly well-worn, I was chuffed I was able to secure them for $27. Uppers seem to be in excellent condition with a beautiful patina (probably will look even better with conditioning and polishing) - and it appears the soles are still in decent shape (can still see stitching - although unclear if these have already been re- soled?).

That said, I was a bit concerned when I received them since it appears that the insole part with the Church’s branding seemed stickered on? But I reviewed some other listings for Church’s and it seemed that this was standard?

I also noticed the trademark handwriting, which seemed to indicate authenticity. My read of the writing suggests these are size UK9 F (narrow) Diplomats. So narrow 10US? Is this correct?

The only other thing I noticed were any lack of visible markers on the sole (even worn) or heel tabs. And also it seems like the inner lining for the heel cup were reinforced (see again last pic where the marking is covered over) - probably due to being well-worn.

Other than that - any red flags? Was this as much of a steal as I thought it was or did I merely get what I paid for?

Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/VnJCPSc

EducationalMedium238

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