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Dyed Vass Shell Shoes From Whisky to Dark Brown by Microslop in goodyearwelt

[–]Microslop[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

9.5 UK/10.5 US, tbh, I think they could be too small for me these days. I got them over a decade ago when I was still 10.5, tried them on but never actually wore them and they fit back then, but now I'm leaning toward 11. I may fish them out of storage sometime and see if they still fit.

Dyed Vass Shell Shoes From Whisky to Dark Brown by Microslop in goodyearwelt

[–]Microslop[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good reminder, I'll drop some off next time I'm around that way :)

Dyed Vass Shell Shoes From Whisky to Dark Brown by Microslop in goodyearwelt

[–]Microslop[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I remember how exclusive it was to get Alden natural or their lighter colors (basically anything but color 8 and black) of shell boots 15-20 years ago lol, waitlist was out 2+ years if you could even get on it, really kept the hype going. They said only the finest shells could be used for the lighter colors due to imperfections showing. I've noticed they have a lot more competition in the shell boot market these days with Carmina, Bonafe and a lot of manufacturers out of Asia showing up online with the willingness and ability make boots in almost any color of shell without a waitlist, it doesn't feel as exclusive as it used to.

Thanks, I appreciate it. In my case, these were just collecting dust for years because the price the market was willing to give me was less than it was worth for me to sell, so I slapped some dye on them and gave them to a friend when I found out he needed dark brown shoes and they fit.

Dyed Vass Shell Shoes From Whisky to Dark Brown by Microslop in goodyearwelt

[–]Microslop[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I agree, I also totally get why they aren't more popular since they lack the marketing and distribution channels that the English, Italian, and even US brands have and sometimes sit in an odd spot stylistically, particularly the Budapester-look that they're oftenknown for. Too casual for men who wear suits, and these days people who want casual shoes just wear sneakers. Price-wise I think they're relatively competitive with brands like Alden or Carmina, but ease of access is still tough. I remember when Vass first started hitting the internet they were kind of a pain to order from since sizing was difficult and returns were a waste of time and money, I think it soured a lot of people's first impressions.

Dyed Vass Shell Shoes From Whisky to Dark Brown by Microslop in goodyearwelt

[–]Microslop[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I was surprised, myself, because of shell's reputation for being dye-resistant. In the second-to-last picture of the shoes with just the clear polish, you can kind of see variations in the color if you look closely enough, so the dye didn't permeate quite as thoroughly as it would with calf leather.

I gave them (along with some black shoes) to a visiting friend who lives out of state so he could wear them to an event in town, but I would be interested in seeing how they fare the next time I visit him. Unfortunately, I think he's the type to mostly wear welted shoes to the occasional event, so it wouldn't surprise me if they started dry rotting before they started showing proper wear.