The Shell Game

It may seem like I know absolutely everything, but in fact I learn a lot writing this blog. It's one of the perks, and I'm glad to have expanded my advice pool to such an absurd degree.

In my last post, I claimed my new favorite shoes to be shell cordovan, and many of you cried foul, albeit in a concise and gentlemanly way. I thank you all for it, and respectfully take it on the chin. Truth be told, my knowledge of the earmarks of used shell cordovan come only from internet babble, with no hands on experience.

So, these shoes are really nice, and buttery soft, and well maintained, and they were cheap...but they ain't shell cordovan. The tiny creases are the give-away. Live and learn. However...

These shoes, an old pair of Florsheim Royal Imperials, purchased ages ago for $20, may well be shell cordovan. Apparently the "waves" rather than creases are the dead give away. These shoes were my old favorites, before the new tassels came into the picture. I'll be damned. And then...

...there's these. They have the waves, they take a soaking well, and I bought them the same day in the same store as the longwings, also $20. Are they shell cordovan? Maybe...who cares?

In the end, they're all nice shoes. The wings and pennies were old when I got them, have given me years of service, and show no signs of quitting. The tassels are old too, and have a long life ahead of them. In the long run, maybe it doesn't matter all that much. Three pair of classic and well made shoes for $48.95 is hard to argue with, no?

In future, I'll be more diligent in my homework assignments...promise.


p.s. I'm the kind of sucker who's dead sure he can beat this guy. That's why I don't gamble.