Allen Edmonds Leather Quality and the Sensory Experience of Lasting Craft

During the workweek, my current daily routine for selecting footwear is pretty basic, unlike the Allen Edmonds Leather Quality dress shoes, belts, wallets, and shoe care accessories I will review below.

I walk downstairs to my home office in the basement and slip on my very fuzzy slippers to keep my feet warm. Roughly 8-10 hours a day, they are on my feet during the workweek acting as a barrier between my feet and the cold basement floor. The basement is finished but the thin fake wood floor sits on top of a concrete slab that never seems to warm up, even in the height of the summer.

Me working a few years in 2020 with Franklin (left) and Lincoln.

There was a time in my career where I wore dress shoes on a daily basis. In fact, I wore them so much, I had to find a cobbler to fix the soles as I had put holes in them. I actually miss the times having to get dressed up and go out every day to meet customers (I have been in sales for most of my career). I have a closet full of dress shirts, dress pants, and dress shoes sitting in the closet collecting dust.

Speaking of dust, my son Michael is graduating from college in a month and needed some dress shoes for the occasion. We went into my closet for him to try on some of my shoes, as we have the same shoe size. When I went to pull out the shoes, I ran my finger across the front only to find a layer of dust. It had been a while since I wore the pair that he ultimately borrowed for his big day. I am a bit embarrassed about it as I could write my initials in the dust. I used to have covers for my shoes but since I was wearing them every day, I ultimately discarded them.

The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: 

"Take the time to take care of your shoes with polish, shoe trees, and a shoehorn. Your feet will love you for it."

Given Michael's planned career choice of being a high school wood shop teacher in combination with being a white water rafting guide in the summers, I don't think dress shoes will be high on his list of things he needs for himself. Matthew currently has a corporate job and there may be a time where he will get more dressed up and we did buy him a pair of nice shoes last year following graduation (more on that in a bit).

Emma and me at Bring your Child to Work day in 2015 (with me wearing my Allen Edmonds shoes). We were in the Link at Travelers Insurance, who was my customer. A few years earlier on the 50th anniversary of the Travelers Red Umbrella, they decorated the link (passage way connecting two buildings in Hartford, CT). It was so well received, they decided to keep them there, even until this day.

Growing up, I remember my stepdad, Bill, talking about shoe care. He worked in a warehouse so he didn't need them every day but on special occasions, he would put them on, such as for a wedding. The dress shoe was a popular brand, which is still around today as a premium footwear company. He also would talk to me about using shoe trees to help keep the shape of the shoe and using a shoehorn (which I thought was the coolest thing when I was little). For most of my childhood and into my college years, the brand he referenced I always viewed as a high-end shoe brand.

When I got to college, my dad and stepmom took me out the store to buy a nice pair of shoes for me to go on interviews. I was probably 20 or 21 at the time. I remember it vividly as we went into Nordstrom and the salesperson picked out a pair of black Allen Edmonds.

There were a few things I specifically remember about that pair of shoes. The cost was one that stood out, I believe at the time was about $200. This was a lot of money for a pair of dress shoes, especially as I worked at Kinney Shoes during high school and the most expensive pair was about $35. The second thing I remember is they were super comfortable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rXhUHGDfrw

212 Steps to make Allen Edmonds Dress Shoes!

Fast forward a few years. I had just started a new job and was working in an office, visiting customers. This meant I needed to add to my collection of dress clothes.

I don't recall exactly what happened with the Allen Edmonds shoes I had but one thing I remember is that specific shoe was really narrow and really didn't fit me as well as I had hoped. As a result, I think I donated them and went and purchased two more pairs of shoes. My friend and I went to one of the popular mall retail stores and I got a pair in black and one in burgundy. They were timeless styles as I had planned to wear these shoes for a long time, especially for the amount of money I spent on them, which was $140 each. I remember that because I didn't want to spend the $400 for two pairs of Allen Edmonds and I thought $140 was a great deal, especially since it was a reputable higher end shoe company.

These are my black classic Allen Edmonds. They have to be close to 25 years old or more.

I also purchased the shoe trees and shoe polish to keep them clean, even though that process never came close to going to a shoeshine guy in NYC or the airport. By the way, you may have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a shoeshine person nowadays, but 30 years ago, it was still very popular.

My very popular brand of shoes (remember I bought two of them), were pretty stiff and weren't easy to walk in. But I thought that this was a really good brand and it just takes time. After months of wearing these shoes every day, typically rotating between the two colors, they still felt as stiff as they day I bought them. As you can imagine, this was a big disappointment. I was out $360 of my own money plus the $200 my dad and stepmom spent on the original pair.

My favorite pair. I think I have had to get them resoled a few times over the years.

I had a few choices in front of me. I could either suffer or hope that someday the current shoes I had would break in. I could buy a pair of shoes from the brand my stepdad had, but honestly, I associated those with the older generation and not something someone in their early 20's would wear. Or I could look back at Allen Edmonds and make sure I purchased a pair of shoes that actually fit.

Allen Edmonds Leather Quality

I ultimately decided on a classic black dress shoe from Allen Edmonds. They were about $200 but I made the decision that these were going to be a shoe that lasted a lifetime. And it's true as I still have them today. They were very comfortable from the start without having me to break them in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzq85yCZDsE

Recrafting shoes is an art. This is a fun video to watch if you love to learn how things are made.

After a while of wearing them, commuting on the train from NJ to New York City, and then walking the streets of Manhattan a few days a week, the shoes got their workout, many times walking about 2 miles a day for each trip. After each trip in NYC heading back to Grand Central Terminal, I would often stop in the spice shop, although never purchasing anything. Here is a look at my first experience to spices at the end of my New York City workdays.

My three Allen Edmonds dress belts to match my shoe collection

Because of my daily wear, two things happened next. First, I wore out the soles, probably after about 5-10 years and had to get them resoled. I used Allen Edmonds service first and the quality was great. I remember the full package was about $100 at the time (or at least to my recollection) and did that once or twice over the years. I did ultimately find a local cobbler to repair the shoes at about half the cost, but finding one is like winning the lottery as well.

The second event that happened was I was so happy with my purchase, I bought two more pairs, one in brown and one in burgundy, both in the same classic style as the black.

Since then, I have purchased 2 more pairs of dress shoes from Allen Edmonds, both loafers. I found that I wear my black loafers more than any other due to the easy slip on an off.

My boat shoes.

I also purchased three dress belts to match the three original colors as I was always told that your tie and socks should match/complement each other and your belt and shoes should match. Not sure if that is true but that is the adage I have lived by all these years. My belts really need a polishing which I only think I did once for all the years I have owned them. I used to polish my shoes every few months but now, it's more like every few years given the infrequency of wearing them.

I have two other Allen Edmonds products. I have a pair of boat shoes that I wear when we go to Aruba, as well as my wallet, which I think I have had for 20 years now. I couldn't be happier with my decision 30 years ago to buy Allen Edmonds, and I became a repeat customer over the years, with my most recent purchase for my son, Matthew. If you are in the market for a pair of dress shoes, and honestly, a nice pair of stylish and comfortable shoes, I highly recommend Allen Edmonds. Don't make the same mistakes I did early on.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Allen Edmonds products last??

A few of my shoes are close to 30 years old, with just the soles refinished a few times. They look good as new.

Does Allen Edmonds offer shoe repair?

Yes, Allen Edmonds offers recrafting services. You can access them on their website.

Do you recommend a leather or rubber soles for your dress shoes?

Personally, I like the leather soles, but we purchased the rubber soles for my son who I knew would appreciate the longevity and grip.

Start Your Own Allen Edmonds Sensory Experience

If you have a passion for looking good and being comfortable at the same time, step into a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes. They will elevate your sensory experience. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. As well, since most of my collection is from the past, I have selected products that are similar in style in the links below.

Experience the Deep Comfort of a Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed

"Instead of thinking of sleep as the ending of your day, start thinking about it as the beginning of your tomorrow". - Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell

I am writing this story in an airplane coming home from a trip to see my dad dreaming of coming home to my Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed.

This is the only picture Mary Beth and I took from our two visits to Laguna Beach in our most recent trip. We walked from Heisler Park down the steps to the beach nestled between the rocks watching the waves and surfers (not captured in the photo).

Mary Beth and I took a few day trip cross country to California and had a great time. We spent the time at our favorite restaurant, Las Brisas, in Laguna Beach. Not only is the food amazing, the restaurant sits on top of the hill overlooking the ocean in front of you, the beach to the left down the hill, and the start of a short, beautiful winding walking path to the right. Mary Beth and I spend the next afternoon back at Laguna Beach walking the path and then heading down to a small beach just below nestled within the rocky cliffs. We watched some of the surfers on a wintery 86 degree day in January.

The last day of our trip was spent driving 90 minutes to Temecula, where we went for wine tasting at Ponte, with lunch following at their restaurant. The tasting started with six, one oz pours of their wines, where we choose a selection of whites and reds, each one better than the last. The bartender (I guess that is what you call the person who is pouring the wine), also shared a small sample of a $110 reserve bottle they had. Let me tell you that there is a difference between a $110 bottle of wine and the $65 bottle we also sampled (which was excellent) and a $30 bottle, which was also very good. The $110 bottle was impressive. We had a few bottles shipped to us including the $110 bottle (thanks dad). I can’t wait to try it with our Josephinenhutte wine glasses.

I feel like I am digressing but there is a point to this start of this story. The visit to see my dad reminded me of a time Mary Beth and I went to visit about 20 years ago. Mary Beth had back surgery a few years prior and had been having problems sleeping. When we were there, her back didn’t hurt and the two of us woke up much more rested. We had a better night’s sleep on my dad’s guest mattress than what we had at home.

This prompted us to go home and search for mattresses the following weekend. We went to our local Mattress Firm and tried all the mattresses as one does when they go to a mattress store. Following a bit of pondering, we really liked the Tempur-Pedic mattresses but were hesitant about the cost (at least I was). We did wind up buying the adjustable frame but opted for another mattress brand at the time.

This is the side profile of our bed in its fully extended position. We never use it to this extreme, but I wanted to share what the adjustable bed is capable of rising to.

After getting it delivered and trying it for a week or so, we realized this was just not the right mattress for us. Taking advantage of the Mattress Firm 120 Night Sleep Trial, we took another trip to the store and made an exchange, this time spending a few extra dollars (ok, a bit more than a few), and exchanged it for a Tempur-Pedic adjustable mattress.

Mary Beth saw an immediate improvement in how her back felt and while I personally never had many issues sleeping, my sleep improved as I started waking up more rested than before.

It used to be that when Mary Beth and I went to a nice hotel, that is where you got to sleep in a nice bed. For us, it’s the opposite. It’s been about 15-20 years since we made the exchange. Every time we come back from a hotel or a visit to someone else’s home (including from my dad’s guest bedroom), there is nothing that compares to our Tempur-Pedic bed at home.

The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: 

"Sleep is so important to everything we do, I felt this quote should be restated... Instead of thinking of sleep as the ending of your day, start thinking about it as the beginning of your tomorrow"

My perspective on buying a great mattress is the following. The experts tell us that you should get 8 hours of sleep a night but with only 24 hours in a day, that means on average, we are sleeping 1/3 of the day or in reality, 1/3 of our entire lives. So many of us take the time to research and invest in other things like the stock market, but what about investing in a quality mattress, a good pillow, and comfortable sheets. Should we invest 1/3 of our salary on a mattress, pillow, and sheets? Probably not, but making an investment in a great mattress is game changing for your sleep and how you will feel the following day.

Do yourself a favor, this weekend, go to your local mattress store and try out a few mattresses. You may soon realize what you are missing.

I am not naive to the fact that buying a Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed is a big financial investment and not everyone had that kind of disposable income. The mattress is only 1 piece of the puzzle and if you don’t have thousands of dollars stuffed under your mattress (get the irony😊), think about purchasing a really comfortable pillow.

It's hard to tell but there is a slight indent in the middle to cradle your head.

Pillows are just as important as the mattress but buying a pillow is cheap in comparison, with good pillows ranging from $50-$250. When researching your pillow, the first thing you need to determine is if you are a side, back, or stomach sleeper. There are pillows that are specifically designed for all three and some that offer combinations of the scenarios. For example, I sleep on a combination on my side and on my back.

Flip side of the Tempur-Pedic pillow. This side is a bit more oval shaped.

Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed

After doing a ton of research, we purchased the Tempur-Pedic pillow which supports the combination of my sleep patterns. After realizing how our sleep continued to improve with the new pillow, we purchased one for each of the kids too. I know some people will think that kids are kids and they will sleep on anything we give them, which is true, but Mary Beth and I had the belief that if we felt better in the morning after a good night’s sleep with our pillows, our kids would as well.

Stay with me here and I have a few more things to cover.

This is the DreamFit sheets we use. We have two sets and alternate when we do laundry.

We also purchased a nice set of sheets (two of them to be exact) to go with our adjustable mattress. The sheets we have had are very comfortable and have straps to have the sheet stay in place when we move the bed up and down. You can do some research on your own but the ones we currently use are from DreamFit. I would also consider Boll and Branch the next time I am in the market based our positive experience with their towels.

I did have one challenge recently. The mattress pad we were using for many years needed to be replaced. I researched and researched but couldn’t find a mattress pad that fit the 11 inches, which was what our mattress measured in depth. All of the ones I was finding online stated they fit 10-18 inch depth but none specific to 11 inches.

I had to purchase the all-in-one pad as there were no other options, including me reaching out to Tempur-Pedic.

ZumberLock solved my problem of the mattress pad bunching up. Not seen but there is a strip that locks the pad or sheet into place.

This was now causing a new problem with the mattress pad bunching up underneath the sheets. But problem solved; somewhere in my travels online, I came across the ZlumberLock sheet holder, which we now have on all 4 corners of the bed. It took all the lumpiness out of the mattress pad, and we are now back to a good night’s sleep.

Newly purchased travel pillow for Mary Beth, which she really liked in our last two trips.

The last topic I want to cover is a travel pillow. Mary Beth and I travel periodically and as I mentioned earlier, I don’t have any problems going to sleep but Mary Beth does, especially the first few nights we are away. The pillows are never comfortable, and it never feels like the peaceful sanctuary we created at home. This year for Christmas, I got her a Tempur-Pedic Travel Pillow which she used this week on our trip to California. It’s just a smaller version of what we have at home, and it offers her the ability to get a good night’s sleep while we are away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Would you buy a Tempur-Pedic bed again?

Absolutely. Our current bed is still working great for us so we are not in the market, but when we are, we won't look at another brand. Our biggest decision will be which Tempur-Pedic mattress to buy!

Have you ever flipped your Tempur-Pedic Mattress?

We only did it once, about 10 years after we purchased it. We were amazed as to how well it held it's shape from the original purchase.

Does the ZlumberLock really work?

Yes, we saw an improvement in the smoothness of our mattress pad immediately. It went from being very bunched up to smooth as silk in seconds. While we use it for our mattress pad, it can also be used for sheets.

Start Your Own Tempur-Pedic Good Night Sleeping Sensory Experience

If you are longing for a good night's sleep, the Tempur-Pedic Bed is the way to go. It will elevate your sensory experience allowing you to become more alert when you wake up and throughout the rest of the day. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Experience Precision Cutting With The HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener

As a child of the 80’s, I am way too familiar with the Ginsu knife commercial (video is linked below). Do you remember it?

The Ginsu commercials were all over the TV and it was fascinating to watch as a kid. These knives were so sharp, they cut through tin cans as well as tomatoes with ease. What they were playing up is your frustration that your knives weren’t sharp and could barely cut through an over easy egg.

My HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener sitting on my Boos Block Cutting Board

When I was a kid, and I was a bit embarrassed to share that up until recently, there were only three options for dealing with dull knives. You lived with it, you went to a professional to sharpen it, or you bought a new one. I think most people either just lived with it or wound up buying a new one.

Regardless of your knife, don't forget to leverage a great wood cutting board to protect your blade from prematurely dulling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wzULnlHr8w

Summertime Mistakes

When I was in high school, probably around the age of 17, I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a part-time summer job. I remember it vividly. I drove up to a small office building in Edison, NJ and attended an informational session about Cutco Knives. These knives promised something very similar to Ginsu in that they were sharp and you needed the entire set that cost at least a few hundred dollars (maybe more but my memory is a bit fuzzy on this one). I was so excited about it and all I had to do was pay $25 to get started and they handed me a set to go sell.

The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: 

"With a sharp knife, it just glides through the food. Sharpen your knives regularly to experience the feeling of cutting through your food like it's a hot knife on soft butter."

I went home and shared the “new job” with my mom and stepdad, Bill, and they shared that while it was probably legitimate, this was not something that I should be pursuing. The selling premise was that you would have to sell directly to family and friends of family… of which they weren’t keen on me pushing these expensive knives onto our family and friends. The concept is very similar to selling life insurance.

Later that day, I took a trip back to the Cutco office and returned the knives and got my money back. Again, my memory is a bit fuzzy, but it is possible my mom or Bill called the Cutco sales manager or wrote a letter explaining I was 17 and this was not something I should be participating in (I wonder if my mom remembers this story).

Coincidently, my college roommate of three years, Bill, sold Cutco knives during one of the summer breaks and was wildly successful.

My New Knife Set

When Mary Beth and I got married (now 27 years ago), we had a knife set on our registry. For about 20 of those years, we had the same set. I never really thought much about sharpening it as I just learned to live with dull knives. We each had our own chef’s knife, and the set came with a few other smaller knives, along with some steak knives. Over the years, on Mary Beth’s trips up to Maine with her mom, they purchased a few other serrated knives that we would use for cutting tomatoes and other soft items that our original set couldn’t cut.

It wasn’t until about 7 or 8 years ago that we saw a vendor at a farmers market stand offering to sharpen knives. We started talking about it with one of our neighbors and he offered to do it the next time we saw him as he used his belt sander in his basement. Our newly sharpened knives gave us a new lease on our existing set for a few years.

The test that I was fascinated by was our newly sharpened knives could now cut through tomatoes with relative ease.

All was good until two things happened. Mary Beth’s knife handle broke and I decided it was time for me to get a new chef’s knife. As I have shared in previous posts, I am not happy with my current chef’s knife, so I won’t be posting a recommendation about it (It cuts but I just don’t like the feel of it).

Over the course of a few months, we both had new knives and they were sharp and all was good. Over time, I realized that I should expect more from my knives and they should cut tomatoes with no effort at all. When they started to get dull, I brought up the conversation to our son Michael and he shared that from the initial research he did, HORL was the best option.

HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener

HORL2 Ceramic Honing Disc (opposite side is the Diamond Grinding Disc)

I did a bunch of research on the topic of knife sharpening as there are a few different kinds including whetstone, which seemed a bit more complicated than the effort I wanted to expend. I then looked at HORL Rolling Knife Sharpener and did some research going to a few of the standard product review sites. The feedback was all the same, regardless of the site. Whetstone is a good option if you are more of a professional chef or if you want precise control, but if you want chef quality without the effort, HORL is the way to go. As I dug into my research, there were a lot of lookalike options to HORL but the reviews, both written and via YouTube, were that the cheaper versions don’t glide as nice and didn’t sharpen as quickly and efficiently.

The great thing about HORL is it’s small, packed away under my cabinet, and only needs to come up every 6-12 months (I am sure there are specific recommendations as to when to sharpen your knife, but I use my tomato test. If my knife starts to struggle to cut the tomato or my tomato gets smushed in anyway by my knife, it’s time to sharpen it. By the way, I use my chef’s knife to cut everything now including very small grape tomatoes.

If you are in the market for a knife sharpener, I highly recommend HORL. It is simple to use, offers two “settings” of 15 degrees (Japanese knives) and 20 degrees (American knives) based on your knife origin, which attaches via magnet to the knife. It offers a diamond cut circular end that just rolls along the knife to sharpen. The other side is used to just smooth out any rougher edges.

The paper test. Your knife is sharpened when you take a clean sheet of copy/printer paper and hold it with one hand and then cut through it. If it cuts with a sharp, clean cut of the paper, you are good to go.

Two other key points to know, if you aren’t familiar already. First, a dull knife is more dangerous to cut food than a sharp knife due to the additional effort you need to place in cutting, leading to more injuries. Second, most (if not all) professional chefs will recommend that if you are going to spend any money on a kitchen utensil, it should be a good chef’s knife. Many will say you don’t need any other knives. To that end, I don’t use the serrated knives anymore to cut tomatoes, only my HORL sharpened chef’s knife.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_qdJMQruSk

Last part of the story. My mom never really liked to cook although I thought she was a good cook. She often complained and after I moved out, she didn’t cook or entertain like she used to. Mary Beth and I thought it would be a great idea about 25 years ago to get my mom and Bill a new set of knives as we liked our new set from our wedding. Instead of buying them a good chef’s set, we got a bunch of serrated chef’s knives which were a flop of a gift. Serrated chef’s knives just don’t cut it😊

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to sharpen a knife using the HORL sharpener?

It just takes a minute or two per side. It is really quick and with just a few passes back and forth, you will feel like you have a brand-new knife!

Is it more dangerous to have a sharp knife than a dull one?

Actually, it is more dangerous to have a dull knife. Dull knives will often require more pressure which can cause the knife to slip and cause more accidents.

What is your favorite food to cut with your knives after they are sharpened?

I love the smell of freshly cut cilantro, scallions, limes, and tomatoes when I am making guacamole.

Do you have a favorite cutting board to use with your knives?

Yes, we use and Edge Grain Boos Block from John Boos.

Start Your Own Knife Sharpening Sensory Experience

If you have a passion for cooking food at home, having a sharp knife is a requirement and it will elevate your sensory experience in the cooking process. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.