There is a saying that goes ‘in for a dime, in for a dollar.’ It’s no enigmatic mystery - the whole point is that if you are too parsimonious you might very well end up spending more in the long haul. You might spend only a dime today, but if you need to spend ten more dimes over the course of a year you’ve definitely outstripped that original dollar.

This is particularly true of shoes. Shoes, unlike many things that people buy for use, experience much harder and demanding wear than other goods, and certainly more than pretty much any other garment. It might be tempting to get a cheap pair of shoes, but you’ll probably spend more, in the long run, getting a new pair every year. Cheap shoes are made with faux materials, shoddy glue that falls apart with modest wear, and unscrupulous construction. Quality shoes, however, may very well last the rest of your life with proper care.

While much of the market has gone material, here’s a pair of shoes that won’t let you down. Alden shoes are some of the toughest, most durable, not to mention some of the most fashionable shoes you can invest in. Here are three good reasons a pair of Alden shoes may very well last you for life.

The Quality Of The Uppers
Every shoe produced by Alden shoe company features an upper crafted from the highest quality leathers available. You will find Alden shoes in a multitude of styles featuring aniline calfskin, calf and kid suede, and shell cordovan leather.

Don’t be fooled by ‘genuine leather’ and imitators. Each grade of calfskin and shell cordovan selected for use in the construction of Alden shoes offers a unique benefit to the comfort and durability of the shoe. Whereas ‘genuine leather’ is unspecified and skived from heavier, higher quality grades of leather, Aniline calfskin can only be made from full and top grain calfskin - it retains the highest integrity of the original hide. As a result, aniline calfskin is not only soft and comfortable, it is highly resilient. The same can be said for calf and kid suede. Calf and kidskin are prized as it is for their supple nature and softness. The suede, or skin side of the hide, is even softer.

Shoes made with shell cordovan feature some of the toughest and glossiest finishes of any shoes. Patent leather may look nice, but nothing is as crease-resistant and durable as genuine shell cordovan. Alden shoes also offer a vegetable tanned lining and insole which will mold to your foot over time to offer superior support and comfort.

They Have Rock Solid Soles It’s not just the quality of the soles that makes Alden shoes such an excellent investment. Their soles are Goodyear welted onto the uppers, which is excellent though a labor-intensive stitch that protects the fringe of the upper, offers a better bond and is easier to repair and restore than alternatives. It’s the kind of stitch to seek when you’re looking for quality shoes.

Additionally, the outsoles of Alden shoes are created from oak tanned leather bends for excellent durability and wear resistance and the heels are finished with rubber taps and brass slugging for extra durability.

As if these features were not enough to ensure the longevity of the shoes, each sole contains a tempered steel shank to survive years of use. Tempered steel will flex with your foot as you walk and impart some of its resilience into the design of the shoe. It’s just another one of the ways that Alden grants extraordinary quality and durability to their footwear.

Alden Offers Restoration Services
You might be thinking, how could a pair of shoes with such high-quality leather uppers and a steel shank ever start to break down? Well, the short answer is that Alden shoes are intended to last for many years. However, any shoes will start to wear once they’ve weathered enough miles. That’s the final aspect of Alden that makes them an investment for life.

When your soles wear down or your shoes start to wear, you can send them back to Alden to be expertly finished and receive the same level of care that they were allotted as new shoes. The craftsmen at Alden will make all necessary repairs to shoes and then refinish them by hand before returning them to you. So though they’re intended from the outset to last many years, when the time comes for service Alden won’t let you know. From the superiority of construction and attention to detail you will find in every Alden shoe to the commitment to refinishing and repairs, a pair of Alden shoes will last for a lifetime.

We’re proud to offer such quality footwear as Alden shoes right here on ShermanBrothers.com. If you have any questions regarding our footwear by Alden or want to know more, give us a call at 1-877-337-4637. You can also reach us by email at customerservice@shermanbrothers.com.