****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I enjoy a great pair of shoes... leather Oxfords, leather soles if available, solid laces, comfortable, well-priced... these are things I look for when searching for shoes. They'll last me years because I take good care of them. If you are a connoisseur of shoes, then you know your shoes. I know that it's rare to find a good pair of Oxfords/dress shoes online (or otherwise) for the price of these, but they have their good points.I've owned a lot of Oxfords that I wear to work. One scuff, and the cow that gave their life for your shoe is rolling around in their grave. They're super difficult to remove! And don't let it be those shoes that look wonderful online, but when you get them, they smell like gasoline for years. Why would I continue purchasing shoes that cause my automobile and office to smell like gas, that cause my tonsils to swell? I didn't just mow the lawn with these, you know. Shoes should be ready-to-wear out the box... I DENOUNCE the idea that I should 'leave my shoes outside' or put them in a bag of sodium bicarb to get rid of the horrible smell! Never again! Okay. Back to my review of these shoes. :}These shoes... well, you get what you pay for.The pros:1). Comfortable2). Not easy to scuff3). Flexible and durable; upper, inner, and bottom4). Cheap (compared to leather shoes). Damage? Easy to replace.5). No sickening my-shoes-just-went-on-a-date-with-the-gasoline-nozzle-while-the-gas-was-running smell.6). Nice, medium width7). Tasteful style8). Not easy to stain9). Super-light! You won't even notice you're wearing them.The cons:1). They are too large. I had to return my original order and reorder one size down (from 13" to 12")2). Poorly made; I don't believe the string at the bottom of the shoe is actually used for attachment to the shoe itself. I had to send the shoe back (again) AFTER ordering one size down because the thread was quite loose from it's intended space at the bottom. You could literally pull the string with your finger, let alone a pair of tweezers. I believe they're glued. The sewing machine (or person) used to make these shoes look like the thread is functional needs to be recalibrated.3). The hue of color between the shoe/sole/bottom isn't consistent. It seems that someone hired their child of 7 or less years of age, gave them an unscented marker, and asked them to 'Have at it' with their non-dominant hand. One of the pairs I sent back looked like someone scuffed the front of one of the shoes, slapped it back in the box, resent to another customer. With every pair I had to send back, I kept my fingers crossed that the next pair would be better. But, it's what you get when you pay for shoes like these (rolling my eyes).4). Lack of ventilation. Leather breathes, these do not. I feel like my feet need an asthma pump after a day of keeping these bad boys on.5). Slippery bottoms. You literally may benefit from standing on the road and scraping the bottom to get a little bit of 'grip' on them. This is a half-con because eventually, it gets better within the week.Overall, these shoes are decent for the price. I've not owned non-leather shoes for years, but these are worth being in my closet. I have a black pair and a brown pair, and my review is the same for both of them. I had to send the black pair back about 3 times (size, damaged product, damaged product), but at the end, I'm satisfied. (=Got these for a friend's wedding. They work, look, and feel great, but I don't plan on wearing them every day, maybe a few times a year for special occasions.Shoes fit perfectFit great look great! Very happy with themDefinitely a lovely shoes...I was pleased with the itemGREAT SHOE! I bought it to match the belt that I bought for a wedding that I was attending and it looked TOO good on me! All the mamacitas were feeling me!Stylish, good looking shoe.Wondering about the quality in the long run, have some doubts about.To wear with a suit to a weddingHappy they are man made not leather
