black shoes with a white dress Aris Allen - Wingtip Spectator Black & White

black shoes with a white dress Aris Allen - Wingtip Spectator Black & WhiteWe are selling all of our slightly imperfect inventory off at a hefty discount! We originally sold these at $179. 95. They are handmade dress shoes. They have a spot, mark, or wrinkle on them. If you're ok with that stock up now! And yes, they are returnable. Just don't step off the rug until you're sure they fit. Handmade Swing Era dress shoes in the style of a spectator wingtip from the 1946 Sears and Roebuck Catalog. And when we say "handmade" we

• We are selling all of our slightly imperfect inventory off at a hefty discount! We originally sold these at $179.95. They are handmade dress shoes. They have a spot, mark, or wrinkle on them. If you're ok with that stock up now! And yes, they are returnable. Just don't step off the rug until you're sure they fit.
• Handmade Swing Era dress shoes in the style of a spectator wingtip from the 1946 Sears and Roebuck Catalog. And when we say "handmade" we mean it. Every one of these has been individually cut and assembled by hand.
• These are made specifically for dancing on dance floors - DO NOT wear them outside.
• Features the Aris Allen Raw Sole: a flexible leather sole and heel made especially to provide you with the action you want on the dance floor. Ask any dance instructor: the “fastness” of the sole forces you to “find your center” immediately.
• This is a slightly roomy style - customer feedback says it's a smitch taller than what they are used to. See sizing recommendations below.
• Heel height is approximately 1".
• Item #: 477-BW

SIZING TIPS - (ALL SHOES ARE USA SIZES):
(Our returns show we are right about 90% of the time)

These are running a little smaller than true-to-size. So start with your men's dress shoe size - the size you measure on the Brannock Device (the metal thing at the shoe store) - and go up a half size. Unless you are just a little smaller than the size you usually wear - then stay at that size. Call us if you need help figuring out your size.

Narrow width: 
Test dancers with narrow feet had to put thin inserts in them to get a good fit. If you are in between sizes the smaller of the two might be best for you.

Medium width:
Stick with your usual size if it's sometimes a little too long. If you are in between two sizes then go up a half size. Add a thin insert if it's the perfect length but a bit too roomy inside.

Wide width: 
These are roomy but are not made for wide feet. For instance; our 9.5 EEE test dancer could wear a size 10 but prefers our wide captoe instead.

BALMORAL STYLE:

These are traditional wingtips constructed in the Balmoral style. This means they are stitched across the ball of the foot and cannot be loosened or tightened the way a “Blucher” styled shoe can. Because of this they are not a good choice for anyone with extremely wide or narrow feet. Our Captoes have Blucher construction and are better suited for a wider variety of foot widths. Check out Swing Shoes 101 for more about this.

ABOUT THE ARIS ALLEN RAW SOLE:

• The Aris Allen Raw Sole is made from flexible hard leather that gets a little “faster” over time by repeatedly absorbing the natural humidity in the air (especially at a dance) and drying. The bottom of the sole and heel is made from sanded hard leather and performs a lot like Chrome Leather (suede) which allows you to spin and slide, and still control the floor. If you find the sole has picked up dirt from the floor and is slowing down, just shuffle your feet on the sidewalk once or twice to refresh it.
• The raw leather surface is designed for the intermediate / advanced dancer - but they're also great as a second pair for beginners... the “fastness” of the sole forces you to “find your center” immediately.
• This style was created to give you a shoe that is similar to what was being worn when swing dancing was invented. If you want to look authentic on the dance floor you need to be wearing the same thing that dancers were wearing in the 20s, 30s, and 40s.

ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE SHOES:

They are absolutely 100% handmade. The cutting of the leather is done by hand - not stamped out, the glue is put on with a brush, not a machine, and the sewing, while done with a sewing machine, is done one at a time. You can even see the occasional pencil mark! This means that the shoe on your foot is the product of a craftsman who sees the shoe from start to finish. This also explains why you will find the occasional imperfection. They are made one at a time.