I think the only option here is oxblood.
Burgundy or Black ??? A Shell Cordovan Question
- Thread starter mark the shoeshine boy
- Start date
Good question! I am gratified to see so many folks responding "burgundy" or "oxblood" here. I thought I was the only one around still strongly defending that/those color(s) for businesswear.
I do think, for the photos anyway, that what AE, and for that matter, James & Crockett, call "burgundy" is what most of us think of when we think of "oxblood." "Cordovan" is also sometimes used to designate a color, whether or not the leather is shell. I do not think there are fixed values as colors for any of these and they are not necessarily synonomous. For instance, I know that Lincoln shoe polish paste comes (or used to come at least) in both an ox blood and a cordovan, the latter being darker and browner than the former, and that to me if really what I think in terms of. A true cordovan color, to me, if a very dark, reddish brown, that can easily look black in low light of the right kind. In distinction, the traditional Weejun burgundy to me is neither oxblood nor cordovan. And i I have some Church wingtips that I would consider exactly oxblood.
In any event, AE in its burgundy seems to be trying for something just short of the darkness of a what I think of as a cordovan color. In the best of worlds, I would want my first pair of shell bluchers to be that even darker color, but I would probably go for the "burgundy," given that is what is available.
But, if these were going to me my only pair of dress shoes, or, say, I wore dress shoes all the time, and only had one or tow other pairs, I would probably go for black. AE, Alden, or, surely, James & Crockett, would be the equal of any dress shoes I own. If I only had a couple of pair, I would clearly get the most use out of black. But since I have plenty of shoes, I think it would be most fun to have these is the most traditional color for shell, even if the color is not quite the extremely dark and thus extremely versitile color I am thinking of!
How is that for wishy-washy!
I do think, for the photos anyway, that what AE, and for that matter, James & Crockett, call "burgundy" is what most of us think of when we think of "oxblood." "Cordovan" is also sometimes used to designate a color, whether or not the leather is shell. I do not think there are fixed values as colors for any of these and they are not necessarily synonomous. For instance, I know that Lincoln shoe polish paste comes (or used to come at least) in both an ox blood and a cordovan, the latter being darker and browner than the former, and that to me if really what I think in terms of. A true cordovan color, to me, if a very dark, reddish brown, that can easily look black in low light of the right kind. In distinction, the traditional Weejun burgundy to me is neither oxblood nor cordovan. And i I have some Church wingtips that I would consider exactly oxblood.
In any event, AE in its burgundy seems to be trying for something just short of the darkness of a what I think of as a cordovan color. In the best of worlds, I would want my first pair of shell bluchers to be that even darker color, but I would probably go for the "burgundy," given that is what is available.
But, if these were going to me my only pair of dress shoes, or, say, I wore dress shoes all the time, and only had one or tow other pairs, I would probably go for black. AE, Alden, or, surely, James & Crockett, would be the equal of any dress shoes I own. If I only had a couple of pair, I would clearly get the most use out of black. But since I have plenty of shoes, I think it would be most fun to have these is the most traditional color for shell, even if the color is not quite the extremely dark and thus extremely versitile color I am thinking of!
How is that for wishy-washy!
I mostly dress casual, so I would get the cigar color if ONLY they made a decently wide fitting. No one does as far as I know, so no cordovans for me unless I have a pair custom made which I'm not willing to do. I voted burgundy since it's close.
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