There was a time when plastic soles on dress shoes were unheard of. That time has passed. Now, to get shoes like your father had that could be resoled and refurbished, you have to spend nearly $200 and up on a pair. Most dress shoes in the mid-level consumer/department store price range are cheap affairs, comprised of dubious materials (i.e., leather from really shiny cows) glued together in overseas factories. The Johnston & Murphy Melton is the last refurbishable, Goodyear Welted dress shoe in the sub-$200 price range that's easily found and produced in quantity.
Of course, to reach this price point, J&M has cut a few corners. Primarily, the shoe, depending upon the day of the week, is either made in India or Mexico. The pair I have (black) were made in India, and there is a slight chemical smell to the leather sole that is unpleasant at first but seems to go away with time. Meltons (burgundy) made in Mexico observed at a local department store did not seem to have this problem.
The Meltons appear large, but fit correctly. The extra length seems to come from an elongated taper of the cap toe, which looks a bit more elegant than the more ubiquitous blunted cap toe I've seen about. The traditional look of the Meltons make them an excellent "interview shoe" (remember, balmorals are more formal than bluchers) At 1/2 the price of the higher quality lookalike Allen Edmonds (Made in the U.S.A.) Park Avenue shoe, the Melton is a serviceable option for those of us who like decent footwear, but cannot justify a $325 pair of shoes.
My only regret is that neither J&M nor any other shoemaker offers any additional dress shoe models or styles featuring a goodyear welt at this price point (Florsheim Imperial Kenmoor line is the next closest @ ~$225.00 - and those are still made in India). So, if you're looking for something a bit nicer or differently styled, be prepared for a price jump.
Of course, to reach this price point, J&M has cut a few corners. Primarily, the shoe, depending upon the day of the week, is either made in India or Mexico. The pair I have (black) were made in India, and there is a slight chemical smell to the leather sole that is unpleasant at first but seems to go away with time. Meltons (burgundy) made in Mexico observed at a local department store did not seem to have this problem.
The Meltons appear large, but fit correctly. The extra length seems to come from an elongated taper of the cap toe, which looks a bit more elegant than the more ubiquitous blunted cap toe I've seen about. The traditional look of the Meltons make them an excellent "interview shoe" (remember, balmorals are more formal than bluchers) At 1/2 the price of the higher quality lookalike Allen Edmonds (Made in the U.S.A.) Park Avenue shoe, the Melton is a serviceable option for those of us who like decent footwear, but cannot justify a $325 pair of shoes.
My only regret is that neither J&M nor any other shoemaker offers any additional dress shoe models or styles featuring a goodyear welt at this price point (Florsheim Imperial Kenmoor line is the next closest @ ~$225.00 - and those are still made in India). So, if you're looking for something a bit nicer or differently styled, be prepared for a price jump.
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