With many things pertaining to smarter modes in menswear, I’m often late to the party. I didn’t fully understand the pleasure (or importance) of a well-tailored suit or what went into a well-made shoe until my late 30s. When I “discovered” things like Warby Parker, J.Crew’s Ludlow suits, Kamakura or The Tie Bar, I learned that other smartasses in the menswear ether had known about them for years. I don’t claim to be inventing any wheels here, and I will never pretend to be an expert. We get there when we get there.

Another party to which I arrived late is Alden. To be clear, I’ve certainly been aware of Alden and their gold standard in American shoe and boot making for a long time. In fact, I’ve been coveting a pair of Alden’s cordovan chukka boots for several years. My new arrival to the Alden party comes in the form of actually owning a pair.