Guides

A shoe is the sum of a series of decisions — the last it is built on, the hide it is cut from, the way the sole is attached. Most of those decisions are invisible once the shoe is finished, but every one of them determines how it fits, how it wears, and how long it lasts.

These guides set out what goes into the shoes we make in our Strand Arcade workshop, so that whether you are buying ready to wear, ordering made to order, or commissioning a bespoke pair, you know what you are choosing.

Choosing a shoe

• Last Guide

  The last is the form a shoe is built around, and it governs fit more than the size on the label. Our four ready-to-wear lasts — 1708, 5239, 5237 and 7577 — run from a close standard fit with a tapered toe through to an extra wide, deep toe box, and this guide sets out which foot each one is for.

• Leather Guide

  Horse culatta, calf, pebble grain and fine grain calf — how each hide is tanned, how it behaves underfoot, how it takes a polish, and the patina it develops over years of wear.

• Sole & Construction Guide

  Open channel Blake, storm welt, closed channel welt and the Dainite cleated sole. How each construction is built, what it is suited to, and — crucially — whether it can be resoled.

Getting the fit right

• Size Charts

  Measurements and conversions for our men's and women's ranges. See also the men's size chart and the women's size chart.

• Custom Fit Enquiry

  If your foot sits outside the standard range, or you have been unable to find a shoe that fits, we can build to your measurements. Enquire and we will take it from there.

After you buy

• After-Sales & Shoe Care

  Resoling, reconditioning and day-to-day care — everything needed to keep a pair in service for decades rather than seasons. See also our repair service and shoe care products.

• Glossary

  The shoemaking terms used throughout these guides, defined plainly — from welt and shank to vamp and quarter.