OBTAIN AMAZING FOOTWEAR AT AFFORDABLE PRICES | EBAY SHOE BUYING

In this video we discuss how you can use simple processes to obtain magnificent footwear at very reasonable prices by making use of the Ebay platform.
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#chapsguide #ashjones #mensstyle

[@martinbevan4015]

15 to 20 years ago there was a local cobblers who used to get returns of Barker shoes ,repair any defects and put them in the window at bargain prices. I still have many pairs in my wardrobe.

[@AName-pp8di]

I just want to say thank you for introducing me to higher quality footwear. I was quite ignorant to how price and quality are related in footwear, as my only experience with ‘expensive’ shoes were fashion trainers where the price varied with the style, not the quality of materials or workmanship. I’ve since bought some lovely conker brown loake brogues, a pair of cedar shoe trees and I’m heading off to the Cheaney factory store next week!

[@lynn5447]

I have found that the photos of the shoes are very useful. Look at the uppers for real damage. More important is looking at the soles and heels (usually the last photos), I have found some shoes which are "pre-owned" where the sole and heels look unused. WOrn once and put in the back of the closet? I get what seem to be new shoes. I do a full restoration since I do not know how long they have been in the back of the closet. Then shoe polish cream, shoe polish, and mirror polish.

[@VicFlange]

Ash, would you do a video about the history of the Fred Perry polo shirt? I believe this should be a staple in every chap’s wardrobe and worn by Sean Connery in Thunderball. Excellent work by the way.

[@TheChapsGuide]

Good idea - I have FP polo and have owned it for 20-years.

[@edword7195]

It may be a red herring but from what I understand shoes are made in American European or UK sizes. They then estimate best fit to another regions size. It may be best to consider the size it was made in. This applies to trainers from my experience where some American brands Nike allocate different UK sizes than other New Balance based on US sizes. This is the same withEuropean sizes. In Shoes fit may not be so critical but in trainers always want exact sizes

[@SMarcey]

Ebay is how I acquired all of my nice shoes, A burgundy pair of cap toe oxfords, a black pair of loafers and a pair of black wing tipped oxfords, all from Allen Edmonds and for around 30-50 dollars USD a pair. Had I bought these shoes new I would be roughly $1200 USD so for less than 150 I got shoes that ostensibly can last me a lifetime considering the infrequency with which I wear them as I don't generally end up in very formal situations. It is nice to know however, that when presented with one Im adequately prepared for any occasion.

[@georgelush1998]

Ash, I am impressed you pronounced Oregon correctly. My in-laws met at Oregon State University during World War II. I mispronounced it “Or-a-gone” in their presence. My father-in-law corrected me saying, “The farmer went to get a rifle “or a gun.” Never mispronounced it again.

[@chrisblanc663]

Another great video my fine chap!

[@gordon7005]

I had a pair of Sanders refurbished, and honestly, you'd think they were brand new. Another fine video Ash

[@ianhindmarsh882]

Another excellent video Ash. I bought a pair of very worn Loake suede brogues from eBay and sent them off to the factory for a resole. When they came back they literally looked brand new! Less than £140 all in. Perfect!

[@TheChapsGuide]

It’s a good hack to get great shoes at comfortable prices.

[@johnparnell8571]

Great content, Ash. If someone had told me three years ago that I would be buying my quality shoes, clothes and accessories second-hand of eBay, Etsy and Vinted, I would have laughed at them. Not anymore! I have purchased top brand labels (including shoes) at thrift store prices and no one but me knows that most of my smart attire is pre-owned. There is something very satisfying about giving someone else's unwanted clothes a whole new life in my caring ownership. I also have no qualms about investing good money to have quality used items repaired, altered, refurbished and even upgraded so that they can be put back into good use as `front of wardrobe' clothing to be worn with pride. We may 'spend' on mainstream brands, but you always 'invest' in the quality labels; shoes especially.😊

[@TheChapsGuide]

Once you 'get it' with the quality gear, it would be very hard to go back to low-end items, that are cheaply made and often are made in unethical circumstances many 1000's of miles away. I actually think my quality clothes feel more comfortable the better bargain I manage to buy them for. It is a bit of a sport too!

[@stupewpew8295]

Hi Ash, it’s also worth noting TK maxx UK now sell high end Tailoring outfits if you know the brands such as Moncrief , Feraud or Douglas Hayward. . (Roger Moore/ Micheal Cain taylor.) shoes and blazers rather than £550 are often under £80.

[@TheChapsGuide]

I visit TK Maxx every week when my son plays sport at a nearby venue. It really is amazing the things that turn up in that store. Well worth visiting regularly

[@daveporter6091]

Thanks for answering my questions Ash. Another great video! Please let me know when your travels bring you back to Oregon.

[@jabbasan12]

I would also add as well as looking at the sole, look at the heal counter and eyelets for cracking and tears. Heal counters can be very expensive to repair.

[@RaoulKunz1]

True and great advice - it's abysmally expensive because we need to essentially open up the *entirety* of the rear shoe down to the insole complete with stitching to get between the inner and out layer of the upper and replace and re-glue a new heel counter. We *can* go in from the top with a cut from above but even if if works out completely fine it *will* change the shoe's look. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

[@rhayden1]

Great video, the last few days I’ve started looking on eBay for shoes so this video is great timing too.

[@johnstokes3144]

A great video Ash. Spot on advice. My collection houses some of the best in English workmanship. All bought second hand. The best deal was a pair of Churches Custom grade graftons for £100. Saving over £900. Really good advice as there are some unscrupulous sellers on ebay. Who push for top money without a full description. I also avoid any shoes not showing the soles. Using the same advice you gave I built up my collection with ease. And not to hurtful to my wallet. The shoes are out there and as you say they can always be repaired and still Saving money. Great video, thanks.

[@bjoernaltmann]

With regards to the second hand aspect: the cork in the footbed will mould to the wearer’s foot, but if they have not been worn much, it’s not a problem. If they require to be resoled, then the manufacturer can replace the insole and cork as well.

[@minty448]

As always,spot on. I just bought on eBay a pair of Cheaney Tamar boots for £60, rrp £475.

[@TheChapsGuide]

Nice one!

[@darrellclaunch1518]

I bought a pair of Crocket and Jones for $50 after seeing you speak of them on your page and they are the best pair of shoes I own. Comfortable and you can feel the quality with every step. Will have to keep an eye out for these brands.

[@MrBurtonshaw]

Absolutely superb advice Ash. As I've mentioned before.. I recently picked up a pair of Cheaney and Crockett & Jones chukkas, both in great condition with good life left in the leather soles. No hope of picking them up dirt cheap under normal circumstances in my common as old fish size 9s... so i boxed cleaver and looked for retailers who I know have their shoes made by the Northampton Big Guns. Both pairs need/needed new top lifts, but that's an easy job for even the most ordinary cobbler... I did my own on the Cheaneys, even going so far as to build a new full heel block from some soling leather i picked up for a song... I hand sanded and dyed the edges black to so they look brand new. I'm having trouble buying Crockett & Jones style top lifts(the jigsaw piece style quarter rubber leather jobbies) in the UK though, most sellers only deal with "trade"... but the Crockett's toplifts have a little life left. I bought BOTH pairs for the price of a resole.. cheers again.

[@TheChapsGuide]

Great result. I think the shoes are more comfortable when purchased at low prices - is that just me!

[@MrBurtonshaw]

@@TheChapsGuide I to am of a parsimonious bent too, I'd feel as if I'd cheated if I just walked into a shop and paid full price for new... I love to refurbish things, I value them more when I've had a hand in making them look good.

[@arslongavitabrevis5136]

Hello Ash! Thank you so much for this and all your videos. Although I am not in a position of benefit from many of your tips; mainly because I do not live in the UK and therefore, I am not able to visit all those wonderful shops you have mentioned, I appreciate your positive messages and all the extremely valuable tips and information that you so generously share with all of us. Greetings from cold and humid Buenos Aires. Regards.

[@Chinosandbrouges]

Really good video , thanks 🙏

[@chefrichh]

Great advice!

[@rogerr.8507]

I was buying forestfire fighting boots during lockdowns 😆 60-100$ I think i can sell them for double these days I think They aint classic exactly, but they are handmade in traditional style

[@lloydmeadows3471]

Great advice here Ash. I bought a pair of Church's for £50, Refurbishment costs an additional £290, so by no means a cheap price overall but a £600 saving on the near £1,000 outlay for a new pair.

[@canadafree2087]

The sole is the soul of a shoe.

[@RaoulKunz1]

Great tips as usual! And here's my obligatory bespoke shoemaker's 2c€nts: even get shoes with crappy soles or heels, if you get them cheap you can go and have them repaired... actually we (meaning repair, bespoke and orthopaedic shoemakers, really anyone who had the full five years of training) can repair fairly substantial damages - I've repaired almost completely gone leather heels - and it's actually comparably cheap and still advances the quality of the shoe because even the relatively "bad" leather I stack for a heel is better than most heels you get in a new shoe. Generally Mr. Jones has it completely right here (unsurprisingly) - the sole is a key, though as long as the *insole* (not to be confused with *inlays* ) remains intact (it's the "soul" of the shoe after all around which it is built both upwards and downwards) pretty much anything above and below it can be restored, at worst remade, but this of course will cost you depending on the scale of repairs and if this is worth it largely depends on the original price of the shoe On a slightly off-topic note: you might consider having your vulnerable leather soles replaced with JR soles that feature central hard rubber elements - this won't show while walking, will look like proper leather only soles, but be "armoured" and work like a thin hard rubber soles you can have glued on top but without any rubber showing but the key contact area is protected. Oh and about "re-forming" worn shoes from the shape they may have taken: put your lasts into them and spray them with a layer of "leather softener" and set them aside for a day, they will have taken on the form of the last you put in and be ready for you to impart your own shaping! 😆 Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

[@TheChapsGuide]

Raoul, great advice from a master of the subject. I like to think that I'm keeping these fine shoes going for another generation as I give them a new lease of life in my ownership. If only the shoes could tell their tales!

[@adrianwalker2833]

About "reforming" the shape: does that also apply to the inner sole which has been compressed to reflect the former owner's footshape?

[@RaoulKunz1]

@@adrianwalker2833 Yes it does (within limits), as long as it's made from leather shredding, and most quality insoles are. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

[@RaoulKunz1]

@@TheChapsGuide Oh, I'm just a journeyman technically - I know, figure of speech so thank you, much appreciated!😉 And proper leather shoes can be handed down, true - as long as the size stays roughly the same, feet seem to grow in leaps and bounds within one generation - we'll be tall Hobbits in no time. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

[@RaoulKunz1]

That was *such* a *German* answer, sorry 😅

[@adrianwalker2833]

1. If you do not know the name of the brand, search for it. Very often you come up against a name that's feigning tradition or English heritage - and that's really made in some sweat-shop (like John White, Clarks or Doc Martens). 2. The same goes for Italian shoes: make sure it is really Italian - and not only the name! Also with Italian shoes, the size is generally one size lower, so a 46 is really only a 45 and Italian lasts are generally slimmer. By and large Italian shoes are Blake stitched and not Goodyear welted. 3. With American/UK shoes: don't forget that e.g. an American size 12 is a British size 11! 4. With British shoes being so coveted, try Spanish, Hungarian, Austrian or - above all - French. As some of the makes are virtually unknown there's quite often a bargain waiting. Just recently I bought an excellent Belgian called Ambiorix - they were brand new and I bought them for a song! 5. Search for the original price, that may save you from making costly mistakes. So do not fall in love with a pair of shoes, i. e. do not bid too high - there's always a tomorrow and new shoes. And be prepared for disappointments - as sizes and widths do vary considerably. In that case it helps, if your bid (i. e. your loss) wasn't too high. 6. Try Ebay-Kleinanzeigen (not available in the UK, but in Germany). Fairly often there's a real bargain hiding, as there is no bidding, just a fixed price, which in some cases even can be negotiated. 7. And one more thing that is often overlooked: the inner sole (which cannot be taken out) may be worn in and therefore is not too comfortable!

[@MrBurtonshaw]

Yep, the insole(and cork) of a used pair of traditionally made shoes will indeed be compressed to the original owners foot shape... it will however, became nearly a blank canvass if you were to have the outsole replaced along with the cork between the outsole and insole.

[@adrianwalker2833]

@@MrBurtonshaw Oh thanks, I had always wondered what to do about it!

[@RaoulKunz1]

@@adrianwalker2833 And always remember that you can usually reform the insole to a degree using a last and leather softener, much like the upper, *if* it's made from leather shredding, which most actually *are* - and of course you can have a proper inlay made and if your adventurously inclined feel free to take the leather topping off the inlays (sometimes it's just a piece of leather glued on the insole anyway), trace the outline and glue something soft but resilient under it, no thicker than 2 mil and re-insert... heck, just have it done by a shoemaker, if he's a decent bloke it will cost you a song and a buck since it's a ten minute or less exercise. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

[@adrianwalker2833]

@@RaoulKunz1 Thanks a lot - because I have a number of such shoes where the "imprint" does not correspond well with my feet.

[@bjoernaltmann]

Great tips with regards to getting a good deal! Something I have learnt: Even with true to size you then have to determine the width you need. Also good to know would be if you have a high instep or not - some Oxfords may not be suitable with a high instep.

[@verykeen2please]

Just bought some Grenson Boots brand new direct from their website on sale at £175 bargain

[@martindoyle7077]

Nice video ash abbots do shoes a greatly reduced prices mainly second hand but tread 😊 carefully

[@peterk7713]

Hello from Vancouver, British Columbia, Ash. Thanks for the advice on buying shoes from ebay. After watching your video I felt brave enough to try. I've never purchased anything from ebay before. A fine pair of shoes might as well be my first. Yesterday I found a pair of Loake 1880s in great condition from a seller in Edmonton. Bargained a bit and made the purchase. They are literally one third asking price new. Also, I avoid paying import duties because the seller is in Canada. Hopefully they arrive as advertised. They'll be a welcome addition to my growing collection.

[@TheChapsGuide]

Hope they work out well for you.

[@malthuswasright]

I can recommend Mrs White's Unstung Hero insect repellent for the fly problem!

[@TheChapsGuide]

Good tip sir.

[@1114gabby]

great tips!

[@TheChapsGuide]

Glad you like them!

[@loungeisalivecigars]

I wish you would take a look at Becket Simonon shoes. Great brand. Thanks

[@TheChapsGuide]

I'll check it out!

[@Bjartone]

Shoes on a shoestring

[@9er..]

Excellent tips Ash! I’ve actually started keeping an eye on E-bay here and there for heritage brands. I had a question… So I am putting together a swanky summertime night outfit- shantung blazer, linen shirt Italian wool pants…very very “ Dickie Greenleaf”. My question is can one wear a pair of suede monk strap shoes with no-show socks or should I stick to suede tassel loafers? Regardless of what shoe I am trying to buy,I’m going for that exposed ankle look.

[@adrianwalker2833]

I think tassle loafers look a bit effeminate. So I'd always go for the monkstrap shoes. But no show socks? It always looks a bit like you're trying too hard to achieve that sprezzatura look. You're avoiding proper socks and it ruins an otherwise perfect look. And beware: there is an age limit for no show socks. (Just my 2 cents.)

[@9er..]

@@adrianwalker2833 All very fair points!! I’m really just copying an outfit on Proper Cloth. You know, something swanky for those hot summer nights….in Philadelphia 🤣🤣🤣🤣🙄🙄🙄😯

[@TheChapsGuide]

You can wear those d/monks without socks - but should you really ? is the question for me. The sockless look is a fairly modern angle, favoured by the young and trendy and only really valuable if you wear a high break on your trousers (so the fact can even be noticed). As a man of middle years, I opt for the comfort of more absorbent and cushioning hosiery, that looks good and is more capable for the situation. In most instances, unless your slacks are cut to your ankle, your shoe/ankle area will be covered by the trousers anyway (hopefully). Just my thoughts - I do not live in a sub-tropical environment, so perhaps views are different from those living closer to the equator.

[@rudrabarathan2737]

Hi Ash, I recently bought Edward green shoes advertised as new for £500. Received and on a close inspection found some imperfections on it. then I realised has to be factory seconds. for that price it wasn't worth it, Returned it.

[@rudrabarathan2737]

Hi Ash, What is the most expensive shoe you have purchased? used or new!

[@TheChapsGuide]

As I buy most of my shoes from cut-price location (ebay, consignment outlets, etc.) I tend to obtain great shoes at reduced prices, but I did once lust after a pair of burgundy Loake Burford boots that I could not find cheap - so I paid £250 for them new. I will never, ever pay full price for any shoes/boots ever again!

[@Fush1234]

Sadly living in Australia or New Zealand. We can’t do eBay

[@glebz7294]

What do you mean? I've bought a number of items off ebay

[@amcluesent]

Use a sniper to auto bid with your best offer at the last second.