Alden Black Shell Perf-Tip Balmoral
The Black Cap Toe Balmoral is the quintessential dress shoe. In fact, there is an entire StyleForum Thread dedicated to this very topic. Every man should have a Black Cap Toe Balmoral for the life milestone events. Alden does indeed make a true Straight-Tip Cap Toe Balmoral, model 9070, and it can be obtained from a few retail stores, including Alden Madison. I decided that I wanted a little twist on this classic model.
I love shoes with a good amount of brogue design on it. To me, this adds character to the shoe. One of my favorite patterns is the Semi-Brogue. Based upon this, I decided to go for the Perforated-Tip Cap Toe Balmoral, for those times in which I must be an adult and where formal dress wear.
Alden makes the 9015 (Color 8) and 9016 (Black Shell). To my surprise, these models technically are not in the official Alden catalog, but can be purchased through most Alden retailers. The 9016 is a great and versatile shoe, formed around Alden’s Hampton Last. The Hampton Last seems to have been designed with the Cap Toe Balmoral in mind, as the curves on the shoe are outstanding. This model features a classic leather sole. To me, its a timeless design with enough flair to be fun, but not too much flair to be a fad. These shoes are superb for any suit occasion.
Pictures after the break.
