My Crockett & Jones Shoe Collection

From time to time I’d go through my shoe collection to see how great things age. I have been buying shoes from Crockett & Jones (C&J), the Northampton-based shoemaker, since the very early days of my sartorial journey.

Up til now I’ve owned five pairs from C&J, two from the Hand Grade (its superior line) and three from the Bench Grade (aka the Main Line Collection). Putting these together, this little collection have got my basic styles well covered.

1. Audley

Collection: Hand Grade

Style: Dark brown antique calf oxford

Last: 337 (soft squared)

The 337 last is perhaps the my best fitting ready-to-wear last. There’s obviously a lot to love about Audley, smart looking, classy and well-proportioned (not too pointy/overly aggressive) to name a few. After around three years, the shoes are still in mint condition and the patina developed has made this pair very special in my wardrobe rotation.

A significant point separating this pair from the Bench Grade collection, to be covered and compared further down this article, is that the crease lines created are much smaller because of the use of finer calf for the Hand Grade line shoes. Even now, I am still staggered how great these look over years of long walk and moistures. I must say, Audley is my favourite in this collection.

As the saying goes, ‘it doesn’t just survive, it thrives’.

My Audley, polished by the World Champion of Shoe Shining Yuya Hasegawa of BriftH during his visit to the Armoury.

2. Tavistock

Collection: Hand Grade

Style: Dark brown calf austerity

Last: 337 (soft squared)

I bought this pair from a Japanese shoes aficionado in brand new condition a while ago. As with Audley, Tavistock also features the 337 last and therefore the fit isn’t really a problem. Whenever I purchase a new pair of dress shoes, I’ve always liked to replace the factory-default round and thick laces with flat laces. And the result goes especially well with Tavistock as the flat laces could give a more formal and classy look in my opinion. A little change of details could always make a huge difference on the overall look.

Unfortunately, C&J has discontinued the factory production of Tavistock for years and for now a special order has to be placed directly with them to secure a pair.

3. Cavendish

Collection: Bench Grade

Style: Burgundy calf tassel loafers

Last: 325 (medium round toe with increased toe depth)

Definitely my go-to loafers during weekends. Cavendish is perhaps the best-selling model from C&J, and for a good reason. Perfect for both formal and smart casual styles aside, the 325 last is pretty spacious in the fore part [and for this reason, I went down half a size (i.e. UK 6.5)] so people wouldn’t feel much tension or stress as they break in. Made from gorgeous burgundy calf, the ‘City’ rubber sole also adds extra comfort walking on bumpy roads.

4. Bradford

Collection: Bench Grade

Style: Dark brown Shell Cordovan derby

Last: 341 (medium round toe last)

A relatively new addition to the squad. Bradford is the only pair of cap-toe derby I have out of my entire shoe collection. From my experience, Horween shell cordovan (also famously used by Alden) requires least attention and efforts when it comes to shoes maintenance – only a brush and deer bone (or Venetian Shoe Cream) and you‘re all set!

Overall, Bradford is arguably the most versatile pair in this collection as I feel at ease pairing these with both business attires and weekend denims.

5. Westbourne

Collection: Bench Grade

Style: Black calf oxford

Last: 348 (aka the ‘Bond Last’ as it was featured in two Bond movies, Skyfall and Spectre)

I bought this pair during my first visit to C&J’s flagship in Jermyn Street, London (by the way, shoutout to tremendous service there). I think Westbourne is the most unique pair out of this collection in the sense that its elongated last is very aggressive (in a good way) and elegant at the same time.

The elongated last makes Westbourne easily a perfect pair of dress shoes

Here you’ll notice the creases created on Bench Grade leather are slightly coarser than those on the Hand Grade shoes, still pretty decent though.

Conclusion

From a personal point of view, C&J represents the absolute values of English shoes that I‘ve always looked for – understated but elegant.

If you’re on a budget but still look for a pair of decent English shoes, C&J is definitely worth considering. In terms of quality and making, C&J sits somewhere between brands at entry level (such as Loake, Barker) and higher end shoemakers (such as Edward Green, Gaziano & Girling) in the British ready-to-wear shoes market. C&J’s shoes are not inexpensive obviously, but I have seen far worse at comparable price level. Be it the Hand Grade or Bench Grade collection, C&J’s shoes simply offer great value to both experienced shoes enthusiasts and beginners wanting to take his sartorial game to the next level.