Johnston & Murphy Men's Melton Cap Toe | Formal Dress Shoe

I have worn Johnston and Murphy for many years. Just pick one up and look at and you can see the quality in the shoe. They cost more, and they are worth it. I prefer the 100% leather soles and J&M is one of the few brands that carry that. In my more frugal days, I've gotten up to two resoles from one pair, with the top half still looking good. Lately I have found a new use for these sturdy, comfortable shoes with leather soles ... dancing shoes! Once I bought a J&M dress shoe, I never considered another brand.

Update: I measured 11.5 C on the Brannock device, and so I ordered these in 11.5 C and while I initially thought they were appropriately sized, the heel rubbing did not improve with continued wear. After getting sized in a store, I would have to say these are too large for me and I am better suited to 10.5 D in the Aristocraft line, and probably an 11 D in the Melton line, though I am still not entirely satisfied with the fit. I was fitted for an 10EEE Allen Edmonds Park Avenue, which seems to be a different last, but that shoe fit perfectly and was comfortable with minimal breaking in (though at quite a premium). For additional comparison, I wear an 11.5 in Adidas Sambas and typically a 10.5 in Bass Oxfords.The color, finish, etc. are all accurately represented in the photographs and description. The leather was flawless and the stitching all looked good. These are truly a handsome pair of shoes.When they arrived, I wore them around the house for a few hours and then let them rest for a couple of days. They are quite stiff, which is to be expected from a shoe of this quality and construction, and I expect they will take some time to break in properly. My commute to work is a little over half a mile, so I was somewhat apprehensive of wearing them for a full day after minimal breaking in. I did develop a couple of hot spots on the backs of my ankles from rubbing, but applied some self-adhesive bandages, which prevented blistering, and they were otherwise comfortable for the rest of the day.I will try to remember to check back and update after I have had a chance to break them in. All in all, my first impressions are highly favorable and I look forward to their continued use.

**UPDATE 11/14** J&M replaced the shoes. Their customer service is superb. Yet to try out the replacements, but they are starting out in perfect shape.**UPDATE 9/9** Not as pleased with these shoes as I was at first. I have sent an email to J&M Customer Service with the second picture attached. The shoes Bordeaux version are developing significant wrinkling/cracking on the vamp after 10-15 wears.Original review:These are great shoes. I have them in both Bordeaux and Tan. In order to really enjoy these shoes I recommend a couple of things right out of the box. First, woodlore shoe trees. Next, make sure they are free of dust and debris and hit them with some Saphir conditioner and a couple of rounds of shoe polish. Google The Shoe Snob's blog for suggestions on polishing.Things I like about these shoes:+Classic cap toe style+Great fit that improves over time+Goodyear welt = easy re-sole+Leather takes a shine wellCons are few:-The tongue is sewn on one side to keep it in place. Some people like this, I do not. This is easily rectified with a knife and steady hands-There are a couple of spots that are discolored from something in the manufacturing process (possibly glue). It does not come off with cleaner. From six feet up in the air, these flaws aren't noticeable, but they are apparent up close.

This is my second pair of this product. It is durable, Stylish and holds it shape for years. Everywhere I go I receive great comments on my shoes.

I bought this exact same pair of shoes 18 years ago. Had them re-soled 3 times, replaced worn laces 6-7 times, but these shoes have remained in great shape. Recently the sole of these old shoes started coming detached, and scuff marks were getting more pronounced, so I decided it was finally time to replace.The new shoes are beautiful, extremely professional looking, and very comfortable. Other reviewers have commented that it takes some time to break them in. I agree that the leather uppers are firm on arrival, but that's what I expect from a brand new pair of leather shoes. On first putting on my new pair of shoes, I can tell they are of the same quality and caliber of the ones I purchased 18 years ago.I have two other pairs of Johnston & Murphy shoes - another style for work, and a different style for casual use. The shoes have all been extremely well made, and have retained their shape, their comfort and their tight stitching after many years.

I have several pairs of J&M's Minzer Oxfords (which are comfortable), so I decided to try the Meltons based on other reviews (and admittedly because I thought since they were a little more expensive, the shoe would be even more comfortable than my Minzers). The shoe is a beautiful shoe, but it is actually slightly less comfortable than my Minzers. One thing I didn't expect was how the shoe fit when I first tried it on. It appeared at first that the shoes ran very narrow but after pushing with a little more force, I quickly discovered that the shoe is sized properly and that the initial difficulty I experienced is because the shoe is designed to fit the contour of the foot, which is something I appreciated as I have wide feet (E-2E) and this attribute makes them seem slimmer. I've worn the shoes several times and while they look dressier than the Minzer, the soles seem more prone to scuffing and wear than the Minzer and the shoe while comfortable has a couple of pressure points that require you to adjust your foot in the shoe. While I like the look of the Meltons, based on overall value I will stick with the Minzers from now on.