Reviews for Johnston & Murphy Men's Melton Cap Toe | Formal Dress Shoe
People say Johnston Murphy is really similar to Allen Edmonds.
5.0
Great alternative to Allen Edmonds Park Avenue
I purchased a pair of these in Black and Bordeaux. It's funny because I was actually looking for a pair of Park Avenue's to add to my collection, but they were on Amazon deals for under $50 bucks each. I'm not new to J&M, but I'm glad I decided to give their lower end Oxford a try because I couldn't pass up a deal to get 2 brand new pair of oxfords for less than it cost to have one of my AE's reconditioned. The Optima (I think that's what they call it) shoe sole is very comfortable, even brand new out of the box. If you've purchased high quality dress shoes before, you know how much a pain it can be to get them "broken in". The factory shine on these are really great. Got a compliment when wearing them from a person who wears Park Avenue's and is extremely anal about his shine. Pros: -Great classic cap toe Oxford -Beautiful shine -Extremely comfortable Cons: The bordeaux color isn't noticeably different from the black pair unless under good light. I knew the pictures were a bit indicative of this, but I would really have liked if J&M made a visible difference of the two. I think I could wear both a black and bordeaux and it would take a keen eye to realize that I'm wearing two different colored shoes. *Note* If you're purchasing these and you're new to dress shoes, get your foot measured. The last thing you want to do is buy a shoe that's too narrow or too wide.
5.0
Excellent value
These shoes are exceptional for the price. At relatively short notice, I was looking for a cheaper iteration of the black Oxford captoe, in the same vein as the Allen Edmonds Park Avenue, and these have so far been an excellent substitute. They were true to size, and have already begun to mold to my feet. Aside from the expected discomfort on the first couple of occasions I wore them, they have proved quite comfortable for wear throughout the day. They hold an excellent shine with proper care (conditioner, wax, elbow grease). It remains to be seen how well these will hold up over the long term, but I have no reason to question their durability so far after about 3 weeks of consistent wear. It is true that these shoes are of somewhat lower quality than AE or other, pricier offerings. Nevertheless, the classic styling, cork heel, and leather sole are difficult to find at this price point, so I consider these a satisfactory substitute and excellent value for shoppers on a budget.
5.0
An Elegant Dress Shoe for Men, not Boys
In an age of cheaply made, poorly looking formal and semi-formal men's footwear, Johnston & Murphy is light beyond the rest. The fit, the form and the fashion of this shoe is smart, stylish and sophisticated. Not to mention, it is comfortable, so comfortable I can run in these shoes as if they were my running shoes, and I've had to run very fast in these, so I know from experience. J&M makes a great product at an exceptional price. Granted, they aren't as well made as Allen Edmonds, but you couldn't give me a closet filled with Boss or D&G in exchange for just one pair of these Melton Oxfords.
5.0
Best pair of dress shoes I've ever owned
These are, hands-down, the most comfortable dress shoes I have ever owned. Up until buying these shoes I would wear sneakers on my walk to work, and change shoes once I arrived. These shoes are comfortable enough to wear while walking every day. They also look incredibly sharp, and will dress up whatever you're wearing. My one and only complaint with these shoes is that they seem to scuff more easily than other shoes. I would definitely recommend these shoes for both style and comfort, and I will be buying more shoes from Johnston & Murphy. These are better than my Allen Edmonds Men's Park Avenue Cap Toes for 1/3 the price on sale.
4.0
Good quality, affordable, classic style dress shoe
I purchased the J&M Melton's five months ago. For the price they are one of the better dress shoes available. I purchased in my typical size, 11D, and they fit as expected. When compared to Allen Edmonds shoes like the Strand that I own the fit is very similar. Also good quality of the leather and the craftsmanship. The classic cap toe will never go out of style. The biggest plus for these shoes is that they have a lot of the qualities you would expect in a much more expensive shoe for less than half of the price. A few things to note: The other reviewers are correct that these shoes will take some breaking in. They are much stiffer than Allen Edmonds. I don't wear these shoes all that often (probably once every other week) and there is still some work to do. The leather is very shiny. This could be a pro or con depending on what you are looking for. For me they would look odd to wear with anything other than a suit. Not great for jeans or chinos. But on the positive side they are formal enough that you could rock them with a tux if needed and they would not appear out of place. Overall, these are a good quality shoe for the price. I would recommend to anyone that they spend their money on these rather than buying a cheaper throwaway shoe (and they don't want to drop over $300 on the AE Park Aves).
4.0
Good for the money
These shoes are a good deal (as long as you get them for under 120 bucks), The leather isn't the greatest quality but at least you're getting a full leather sole and goodyear welt construction (which honestly isn't absolutely necessary, some people act like it's a life or death issue but it doesn't define a shoe's quality; I'd rather have a well-made glued shoe than a poorly made goodyear-welt shoe). The upper is corrected-grain leather (it's had impurities/scars ground down and buffed out), so it will not age as well as full grain leather (which is closer to flawless calfskin), but it will still look good as long as you keep it conditioned and polished. Bottom line, it's a good basic shoe to start with (certainly better than 50 dollar square-toed Cole Haan abominations), but if you can possibly afford to go to the next level (another 150 bucks or so), I'd definitely recommend upgrading to an Allen Edmonds or Alden shoe. I've had both J&M Meltons and AE Fifth Ave shoes and the leather quality is noticeably different. So, these are good for the money but I'd recommend going with something more expensive that will last longer and look better. Last thing: these things are very comfortable. Break in period was minimal.
4.0
Overall rating I can give this nice shoes is 4 Stars
I've got these shoes a few days ago. Overall rating I can give this nice shoes is 1. Uper Leather: above average quality 2. Stiches: couldn't find any defect 3. Sole and heel: wears out faster than rubber 4. Design: average 5. Fit: as expected 6. Stiffer side than Park Avenue If you have ever gotten high quality shoes like Alden & Allen Edmonds before, you will feel there is no big differce since these shoes are leather sole and good quality upper. If you wore rubber sole shoes before, you will immediately realize these are totally different class. Although it's less than $200, but quality is close to $400 shoes. I think it's just saving by off-shoed manufacturing.
4.0
Great Shoe, Great Price
Nice looking shoe, feels and looks well constructed. I normally wear 7.5 (Cole Haan, Johnston & Murphy, Allen Edmonds), but had to get these in a 7. I just didn't like how much room was left in the toe box (end of the shoe) with a 7.5. I like the slightly narrow look of these shoes too. These shoes will need breaking in. Expect them to be tight and mildly uncomfortable for at least one week. After the leather warms up and stretches out they will fit fine and be comfortable. I wear mine for 8-10 hours everyday without trouble. The first week was pretty bad though. Easy to clean, not too shiny or too dull. At $120 I don't expect them to last more than a year to 18 months, but who cares at that price.
4.0
Nice mid-upscale shoe for a classic look.
Getting a great deal on a nice shoe is really the source of my satisfaction. But the shoe itself is pretty elegant, comfortable, well-made, and sports a classic look. And this classic look never goes out of style. I found the shoe quite comfortable out of the box and relatively easy to break in. Foot soreness was a minimum compard to other stiffer leather shoes. The calfskin is a nice, breathable, durable material that if cared for properly will last many years. For the price, this is about the best shoe you can buy. Compared to Allen Edmonds, Magnanni, or Ferragamo this shoe will not compete. But if you're looking for a mid-level upscale shoe, this is a good choice.