Customer Reviews Allen Edmonds Carlyle

Simply a well made, comfortable shoe. Quality leather, good fit, true to size.

One of my favorite shoes. Goes with a lot of combinations. The last is different some the other AE's that I wear, which means it runs a hair large. The next size down would have been too small. I compensate by inserting a thin gel shoe liner and wearing a thicker pair of socks.

Very subtle and clean makes this a great style to pair with a suit or other formal occasions. It has very clean lines with subtle details and styling that comes across without overpowering the rest of your wardrobe, rather complementing it. The oxblood is a great color and it adds a bit of flair without being overboard. The toughest thing was finding the right belt to go with it but it matches a variety of suit colors.

This is my fourth pair of AE's currently in rotation. As always, it's a solid, comfortable, and beautiful shoe. It seems to be breaking in as well as my others. One thing of note I noticed with this shoe vs the Park Ave: the last seems about one size wider. The darker toe is a nice touch, but will be difficult to replicate long term with polishing.

I purchased the Carlyle oxford in walnut with leather sole a couple months ago. I love the clean look of the shoe and they fit great. The longer toe box is perfect for my feet. The only negative is that the simple design seems to highlight any creases in the leather. I think this will diminish over time as the shoes acquire more of a patina, but it bothers me a bit now. But this is probably to be expected with such a simple design. As with my other Allen Edmonds shoes, there was a very short break-in period, but now they are super comfortable.

First of all, I love these shoes. I have them in both Walnut and Black. I purchased the Walnut color and loved them so much, I purchased the black ones. The only complaint I have is that the sizing seems a little inconsistent. I've worn both for a decent amount of time to break them in and the black ones (second purchase) have always seemed a little tighter and less "broken in". The difference is enough where I think twice about which black shoes I'm going to where each morning.

I love AE shoes. The only shoe brand that I cannot pick a favorite. I have several shoes tied for #1 spot in my AE collection. The Carlyle does not make that list but is still a nice shoe. I have received compliments though not sure why cause it is a bit plain. But then I guess that is the quality of this shoe. It is well made like the rest of AE shoes.

A friend who has owned a pair of allendemmonds recommended me to one recently. I was at first a little hesitant due to the price. I went to a local store and tried out a pair and I was blown away by its quality. The old cliche of "you get what you pay for" definitely applies here. I definitely do not have an dress shoes in my closet that is this well-built and I know it will last quite a long time. The feel is fantastic and color gives it just enough sheen, but not glossy. I considered buying the park or fifth avenue, but decided on the carlye instead as it matches my style. These shoes do not disappoint so you will feel good owning these timeless shoes.

I bought this pair about a year ago and so far it has served me very well. I bought the dark brown version and I find it extremely versatile. My shoes have seen their fair share of terrible wet weather because I live in an area with frequent rainfalls, but I am pleased to report that it has held up really well.

I bought the bourbon color of this shoe and it has a noticeable shine to it and have received many compliments from my peers. The shoe at first needs to be broken into and the inner lining of the shoe's color may rub off onto lighter colored socks in the beginning so use caution with sock choice when breaking them in.

Looks excellent, a classic appearance and good value

Have been wearing the Carlyle for a week now - I must say I was worried initially because I had a negative experience with the Lexington but so far it been a great experience with the Carlyle and the experience has changed my opinion of AE. I had my feet measured at the store, 9.5 E but the person helping me suggested 8.5 EEE - after a week of wearing the shoes - alternating them daily, I had no experience of pain in my feet normally associated with the break in period. Overall, the shoes from the factory were delivered to my home within the time it was promised and I can not be happier with them.

The Carlyle is built on the last that seems to fit me the best so I knew out of the box they would fit well and they did. A couple stray stitches needed trimming on one of the pair, not worth sending the shoe back for that but definitely a ding on QA. Very comfortable and looks great - even better than I thought it would when I ordered. Not quite as formal as the Park, I think I may try these with suits more often especially since I prefer the fit of these to the Park.

Styles are not fashionable, soles to thick, and of course your product quality is reflected in the price. Time will tell me the purchase true value, this is my first pair.

These shoes look better in person than in the pictures. The walnut color is perfect. I plan to pick up Bob's chili next as this shoe works well with my foot shape. The key thing to understand about the Carlyle is that the instep (the part of the shoe that hits the top of your foot) is lower profile than any other AE shoe. Meaning, the shoe profile is flatter than a Fifth Ave or Park Ave, which is perfect for those of us with skinny feet. If you have large, chunky feet then get these in an E width or just pick something made on a different last. If you have long, thin feet then give the Carlyle a shot. I knocked the shoes for quality because my pair came in with a defect. AE worked with me and I ended up keeping the shoe since the defect was minor. These are handmade shoes, so they will not be absolutely perfect...and as long as AE keeps making them in the US, I am ok with some minor "nuances." My recommendation is to take whatever you wear in the Park Ave and go up one size in width. The length feels just slightly shorter than the Park Ave, but that may have as much to do with the narrow width than anything else.

I tried these shoes out because they are nice. I ordered the 3E width, but it was still too narrow. I had to return the shoes, and thus didn't really get to experience them. However, I will say if you have wide feet be careful as these shoes are not really wide even though they say "3E".

I've kept the shoes in AE shoe trees since new. And I use the prescribed shoe conditioner. But they have developed wrinkles in the top leather...just above the ball of the foot...after 10 or so wearings. I will say, the fit is good. My 10+ year old Johnston and Murphy cap toe lace up shoes (which today are still less expensive than the Carlyles)....look newer than the Carlyles.

I wear a 9 1/2 EEE and these are very tight. They are not stretching with wear.

Finish and appearance of the shoe is excellent.... very good representative that I talked with.... have worn them several times and very comfortable.

Toe is too pointed and last is too narrow to wear comfortably with my EEE foot. I probably would need to go at least a half size more, maybe a full size

First of all, it is a great shoe, love the fit and looks amazing. However, the quality control is a bit a of letdown. I got two pairs in a row that couldn't keep, not because they weren't great, but due to defects that should have been caught way before it even made it into a box. We are talking about notches cut out in obvious places. It's a pity, great looking shoe but without outgoing quality control it's difficult to recommend unless you have the patience to ship multiple pairs back and forth or you live near a store so you can examine them before purchasing.

This is probably unique to my pair only, but here's my review. Great looking shoes initially out of the box. Once I started looking closer, I noticed the sole edging was finished with many non-rounded edges. Heel has an odd angle which appears the grinding and refinishing wasn't completed. As I purchased the black pair, it's pretty odd to see brown leather showing from the top in between the laces. Kills the appearance of the shoe from the top. I want to love these and feel it's not a design flaws but rather just an absence of quality and attention to detail I'd come to expect from AE.

I have two pairs of Carlyle Oxfords, one bought about 4 years ago in Walnut, the other bought about 4 months ago in Chili. Love the Walnut ones -- beautiful color, classic style, and great laces. Probably could have done wo/the Chili, but sometimes it's nice to switch from black or brown. Other than the color, there are some noticeable difference b/t the pairs. One, the Chili is narrower than the Walnut. Two, the laces on the Chili pair are absurdly long. Unless I inadvertently bought them w/the optional Bozo package, there is no reason for the ridiculous length. All in all, a good pair of shoes that meets the AE standard I've come to expect over the past decade. Not identical fit to the same model from years past, but close enough. If you do buy them, though, be prepared to buy replacement laces unless you're part of the 3-ring show.

Great looking and extremely comfortable but I only slightly rubbed the toe against the bottom of a table and a peice of leather chipped off. Never had a shoe chip like this before.