Dress shoes have always been quite daunting to me, as I've never had the opportunity to purchase a pair for myself. I decided, what with my wedding coming up, and just for general usage, that having a quality pair of nice shoes would be a worthwhile investment. Allen Edmonds topped many lists during my research and I decided that the Strand looked to be quite spiffy. They definitely seemed pricy, but worth it from all that I read.My piece of advice: try these on IN STORE somehow! I normally wear a size 9.5 and when I ordered these, thought I should size down a bit from some of the reviews. Well, I had to send these back because a size 9 result in crazy heel slippage, although the width felt fine. Received these in a 8.5 and it still slips a tiny bit, but I think any smaller would be too small at the top and way too narrow. Maybe I don't have the right size or I haven't broken them in yet, but they feel a bit narrow. Maybe I expected too much from some of the reviews, or need to wear them more, but they're not the comfort I had expected when I read others rave about.When it comes to the quality, these shoes definitely feel and look to be top-notch. They are beautiful to look at and are sure to impress. I just hope that I can find a way for these to fit me better. I wore them on my wedding day and I have to say, although I have went on and on about them not fitting completely right, they never hurt my feet like a $100 pair of dress shoes would, and complemented my attire quite well.In conclusion, I would highly recommend finding a way to try these on to figure out your fit and dress shoe size before purchasing. The quality and aesthetics of this shoe are very nice and I'm confident that most people would be 100% satisfied with their purchase. Hoping to come back to edit my review after breaking these in more.I love this shoes. They are elegant and comfortable. My favorite part is that they have real leather sole.Amazing fit on the first try, no blisters, no chafing. I wore them to my best friend's wedding for the first time. I danced like I never danced before. I got a lot of compliments that night, both for the shoes and the dancing (well, if I'm going to pay $300 for shoes, you damn well better believe I'll be shoving that shoe into everyone's face - shallow I know).Now, were the shoes responsible for my crazy moves? I don't know. One thing to note, the shoe sole was worn out pretty badly from one night of heavy activity. I don't think that speaks to the quality of the shoe, as it probably would have happened with any shoe that doesn't have a rubber sole, so I will not detract any stars for that detail.So just a warning, if you want to preserve them for longer, don't go crazy with them. Allen Edmonds does offer a re-soling for around $ 100 - 125. As for size, with some shoes I'm a 13 and others a 14. With this one I went with a 14 and it was a good fit. So if your shoe size varies from brand to brand, I'd suggest to go with a larger size in this case.I wear them to all special events now and continue to receive compliments. I hope to hold on to them for a very long time. The only con would be the price, but you get what you pay for.AE shoes are fine pieces of American craftsmanship, all made in Port Washington, WI. If you take care of them, they will definitely take care of you when you need them! Unlike other dress shoes you might have had, this product is really comfortable with cork filling in the sole and easy for your knees and ankles. I have sore knees but can totally wear them all day without pain. They are more expensive than others, but for the pain and discomfort you may have with other products, they are great investment. They last much longer than any other dress shoes I have had before without losing the original appeal.When I first purchased these shoes they looked too perfect to wear. They certainly look great and will get you tons of complements from your snobby coworkers. But they are really tight fitting at first. It took me a couple of dozen wears to finally feel like my feet were going to handle the pain. I really like these shoes though and they have this awesome western style toe design. I own a pair of italian dress shoes from nordstrom, and I think these are superior in design and construction. Every piece of these shoes displays the hand-crafted look, even the soles. They also have a great sounding clack sound on marble floors, so if you're following somebody walking too slow they hear you behind them.I bought the Allen Edmonds shoe polish and it is decent, but I'm going to try Kiwi next time. I would recommend buying AE shoe trees compared to other brands. AE trees are better than the ones I have from Nordstrom because they are larger and fill out the shoe more. I think they have helped keep the shoes looking new. The shoes also smell good all day because the cedar absorbs the moisture.Still very new, so I can't give any review of how they wear after time, but I can say that, whereas I am a typical 10.5 (D), I wear a 10 (E) in this shoe because the last is long and narrow. I can also say that the leather of these is very rigid when you first get them, but hopefully they will loosen, soften and conform to my feet with time and wear. I can also say that they are a very nice looking shoe and the toe is not as pointed as some other shoes/brands I have tried. I am only giving them 3 stars right now because they have not earned more, but, hopefully, I can come back and upgrade them if they wear well. [Edit] After having these shoes for a few months, and I wear them about once a week, not only am I very pleased with their looks and construction, they now wear and feel much better. They are not the most comfortable pair of dress shoes I own, but being the only pair of handmade shoes I own, it is possible that the comfort will continue to improve over time.I use these mainly for more formal events, for which they are well suited. They are comfortable (mainly) but I like to line the soles with Full Grain 5.5 oz Leather to make them more wearable at long events. Also, preserves the shoes. when the insoles get dirty/worn, I change them. Picture shows method (I get the leather @ Amazon).Style: I prefer a slightly rounder look in the toe, but I am told by women around me that their pointier look is more modern. After returning one pair that were too small, I picked this up when by fluke I noticed a pair in a better size had been returned. The price was ridiculously inexpensive but I would have paid willingly paid the higher price.Love the product