Purchase
I decided I would join the recent influx of cognac Carmina shell being posted with my own pair of Carminas, the 973 derby boot in cognac shell cordovan with a plain cap toe.
I purchased these as part of a GMTO with Gentlemen’s Footwear in late March. I paid the deposit on March 31, and paid the second half on December 2 (the total was $755 shipped). Carmina experienced significant delays in obtaining sufficient shell to make the order, and has since closed down all shell cordovan GMTOs for the time being, with speculation that they will not re-open until this summer. Steve at GF was a pleasure to work with and helped me through sizing and was very communicative throughout the process.
Impressions
This wasn’t the first pair of Carminas I got my hands on, but it is the first pair I ever owned. I have to say that I’m extremely impressed, and would probably place Carmina as the top of the mid-level footwear manufacturers. I think the only one that is in contention is Crockett & Jones. I’ll explain why a bit later.
I much prefer Carmina’s shell finishing to that of Allen Edmonds and Alden. I find that AE cakes on extraordinary amounts of polish, whereas Alden’s finish, speculated to be acrylic, is far too glossy for my tastes. Carmina is a nice, simple finish that allows the qualities of shell cordovan to shine through.
Carmina as a whole is very impressive. Not only do they have impressive aesthetics with near perfect proportioning of the last (subjective opinion, I know), but they do a lot of excellent little details and display high QC. As far as I could tell, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the stitching on this pair. In addition, the bottom half of the outsole stitch is done with a synthetic thread that does not wear away quickly with friction.
Clicking is also excellent. The rear panels on the right boot appear slightly lighter from some angles due to the directional nature of shell, but such small variations are inevitable in most pairs. They also have a wire edge, which I have not seen on many shoes and really adds to the appearance, in my eyes. They are aware enough not to use shell pull tabs, and instead use a synthetic or cloth pull tab that naturally tucks into the boot when it is worn. As a final detail (not applicable on this pair), Carmina appears to horizontally channel their leather soles, a mark of the highest level of finishing.
The linings are very stiff, much stiffer than those used by Crockett & Jones. I actually like the linings, although others may prefer the buttery feel of C&J. Regarding the comparison between C&J and Carmina, I think both are neck and neck at the top of the mid-level of quality footwear. I have a slight preference for the aesthetics, minor finishing details, and stiffer linings, although others may prefer the aesthetics of C&J and softer linings used by them. Ultimately, I don’t think you can go wrong with either. C&J has also been known to hand-click (it is unknown whether Carmina hand-clicks or machine-clicks) which may be a small tick in their preference, although Carmina’s clicking is nonetheless impressive.
I’d say I’ve put about ten to fifteen wears into them at this point, and I’m very satisfied. They are extremely comfortable and a joy to put on. There is a small dark mark on the captoe adjacent to the stitching on the right boot. However, it's not particularly noticeable after some wear and I am still satisfied.
Sizing and Fit
The Rain last fits TTS. Take your Brannock measurement and convert to UK sizing. Thus, if you are an 11.5E brannock (like me), you take a 10.5EEE Carmina Rain last (E is standard UK width, subtract 1 for the US to UK conversion). There is no general rule for US to UK conversion, but Carmina tends to be a whole size rather than a half. As another example, if you measure at a 10.5D, you want a 9.5E (again, E is standard width) Rain last.
Alternatively, simply size down a half from your Alden Barrie size.
Style
I’ve included a couple of (downwards, boo, I know) fit pics for reference on the things I plan to wear with them. I’ll be sticking to chinos and wool pants for these. I don’t find the styling particularly appropriate for jeans myself.
Care
I keep my care routine pretty simple. Brush, wipe down with a damp cloth, condition trouble spots with a tiny bit of lexol, and buff if I want to bring out a bit more shine. I don’t subscribe to the Mac Method of shell cordovan care (namely that all you need is brushing). Shell cordovan is a leather that does need conditioning, and buffing is much more effective than brushing if you wish to bring out some shine. I have not used any wax products on these (polish or waterproofer) and don’t plan to unless I have some scuffing issues or issues with Carmina’s finish. I don’t anticipate either at the moment.
Final Notes
Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any questions!