The Wilson Burgundy

Break in slow

Love how shows look, but break in has been slow. They are so stiff, and gave my heel a sore. Hoping they get softer.

Nice but very stiff

I bought a pair of Wilson loafers in burgundy. I have several pairs of Aldens and Allen Edmonds shoes and boots but thought I'd try Helm as they looked well made for the price. The first pair of the Wilson loafers I received were way too small so I returned them for a half size larger. I normally wear a 9 or 9.5 D in most dress shoes. The 9D Wilsons I have are VERY stiff. I like the weight and qualify of construction, but the jury is still very much out on whether they will soften up enough to be a comfortable every day loafer. Time will tell. Also, with heavier socks they are quite tight. Maybe lighter weight socks will be necessary for a comfortable fit. My sense is the Wilson loafers seem to run on the small and narrow end of the size spectrum.

Beautiful craftsmanship and quality, but issue with the fitment.

These didn't work out for me, but I strongly recommend that you give them a try. For reference: My normal shoe size is 10D. All of my loafers and Thursday boots are 10D, but my Wolverine 1000 mile boots and Frye boots are 9s. I bought the Wilson Black and the Burgundy. 1st Order: Size 9.5D as per the fitment tool, but I couldn't slide my foot past the vamp. I returned these for 10Ds. Returns are extremely easy. But FYI...I returned my at Staples and the employee threw away the boxes and cloth shoe bags. He placed the shoes in plastics bags and in another box. He said that this is the procedure. 2nd Order: Size 10D. Couldn't slide my foot past the vamp. Used a shoehorn to squeeze in. The shoes were extremely tight at the vamp with no flexibility, 1/2 size or less of room at the toe and painfully tight at the top of the heel. Wearing them would've required padding the heel (if there was room) to prevent chafing and blisters. My assessment: It pains me to return these. The craftsmanship and material are beautiful. These are built to outlast you and your grandkids. The price was excellent at $171 on sale. They're classy, but casual without looking too dressy. Although I don't wear wide shoes, I can't help wonder if a 9.5EE or 10EE would've been a better fit at the vamp. Normally this would be too wide for me, but it's possible that in this particular shoe it might be fine. Unfortunately, I've returned them. Maybe I'll try again during the next sale or I'll keep looking for something similar.