John Lobb City II Oxford review: worth it or skip?

What the John Lobb City II Oxford does well

The headline: classic cap-toe oxford, Goodyear welted in Northampton. The details: Material: Box calf; Sole: Leather, Goodyear welted; Fit: True to size; Made in: England. In our list it is the pick for: benchmark oxford. It usually sells for $1,795–$2,100 in the US.

Shoe trees essential.

The trade-offs

Good: superb craft, resoleable, timeless. Not so good: expensive. Read the skip-if line before you spend: skip it if you want a fashion statement.

What to buy instead

Instead, consider the Corthay Arca Oxford ($1,800–$2,100): sharp, shaped oxford with hand patina. Better if you want artistic Parisian craft.

Instead, consider the Gaziano & Girling St James II ($1,900–$2,300): sharp chiselled toe oxford. Better if you want near-bespoke ready-to-wear.

Instead, consider the John Lobb Philip II Oxford ($1,900–$2,200): classic plain-toe oxford. Better if you want the definitive plain oxford.

Before you buy

Construction: Goodyear-welted and hand-welted shoes can be resoled many times; Blake-stitched shoes are sleeker but resole fewer times. Last: try the brand’s lasts in person or buy with free returns; the same size fits very differently from last to last. Leather: full-grain calf in black or dark brown is the safest first pair.

Buyer tip

Fit shoes in the afternoon, when feet are largest, and wear them with the socks you will use. Shoe trees in cedar double the life of good shoes.

Buying in Europe: Italian and French sizes are used on most designer shoes, and they differ from US sizes by brand. Check the house’s own size chart, and remember that many Italian brands run about half a size small.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.