Shoes, glorious shoes

Today, I shall buy some new work shoes online. I buy most of them that way, because so few stores carry my size (5 US). I’ve rarely bought shoes from an internet retailer and had to send them back, so it’s almost risk-free, which is good. I never seem to have that kind of luck in a physical store.

Anyway, I got to thinking about some of my favorite shoes over the years. Fellow teenagers of the 70s: remember Earth Shoes, those boxy things that featured the negative heel? They were created by a Danish yoga master, and marketed as a more natural and healthy way to wear shoes. I loved mine. Wonder what happened to them…

And what about Converse All-Stars? In my mind, those were the first “must-have” athletic shoe. I remember all the guys in my freshman class (1973-74) had to have them. Girls really didn’t wear them back then, but now, seems like everyone has a pair of “Chucks” somewhere in their closet. Named after Converse salesman Chuck Taylor, the shoes took several decades to go from the basketball market to everyone and their brother. From the official site:

Starting in the 1970s, athletic shoes became so popular as footwear that adults refused to give up wearing them. Everyone wanted the look and feel of sneakers on their feet. Many new athletic shoe companies emerged and marketed a wide variety of basketball and other sports and leisure shoes.

Going back a few more years — I remember wearing PF Flyers before PF Flyers were cool…

And remember the Keds tennis shoes with the pointy toes? Wow! Sixties fever today. All right, time to try to get some work done. But first, we shop for shoes. ;-)

6 thoughts on “Shoes, glorious shoes

  1. Suzanne

    I think I always had PF FLyers, the white ones. Never had Converse althought I think my brother did.

    I loved that commercial! When I was teaching 1st grade I enjoyed it when a kid would come to school in new shoes and would announce that he could run and jump WAY better now! hahahah sweet.

    Reply
    1. Rat Fink Post author

      What a throwback, eh?? We had PFs as well, waaaaay back in the early 60s. My folks wouldn’t LET me buy the All-Stars because there was no way Dad was “paying $25 for a pair of tennis shoes.” HA!

      The guys in my choir who play varsity/JV basketball are throwing down SIX TIMES that for shoes now — and they’re required. (Don’t get me started.)

      I could have sworn that all my new tennies made me run fast and jump higher when I was a kid. My own boys used to tear up and down the sidewalk, showing me how their new shoes made them super-fast. CUTE

      Reply
  2. Mavis

    I never liked the Earth Shoes. They always reminded me of a Platypus tail! :-) I’m going back even further and showing my age – I remember my first pair of white, “Go-Go Boots”! I think Aunt Janet gave them to me, but I had to beg Mother to let me keep them. I thought I was so “mod”. :-) I also remember my first pair of Saddle Shoes. Good times….

    Reply
    1. Rat Fink Post author

      Platypus tail…HA

      And I remember those white boots! Now I didn’t have saddle shoes when I was little…I did buy a nice pair of Thom McAns when I was in high school, though. Still have ’em! Memories indeed…

      Reply
  3. PKPudlin

    My faves were Red Ball Jets “the anything-at-all-you-could-ever-ever-want-to-do shoe”, although I did have some PF Flyers. Mom insisted we wear saddle shoes to school and I positively HATED them. Probably because I was forced to wear them. Yeah, I was that kind of kid and I’ve grown into that kind of adult.
    I have teeny feet, too but that just means I can wear some kids’ shoes, including the light-up ones. :)

    PK-
    goin’ on 8

    Reply
    1. Rat Fink Post author

      I guess I missed the saddle-shoe thing by a couple of years. Mavis (my sis) says she wore them, but I don’t remember having to — until I chose to back in ’76 when the fifties craze was all over the place — remember that?

      Reply

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