The Story of my shoe game.
I grew up not having the cash to buy brand named shoes so my shoe game was mostly Kmarts best looking shoes as I was growing up. But I appreciated the nicer things in like from a distance.
So my love of shoes began as a small child.
For some reason I was obsessed with the NIKE swoosh even more than the shoes. I would try to draw it all the time and master the angle of the swoosh in relation to the work NIKE. It was something I worked hard at to master.
I just thought it looked like the best logo I had ever seen. I still feel that way about this logo.
I remember the days as a kid wanting a pair of Nikes but couldn't afford them.
My first pair of Nikes were ugly to be honest but they were in sale bin and its all I could afford at the time for $25.
They were a pair of blue red and white Nike Pegasus from the 90's. I loved them even if they were not my favourite.
One of the best feelings in world as a kid was putting on a new pair of shoes and hearing it grip the concrete as you walked.
Does anyone know what i'm talking about. Best feeling ever and if they were a decent shoe even better.
So lets begin
If you were a 90's kid you would have seen those Reebok pumps that pretty much was on everyone's list.
That pump feature was something that was totally different and eye catching
I wanted a pair so bad I found a pair of fake korean made pair, it was the closest I could get.
Then I jumped around with different brands
LA GEAR
with the number plate tag
You had to have the number plate tag to be real cool
I got these at the markets so I'm sure they were also fakes
REEBOK HEXALITE
I loved fingering that hexalite patch and thinking to myself this is really cool
I owned some form of hexalite hightops as a teenager
ADIDAS TORSION
With Kevlar. All I knew was kevlar was some kinda super strong material that I associated with tungsten.
I admired the technology (I just thought it was cool knowing somthing bullet proof was in a shoe, well I thought it was bullet proof)
AIR MAX
Air max was a game changer for me that air bubble is all I cared about. Every shoe from this point on was compared to the this shoe. If you could only have one shoe growing up as kid and you didnt want high tops this was it.
I never owned all these shoes below I just lusted after them at one point in time and was lucky enough to own a few.
Then Basketball entered my life and it had a huge influence on my shoe game.
Yes it all about Jordan's. He was the best at the time and arguably the GOAT ( this is for another post )
I'm pretty sure if you could breath and you had a tiny bit of interest in basketball you wanted a pair of Jordan's at one point in time.
AIR JORDAN
Needs a whole psot of its own but here are a few favourites
JORDAN 1
JORDAN 5
Watever shoe Jordan was wear was a instant hit and loved by all. The only people I knew in school who wore Jordan's were drug dealers.
JORDAN 7
Everyone has a favourite Jordan but they were all crazy popular.
NIKE HUARACHE
When I tried these on I was in love with the comfort. Like wearing socks with soles.
I had to have these no matter what. The only downside was they are not friendly for quick lateral movements like in changing direction quickly as they would tear.
Also the smell of new Nike's was like a drug. The cocktail of rubber, glue, leather, synthetics was like cocaine. Not that I've tried cocaine but the attraction was addicting.
NIKE FOAMPOSITES PENNYS
Uncomfortable but beautiful.
If Penny Hardaway never got injured he would have done down as one of the greatest to have ever stepped on the court.
Then you become an adult and you learn that its not appropriate to wear sneakers with all styles of clothes.
I became an adult and had to tame my inner child alittle to conform to social norms and attract the opposite sex.
I don't mind dressing nice but to be totally honest if men didn't feel the desire to attract the opposite sex or a mate wed all be wearing sneakers and flip flops all the time. Our wardrobe would consist of track pants, t'shirts and wife beaters and a jacket to stay warm.
So what was your favourite sneaker growing up as a kid ?