Things I Love Thursday: Pumped Up Kicks
We're all still getting to know one another around here, but allow me to formally introduce myself:
My name is Erin, and I have a shoe problem.
Correction. Shoes and I have zero problems with each other. And that's the actual predicament. I WANT THEM ALLLLLLL.
But, budgets are real, and unlike teenagers, closets don't grow larger when you fill them up. Tough decisions have to be made.
This Thursday, while we're lovin' on all kinds of shoes, we'll be talking all things FASHION SNEAKERS in particular.
I'm sure there's an actual fashion blogger who could accurately tell you, but since you're here, and I'm pretending to know stuff, let's define fashion sneakers.
Fashion Sneakers: (n. plu.) shoes that are comfy enough to wear a while, but still cool enough to church your outfit, and possibly your life, up a bit.
This was tough to narrow down, but let's jump in.
1. Stompin’ in your Air Force 1s.
Nelly sang an entire song about these shoes. One pair simply would not do. And once you see all of the color options available, it's a wonder he limited himself to needing two perrrrr.
I recently visited the Nike Flagship store in NYC and fell hard and fast for these. Then I walked around the corner into an ENTIRE ROOM of Air Force 1s and decided it was best to just sit underneath the AED mounted to the wall near the exit.
Just in case I fell out.
What to wear with them:
Black joggers, white t shirt, jean jacket
or
jeans, oversized sweater/sweatshirt, snapback to hide the fact you ran out of dry shampoo and are too afraid to wash your hair when it's cold because those two seconds of getting out of the shower are the reason you hate January
PS. Local Bluffton folk or anyone with a Nike Outlet near you...check your local store! I found several cool AF1s in the youth section. Ladies, you'll wear 1.5 to 2 sizes smaller (Ex. Women's 8 = Youth 6/6.5) AND you'll spend way less, too!
Splurge alert: These are not cheap.
And if for some odd reason the P448 folks get ahold of this blog post, they'll send some incredibly fast Mini Coopers to chase me down the streets of Rome for calling these fashion sneakers.
P448s are luxury Italian sneakers!
These are reasonable gifts for birthdays that end in zeros, push presents for mothers of triplets, and a great apology gift for the week long guys trip he scheduled over your anniversary weekend.
You do get what you pay for here.
Or you could be like me and just take screenshots with them on your phone and look at them from time to time.
An Oxford and a sneaker had a love child, and this is it!
Oh and did I mention faux patent leather?
I'm lucky enough to have these, and they are a cherished addition to my footwear collection. They have also withstood two separate dance parties, and my feet have never been happier Roger Rabbiting, Hammertiming and Carltoning.
What to wear with these:
-a zoot suit 🤓
- pleather mini skirt and sequin top (dance party #1-casino theme)
-sequin romper with peacock feather headband (dance party #2-vegas theme)
-normal clothes. Those scenarios above are once every few year type of events that happened to occur within a few months time. Don't start thinking I'm not typing to you now from my sofa wearing a granny cardigan. #CuzIAm
Order a size up.
There's no need to even comment on these.
You will never go wrong with Stan Smiths.
The shoes (and the man!) are a timeless classic that somehow keep upping their game with new designs and styles.
Everyone needs the original white and greens, but then Adidas comes out with something like this, and you have to make room for more.
And Blufftonians, wear your Smithers around town, and you might just run into Mr. Smith himself. Make sure you do a jazzy move ending in a toe pop for him, and tell him thanks for adding comfort and style to your nasty ol' feet.
If you read THIS and any of the other gift guides, then this is just here to annoy you.
But also remind you that you're missing out if you don't get a pair of flashbacks. They're hard to come by in black, but nobody's throwing shade on the rosy pinks.
These are straight up comfort and also magical because somehow they don't make my monster size 9s look like Lebron feet.
If anyone has ever described you as fun, "too much", or "a star and lightening bolt lover", put these things on lock down, and call it a day.
Wear these to the ballfield when it's your turn for snack duty. Break all of the organics and fruit only rules and bring some Little Debbie's.
They won't know if they should love you. Or fear you.
I do not have these.
But I DO have a birthday coming up, and if you've read this far you know my size. Thanks.
Looking at them now through my fatigued, two-basketball games, one tennis practice, one swim practice, all the homework and lunch making eyes, these look black. But the website says navy.
Sometimes I just say stuff is the color "blavy" and wear what I want.
There are a million variations of these out there. And maybe I'm pushing it on the sneaker part when these are technically a wedge.
But I bet if you had to chase a runaway Target cart in the parking lot, you could probably figure it out.
WITH CLASS.
I didn't research the history on Tretorn, but I feel like if the camera panned down below the kitchen table on the set of Three's Company, John Ritter, Suzanne Sommers and that brunette girl would be wearing them. Or something like them.
This is the 2018 version of 70s preppy.
And I'm digging' it.
You don't have to be standing on the edge of the ramp about to drop in to dabble in skater sneaks. Those were the 90s.
Vans are for all the people. Even glitter people.
Sorry, all the folks dressed in black at the back right corner table of my high school cafeteria.
We've infiltrated Journey's too, now, and we like it.
Before you keep scrolling, just take a peek at your current shoe options and see if there's a little wiggle room for branching out.
Then see if there's room for sky diving out.
These are called Shoe Stoppers.
I heart them so hard.
THE GOAT
(not linked but please google "Air Jordan 3 Retro" and click images and then screenshot all of the images and then make a collage and then make it your screensaver)
Sometimes there's a shoe that beats all shoes. Even these.
They can ball.
They can grocery shop.
They can carpool.
They can wedding. (Casually.)
They can Dance Off, but so far those only happen in my dreams.
They can also be your apology prize from your neighbor who viciously, intentionally and meticulously eats all of your kids' Reese cups on Halloween night.
(True story. Bottom left pink ones are in my closet on the DON'T TOUCH THESE shelf. Thanks, Pratt. You're forgiven.)
If you want to impress your kids because doing the snake didn't work, then order these and show up to make breakfast like NO.BIG.DEAL.
When you're wearing Jordan's, you're the GOAT, too.
A few shoe pointers:
1. Poshmark. Download the app and search for the shoe you've been saving for. It's an online garage sale that oftentimes has brand new loot on the major discount. I scored some Air Force 1s this way for $30, free shipping.
Sounds like.... I.... neeeeed....two.... perrrrr. 🤓🎼🎵🎶
2. Don't break the bank on something fun and funky you know you won't wear a ton. Splurge on durability and comfort. Let's not lose our minds over some shoes.
3. Blisters are so 1980s jelly shoes. We've come a long way, and now have access to online reviews. If it's a 2 star average with 100 reviews, trust this. Don't force it.
What'd I miss? What are your feet sporting today? Share your favorite shoe pics and spread the love!