Category: Sneakers

My First Pair Of Kicks In 11 Years

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Capture1I know what you’re thinking. Are those the beat up ol’ running shoes Jennay gave Forrest in Forrest Gump? Sadly … no. I assume they are probably in the Smithsonian or something. These pink gems happen to be the last pair of kicks I purchased … in 2003. Yes. 2003 was the last time I invested in a pair of sneakers. I bought these Reeboks on an annual NYC shopping trip that my mom and I used to take before every school year. Back then I rocked sneakers almost every day (I was in high school, heels weren’t really appropriate).

Fast forward 11 years later and here I am. The reason why sneakers haven’t graced my feet since 2003 is because I had absolutely no need for them. In college I pretty much wore Uggs or flats, or if I was heading out on the town, heels. Also I had absolutely no money to purchase things I didn’t 100% need. Once I got thrown into the “real world” I started my love affair with heels. Like big girl heels, not the kind I once upon a time purchased in Target in the sale bin. When it came down to it and I was faced with a pair of Sam Edelman stilettos or a pair of Nike kicks … who do you think won? Sam ALWAYS won. Still does. :::Swoon:::

I bet you’re wondering, do I work out? Am I active? Are you obsess? The answers to those questions would be sometimes, kind of, and absolutely not. I just found a way around purchasing sneakers by participating in physical activities that didn’t require any “active-wear” like yoga, for example. No shoes required, what so ever. Kind of genius, and my favorite way to break a sweat. Because I don’t run even if I’m being chased by a serial killer and gyms annoy me more than anything.

But after years of wearing seriously inappropriate footwear … stilettos, pointed stilettos, flats with absolutely no support, I realized I was doing a number on my feet. Let me say, I hate feet. Loathe feet. I will never ever understand people who have feet fetishes. But thanks to my poor footwear decisions, I started noticing that I’m developing bunions (ew), I have scars everywhere from blisters and cuts (ew), and my feet constantly ache. Cool.

As a commuter in the city, I walk EVERYWHERE. And when I gained the title as “public transportation user” and threw my car keys to the wind, I promised myself I would still wear cute shoes and not be one of those women who rock sneakers with a skirt suit. See below:

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And after almost a year of doing this, my feet are in worse shape than ever (don’t worry, I’ll spare you the imagery). So that’s when I decided to take to Twitter and have the general public help me find a great pair of sneakers that wouldn’t make me feel like a 1980’s working woman. Enter Reebok Women stage right.

I saw the commercials for Reebok Skyscape with Miranda Kerr strutting around and almost forgetting to take off her shoes before getting in the shower, but I was too fixated on how Miranda Kerr is the spokesperson for EV-ERY-THING to notice how rad these sneakers were. But I digress.

So after chatting with the great people over at Reebok Women, telling them my sob story about how I’ve been torturing my feet for years, they recommended the Reebok Skyscape … and not just recommended, but demanded that they send me a pair. Out of all the fun colors and styles, I, of course, chose the leopard print ones, as I felt I would have a better opportunity to style them up more. See below:

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And after 11 years, I FINALLY own a pair of ridiculously cool kicks that don’t make me feel like a “Sport Spice,” but just like me. A ridiculously big thanks to the great peeps over at Reebok Women … I’m in lerve. And no, I still refuse to part with my pink Reeboks. They are just too good to toss.

Oh also, I totes lay on my bed in my Skyscapes just like this … totes.

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Wait … Keds Are Cool Again?

.Reading time 2 minutes.

aef969441d1ff1c7b0e67f6b6e57446cI haven’t rocked a pair of Keds since I was in the second grade … and let me tell you, they were the shit. Nothing made you the bees knees on the playground more than a canvas pair of white Keds. Then I grew up and realized Keds were for squares.

It’s true, Keds went through a dark period where no one would be caught dead in them. Only until hipsters adopted Keds did famous people and designers take interest … hence why I find myself writing about them with a shocked look on my face right now.

Never in a million years would I ever think Keds would be cool, ever again. Especially since Taylor Swift is the face of Keds. She’s the WORST. Ugh. There is no edge to her, much like how I once felt about Keds. If I wanted to throw on my cheer leading outfit or my sailor-inspired, red, white and blue look whilst yachting in Nantucket, hell yes I would rock some Keds. Otherwise, meh … don’t really think they would compliment my ripped jeans and leather jacket that I rocked to a death metal concert … ya know what I mean?

But I have to say Kate Spade’s line is pretty saucy for the brand, which I find to be a breath of fresh air. Would I pay $75 for them? Hell would freeze over faster, but I appreciate them stepping out of the box a little.

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I see certain styles of Keds being a great go-to shoe for spring … perhaps they can be the new flat. I just wish the price point was just a little more pocket-friendly, ya dig?

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True Story: I Don’t Own Sneakers

.Reading time 6 minutes.

I know, I know … I bet you are thinking who the hell is this chick that she doesn’t own a pair of damn sneakers. It is like the American way to own freaking sneakers. But I’m going to be blatantly honest with you … when it comes down to it and I’m faced with the decision to buy either a pair of $80 Nikes or an $80 pair of heels … the heels ALWAYS win, no matter what … hands down. There is just no way I can justify turning down a pair of fantastic heels or even a pair of flats for a pair of common sneakers that will always be there … I just can’t.

I was never “sporty spice.” In my past life I was a jazz and hip hop dancer … yes, that was what I considered “my sport” throughout my teenage years. So I do have a sweet pair of black Capezio jazz sneakers that I didn’t have the heart to throw away when I retired from dancing … a.k.a. got too old to shake my thang in an over priced costume made of pleather and sequins that showed WAY too much skin in front of a crowd of over 1,000 parents and family members. So yeah, if I felt compelled to pirouette and pas de bourrée all up in this piece … I totally could.

In high school I lived in sneakers, in fact they were a form of self-expression for me when I went through my “I’m going to listen to emo bands because it speaks to my soul” phase that we all go through. Pumas were definitely my sneaker of choice in all shapes and styles. Most of them I’ve gotten rid of, except these bad ass pink leather Reeboks I got in New York City. I know, they sound heinous, but they are kind of amazing. I hate, loathe and despise the color pink, so I rarely wear them … but I don’t have the heart to throw them away either.

I bet you’re wondering don’t I work out? Belong to a gym? Go for a jog every now and then? Or perhaps I’m a huge sloth who thinks exercise is lifting the beer can to and from my mouth. Well the answer is I hate gyms. Do I belong to one? Yes … a fancy one as a matter a fact. And I only belong to said fancy gym because they have a fabulous yoga studio where I can take unlimited yoga classes (and for those yogi’s out there … you know price wise how clutch that is). And for yoga purposes … no shoes are required. It is genius. I roll up to the gym in my flippy floppys … kick them off, get centered and get my ass kicked by my deep yoga instructor and move on.

And if I don’t have sneakers then I can’t work out in the  “machine” section of the gym, which I loathe because people are WAAAYYY too chatty. No matter what, ear buds in my ears and all, in the zone … some idiot will come over to me and strike up a conversation about something ridiculous. Hi, yeah … when I’m on a treadmill or any other machine that increases my heartbeat and makes me pour sweat … I am HATING life … therefore I don’t want to talk to you about what incline I’m on, or what kind of music I like to listen to when I work out, or what my work out regiment is, or how long I will be using the machine for. Nope. Sorry, not trying to get my flirt on at the gym when I’m in old ratty sweats, an oversized T-shirt from college, my hair in a messy ponytail and sweat dripping down my face as I blast disco music (my secret work out music of choice). Seriously. No. Therefore to avoid this frustration I stick to yoga, which is a workout for the mind, body and soul that doesn’t require sneakers … word. The only thing I wanna hear when I work out is … OOOOOOOMMMMMM. Otherwise, zip it.

Sneakers just don’t have a place in my life right now. My style of jeans just don’t welcome them. Skinny jeans and sneakers? Mmm, I’m going to politely pass. I have size 9 feet, and rocking size 9 sneakers with skinny jeans is more of a clown look than a chic look. And yeah yeah, flair legged jeans are coming back … but the thought of rocking sneakers with them doesn’t quite rev my engine. I’m not a snob, I see cute sneakers I covet all the time, I love the way sneakers look on other people … I really do … I just don’t have an absolute need or want for them at this current time.

So until I remove my personal rule of only running when being chased or when there is a spider near me … I will be the abnormal girl who doesn’t own a pair of sneakers.