In America, people exercise all the time. Personally, I never do. I believe I was not made for it. I hope one day my opinion changes, and maybe on that day I will become very athletic, muscular and super fit. However, despite my indifference towards sports, I enjoy dressing comfortably and I also love walking uptown and downtown, from the Westside to the Eastside, and in fact all across New York (I occasionally walk the bridges to Brooklyn too). And so does my husband. These past few weeks, we have been fiercely competing over who has the most comfortable pair of shoes, and why.
Undoubtedly, the winner is me. I have very recently given into the trend of exceedingly light and comfortable Nike trainers. Many people in the streets of New York (and lots of other places for that matter) are wearing the Roshes, the Free Runs, and anything Flyknit (whatever that is…). These shoes are characterized by a slim, nylon upper and a thin rubber sole. They are streamlined, sock-like sneakers, supposedly made for running as close to barefoot as possible. I know I am a little late to the party, but I always have trouble adapting.
Up until now, I had a youth-size pair of navy and white nylon Nike Cortez and a pair of black Jordan 5s with fluorescent orange and pink detailing that my brother had given to me for Christmas. As you can see, I was not very up to date in the “sneaker world.” I had noticed the new trend for lightweight footwear brewing, but I had stayed well away from it.
My brother has always been a modern sneaker fan and purveyor of anything strange and futuristic Nike comes up with, acquiring the latest and coolest items before anybody else. My sister, a person who also usually sets trends rather than follows them, had only recently caught up with the trend. She was the one who pushed me to the other side: “Trust me,” she once said, “try a pair on. Once you have them on, you will never go back. They are possibly the most comfortable shoe ever invented.”
At first, I was a little reluctant. I thought they were ugly. I also despise anything everybody is wearing. And it must be said, everybody wears them. But I was so far behind in this sports fashion that I was beginning to feel like a dinosaur. Additionally, the husband mentioned earlier had just broken his toe and the podiatrist he was consulting made the importance of shoes very clear: “You must always alternate the shoes you wear,” she told him. “Plus, try and avoid boat shoes and any of those flat trainers like Converse. Stick with the Nike and the New Balance that have air bubbles underneath. The new super light ones are ultimately the best. Stay away from anything too heavy or with a flat sole.”
I went into Foot Locker, where Jacob B. kindly informed me that, “Running shoes are designed to support the foot through the full motion of walking or running, which makes them comfortable.” I tried on a few pairs, whilst being told that Free Runs were “light and breathe better.” Eventually, I walked out with a pair of Roshe Runs (still a youth size) in two very cool shades of navies with a fluo pink swoosh, adorned with a few yellow and orange details here and there. And there I was, part of that phenomenon I had been observing passively from a distance for so many years. I had given into it, and I liked it.
I have not really taken them off since. I am a little embarrassed to say, but now I feel like I am part of a cult. And I am very happy about it. I used to have trouble understanding the phenomenon, wondering where all the shoes had popped out of, why every single person (of all ages, and especially old people!) was wearing them. I found it mysterious. Until I got my own pair – a cushion of air, a sublime bed of comfort. My eye has now become accustomed to them and frankly, I have come to find them quite physically appealing. I think I now understand the phenomenon and am quite proud to be part of the sneaker sect.
Credits
Text Cleo Le-Tan
Photography Sean Thomas