A typical outfit for me includes a hoodie, crisp jeans and what some consider flashy shoes, but what a younger me would simply call goals. I have come to know a few "sneakerheads" over the past few years and shaped my own perspective on the culture. "Sneakerheads" are people that collect valuable sneakers such as Jordan, Nike, Asics or many others. This shoe culture is stereotyped with the thought that anyone who spends large amounts of money on shoes must be uneducated. Of course I can see why someone would say that about a person buying the Nike Air Mag, but I don't understand how investing in a pair of high quality shoes supports the stereotype of sneakerheads being dumb.
First let's forget about our personal budgets and the wage discrepancy between companies and their workers. This does not mean we can't bring up those issues later, but for the purposes of this article humor me.
If we look at the shoe collecting from a functional aspect first, we can see that considering the current rates, you get what you pay for. For instance, a $50 shoe might not be so comfortable but you can't really complain since you spent $50 on them. A pair of $180 shoes however, feels like a pair of $180 shoes. They may be over priced but even if shoes were solely worth the materials that made them, the fancy sneakers would still be worth a lot more.
Sneakerheads all find ways to keep their shoes from being damaged because of the respect for the shoe but aside from the extra care, expensive sneakers are pretty durable. Close examination of a pair of Jordan's for instance, reveals intricate stitching and rubber layering that contributes to an aesthetic appeal and durability at the same time. A true sneaker lover would never dream of playing in some limited addition shoes, yet the shoe would be ready to endure the test. Another idea to consider is that with more pairs of shoes, certain pairs are worn less often, ensuring an even longer lifespan.
If all visual appeal was thrown out of the window and footwear was only created with functionality in mind, we would all have some ugly shoes on. Now think about a famous work of art. You probably thought of a few famous artists and popular painting by them. I want you to ask yourself this; "What does a painting do?"
Sure we could use paintings as table-mats or chimney fuel if we wanted but for the most part they just decorate a wall. A good painting can cost a lot too, yet the more expensive doesn't mean additional uses. No, a million dollar painting sits on a wall the same way a $2 painting does. With that in mind, is it so crazy to want to display art on your feet?
Think about it, the only time someone can view and appreciate an art piece that you purchased is when they visit your home. If the work of art was your pair of shoes, that would be a lot more available to the public. Sneakers were not designed haphazardly. Any expensive pair of sneakers you buy were designed to look a certain way in the creative artist's vision. The same way paintings use certain colors and shapes to symbolize specific meanings, sneakers are designed to have a unique feel for each distinctive pair.
Next time you walk into a young citizen with what seems to be an expensive pair of sneakers, do yourself a favor and think outside of the "they-must-not-have-priorities" mindstate and try to appreciate the art on their feet. Of course, this approach applies to all fashion but for some reason, sneakerheads suffer from being "othered" in the fashion community.
Keep artistic qualities and functionality in mind and you may just find a new appreciation for that pair of expensive sneakers that you previously thought was hideous. There are also plenty of ugly and expensive works of art.
First let's forget about our personal budgets and the wage discrepancy between companies and their workers. This does not mean we can't bring up those issues later, but for the purposes of this article humor me.
If we look at the shoe collecting from a functional aspect first, we can see that considering the current rates, you get what you pay for. For instance, a $50 shoe might not be so comfortable but you can't really complain since you spent $50 on them. A pair of $180 shoes however, feels like a pair of $180 shoes. They may be over priced but even if shoes were solely worth the materials that made them, the fancy sneakers would still be worth a lot more.
Sneakerheads all find ways to keep their shoes from being damaged because of the respect for the shoe but aside from the extra care, expensive sneakers are pretty durable. Close examination of a pair of Jordan's for instance, reveals intricate stitching and rubber layering that contributes to an aesthetic appeal and durability at the same time. A true sneaker lover would never dream of playing in some limited addition shoes, yet the shoe would be ready to endure the test. Another idea to consider is that with more pairs of shoes, certain pairs are worn less often, ensuring an even longer lifespan.
If all visual appeal was thrown out of the window and footwear was only created with functionality in mind, we would all have some ugly shoes on. Now think about a famous work of art. You probably thought of a few famous artists and popular painting by them. I want you to ask yourself this; "What does a painting do?"
Sure we could use paintings as table-mats or chimney fuel if we wanted but for the most part they just decorate a wall. A good painting can cost a lot too, yet the more expensive doesn't mean additional uses. No, a million dollar painting sits on a wall the same way a $2 painting does. With that in mind, is it so crazy to want to display art on your feet?
Think about it, the only time someone can view and appreciate an art piece that you purchased is when they visit your home. If the work of art was your pair of shoes, that would be a lot more available to the public. Sneakers were not designed haphazardly. Any expensive pair of sneakers you buy were designed to look a certain way in the creative artist's vision. The same way paintings use certain colors and shapes to symbolize specific meanings, sneakers are designed to have a unique feel for each distinctive pair.
Next time you walk into a young citizen with what seems to be an expensive pair of sneakers, do yourself a favor and think outside of the "they-must-not-have-priorities" mindstate and try to appreciate the art on their feet. Of course, this approach applies to all fashion but for some reason, sneakerheads suffer from being "othered" in the fashion community.
Keep artistic qualities and functionality in mind and you may just find a new appreciation for that pair of expensive sneakers that you previously thought was hideous. There are also plenty of ugly and expensive works of art.
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