Not your grandpa’s high tops

By Emily Lunstroth
Transcript Columnist

cheetah is in the new black

me in high topsHigh tops first became popular back when Converse All Stars were the only athletic shoe available. Now everyone not only wears converse, but different brands of high tops as well.

High tops are no longer reserved for skaters, basketball players or authentic hipsters. You can even walk around our campus and realize that wearing converse/tennis shoes or any type of athletic shoe is no longer about being lazy or wanting to be comfortable but is part of a style- a fashion statement.

In the past few months high tops have taken on a new rise in the fashion world. Up until now Nike and other athletic companies were the only brands to really offer high tops. Because of this they were sold at a middle price point in a wide range of colors and styles.

Street styles, like high tops, often take over the fashion world and work their way into high-end brands, as well as more affordable brands. You can now find high tops (even with a wedge) ranging from $20 to $300. Before this trend started, the shoe was only available in the middle price range; but now anyone has access, and the options are endless when it comes to style and quality.

The trend started in the streets with the true skaters and hipsters, but is now worn by celebrities and trendsetters. Does that mean it is for everyone? Honestly, no.

When I started seeing this shoe (in the black with a small hidden wedge) I was intrigued but knew ‘ha you could never pull that off’. I was right, an unnamed friend and I talked about how we loved the look on others but could admit we were not “cool” enough to wear them.

To put that little voice to rest in the back of our heads that said ‘oh come on yes you could’ we went to Target and tried them on. I can now say with confidence not everyone can pull them off, not everyone can pull off every trend.