Wear Shoes Till You Can’t
A friend told me he hated bending down as it made his shoes crease. When did we sacrifice the ability to bend over for the aesthetic of a shoe?
Do We Even Need Shoes?
We’ve been kicking about the planet barefoot for a good 70,000 years. Why the fuck do we even need shoes?
Human evolution must have accounted for feet and the possibility of shoes. Over many generations we’ve adapted to our environment and not once have we burst out the womb with a fresh pair of Nikes.
We were kicking about the plains of Africa hunting wild antelope on nothing but our rugged feet. Truth of the matter is — we don’t even need shoes.
In fact, there’s a niche, but well supported community of individuals who rally behind the idea of barefoot shoes. These come with minimal soles and little arch support; simply a means to separate your feet from the ground and abide by society’s rule.
Unfortunately, there’s a fat chance of you getting in to any store, shop, pub, club or other such place with your bare feet. It’s seen as disgusting and foul. But what makes your feet more disgusting than perhaps a shoe?
Not much really.
A Crease — Sad Face :(
Wether we need shoes or not is besides the point. We wear them because we have to and sometimes, because they look cool.
What is up for discussion is the unpalatable obsession we have with shoes these days. Not just with the gut-wrenching price tags attached to foot holders reminiscent of the Pulp Fiction gimp but with our irrational mania surrounding their immaculateness.
Recently i complemented a mate on his new shoes. After accepting the complement, he told me:
Aye they’re good but you can’t bend down in them or you’ll crease them
I couldn’t help but laugh. When did we sacrifice utility for aesthetics? Especially regarding the piece of material that keeps our feet from touching the ground.
What’s the point in wearing shoes if you can’t run, jump, hike, skip, climb and clamber?
The want for aesthetically pleasing shoes is understandable. We want to look good and feel good — in our eyes and others too. What isn’t comprehendible — at least in my eyes — is the abandonment of adventure in the name of looks. How the fuck have we let it get to such a stage where we genuinely can’t handle a crease?
Realistically, it’s societal pressure. It’s not an OCD obsession or psychological disorder; it’s a fear of being judged. How have we allowed such demented crowd-think to penetrate our societal standards and perpetuate throughout the masses?
Wear Shoes Till The End
Rather than philosophise about the root of the problem, i’m going to provide a solution.
While sneaker-heads group together and form coalitions around the worship of ultra-clean, ultra-expensive shoes, I propose we do the same but opposite.
We form the shit shoes movement.
The shit shoes movement is centred around the utility and feel of the shoe rather than the aesthetics. It’s about wearing a pair of shoes without fear of activity, dirt, mud or any such thing that can damage it. It’s about wearing a pair of shoes without a single regard for the opinion of others. It’s about wearing a pair of shoes for the purpose of wearing a pair of shoes — not a fashion show.
Most of all it’s about wearing a pair of shoes till the death. Scuff marks, tears and rips only add personality to your shoes. When your shoes have war marks, they tell a story, they let everyone know that you’ve been out doing shit rather than coddling their cleanliness.
Forget caring and start living. Bust out that pair of fucked up vans and wear them to your cousins wedding. Invite questions and exude confidence in your scattiness.
Eventually, when they get so fucked that they’re literally unwearable, you can put them to rest knowing damn well that you made the most of them. Send them off with a proper burial, regard them as an old friend, host a candle lit vigil.
Wear Shoes Till You Can’t
As Always
Yours Honestly
Commodore Pipas.
