Call them tennis shoes, sneakers, athletic shoes or gym shoes, the world is fascinated by the canvas shoe that was originally designed to be worn during times of sports or other forms of physical exercise, but today has come to be used for casual and not so casual everyday activities.
Sneakers are known by a vast amount of names, such as trainers, sandshoes, joggers, running shoes, tennis shoes, athletic shoes, sports shoes, sneaks, tackies and rubber shoes.
The idea of a sneaker didn’t come along until Charles Goodyear, an American inventor, patented the process for the visualization of rubber. By the 1900s, sneakers were being produced by small rubber companies, who specialized in the production of bicycle tires!
The sneaker, what was once a standard looking shoe with canvas tops and rubber soles, has definitely run its way into mainstream fashion!
Sneakers, or canvas shoes, are actually casual athletic shoes, however, in modern fashion, people wear sneakers for all sorts of outdoor and indoor activities.
Sneaker Fun Fact: Â Sneaker collectors, called “Sneakerheads”, use sneakers as fashionable items! Casual sneakers like the Air Force One (Nike) or Superstar (Adidas) have become icons in today’s pop culture. Artistically modified sneakers can sell for upwards of $500.00. Â
In addition to their comfort, sneakers are widely popular because the shoe represents fitness and youth, as well as appearing trendy and stylish.
Jogging joy! Workout wellness!
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There are a number of specialized sneakers designed for specific uses:
- Racing Flats
- Track shoes
- Skate shoes
- Climbing shoe
- Approach shoe
- Wrestling shoes
- Cleats
- Football boot
- Dance shoes
There is no denying that we love our sneakers, and the cuter, more colorful and more unique the shoe looks, then all the better we adore them!
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Wedge tennies are awesome and completely cool looking! Playful and poised!
Types of Tennies:
- High-tops over the ankle.
- Low-tops do not cover the ankle.
- Mid-cut are in between high-tops and low-tops.
- Sneaker boots extend to the calf!
Sneaker boots are too fun and too fabulous!
Attributes of a sneaker include a flexible sole, appropriate tread for function, and the ability to absorb impact. As the industry and shoe designs have expanded, the term sneakers is based more on the design of the bottom of the shoe than on the aesthetics of the top of the shoe. Today’s makes include sandals, Mary Janes, and elevated sneaker styles that are suitable for running, dancing, and jumping.
A sneaker can look just as fashionable and feisty with certain outfits as would a fancy flat or even a high heeled shoe!
Major brands of sneakers popular today are Adidas, Anta, Converse, DC Shoes, Dunlop, Globe, Gola, Heelys, Jordans, K-Swiss, Keds, Lacoste, Li Ning, Mizuno, New Balance, Nike, PF Flyers, Puma, Reebok, Skechers, UK Gear and Vans, to name a few.
Fashion plates everywhere strut their stuff in sneaker styled shoes!
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And don’t forget to dress up doggie as you take an adventurous walk through a dog park, lest he be jealous that you get to adorn your paws in sassy sneakers while his paws stay decorated in the same everyday fur!
Sneaker Fun Fact: It was mostly during the 1990s that tennis shoe companies perfected their fashion and marketing skills. Sports endorsements grew larger and marketing budgets went sky high. Sneakers became a fashion statement, and definition of identity and personality rather than merely humble athletic aids.
Let your shoes shout fashionista!
Step up in sneaker style pizzazz!
Sneaker Trivia: The word sneaker is often attributed to Henry Nelson McKinney, an advertising agent for N.W. Ayer & Son, who, in 1917, coined the term because the rubber sole made the shoe stealthy.
Steal and sneak your way through town in a hot, quiet, cool pair of sneakers, although not literally!
Sassy, sexy, sultry and snappy: sneakers are sharp!
Let your feet feel the rubber heat! A Â sneaker foot massage! Lavish and luscious!
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Author Nancy Mangano is the author of two novels, A Passion for Prying and Murder Can Be Messy. Nancy has blended her love of detective work along with her fashion fetish into her books. Visit Nancy on her author website www.nancymangano.com, her author/fashion/style blog www.passionforprying.wordpress.com, Twitter @nancymangano and her author “like” Facebook fan page Nancy Mangano.
