I'm sure most people are familiar with the look of Converse shoes as they are a fashion staple for so many people. If you look down at people's feet on the average high street you will see plenty of pairs of these walking around - especially on teens and people in their 20s and 30s - so they are hardly the most unique shoe! However, they are available in lots of different colours and designs which do enable you to get a bit of your personality across if that is important to you. For me, uniqueness is not that important to me when it comes to a casual shoe. Although I have worn a few pairs of bold, bright Converse with designs on in the past, I generally prefer the plainer ones such as black, navy and grey as they go with pretty much anything. I currently have a pair of black hi tops which are quite old and battered, and a pink flowery pair which I don't wear as often.

The shape and design of the shoe is very simple, with a fairly chunky sole, canvas upper which is laced up and usually has visible stitching, and a rubber toe. The hi tops have the style of basketball boots, so the canvas material continues just over the ankle, and they tie around the ankle. This has the advantage of making them very secure on your feet if you do tie them up. I have quite narrow ankles and find that some shoes slip on my ankles, but that never happens with these. However, they do take a bit longer to put on and off my feet than the lo top Converse, as you have to slightly manoeuvre your feet into them and can't just slip them on and off.

I do prefer the appearance of the low tops and find them more attractive, but that is obviously just a matter of personal taste. When I wear hi tops, I usually just wear them with jeans as I think they go great with jeans. However a lot of people wear these shoes with anything. I think they look okay with skirts only on some people - personally hi tops and a skirt makes my legs look chubby so I steer clear. It is a look that is not easy to pull off! Some also wear them with shorts and tights, which I think looks a bit perculiar, but I suppose each to their own. People have even been known to wear Converse hi tops with their wedding dress so they are quite versatile!

The best thing about these shoes and the reason why I have bought so many pairs of Converse over the years is the fact that they are so comfy. I can be a bit fussy when it comes to shoes and I have found that some trainers and sneakers rubbed at the ankle, squashed my toes or caused the arches of my feet to hurt when worn for long periods of walking. I don't have any problems like that with Converse so I know that I can rely on them if I am going to be doing a lot of walking. They fit me very well and can be tied tightly enough so that they don't slip at the ankle. Although they are a canvas shoe they don't feel flimsy to wear, because the sole is quite thick and sturdy. I have hiked mountain trails in Converse and they have been fine on rocky terrains (although obviously proper mountain boots would have been better!) I don't really feel limited about what I can do when wearing them.

I find Converse shoes to be quite hardwearing for this style of shoe. I get a lot of use out of mine and often wear the same pair nearly every day for months. I expect to get about 18 months out of each pair of Converse and they often remain in very good condition for much longer than that. I find that after about 18 months the sole can slightly start to lose its grip, making the sole become a little bit slippery so that I can occasionally find myself sliding a bit in the rain or on slippery surfaces. One black pair I had eventually got a split in the sole which started to let water in after about 2 years of use but I had definitely got my money's worth from them by that point! Often I find the first sign of wear and tear is that the white bit on the sides starts to slightly crack near the widest part of my feet, or the inside heel material starts to rub away, revealing the rubber behind the canvas upper. As most of the uppers are only canvas, you can end up with slightly wet feet if you go out in them in torrential rain or start jumping in puddles, but they are fine in normal showery weather in my experience.

The prices of Converse hi tops can vary a lot depending on the colour, design, where you buy them and any promotions that are on. I was in Office today in Reading and noticed that most of the hi tops were around £40-45, but you can often find them cheaper online.

Overall I would definitely recommend Converse hi tops as an easy to wear shoe, which is comfy, durable and looks nice but personally I prefer the lo tops look and the fact they are quicker to take on and off.