| Product: |
Converse |
| Date: |
08/11/04 (2829 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Stylish., Fun., Lots of choice.
Disadvantages: A tad on the expensive side., Good for fashion wear only, defiantely not very practical.
If you've ever heard the brand name Converse, the first thing that comes to mind is usually Converse Allstars, even though Converse splatters their name on T-shirts, bags and the whole shebang these days.
I’d always been a fan of high-top baseball boot style trainers, and when I seen a display of Converse Allstars in Schuh one day, I fell in love. Unfortunately, being a skint student I certainly didn’t want to fork out the £45 they were asking for them, so was forced to go on a hunt for a cheaper alternative.
After much searching I came across a pale blue pair similar in style but with a zip up the back to make them easier to get on and off. These were a snip at only £13, but after a while the zip was annoying me by constantly rubbing against my heels, so I returned to have a look at the Converse pairs.
Converse Allstars are sometimes known as Converse hi-tops or Chuck Taylors and are very popular, especially with students. They come in a range of colours and designs which allows the wearer to express their own identity. Plain black ones are popular and easy to get hold of, as are plain navy and plain red, but I’ve seen all sorts of unusual pairs such as bright orange, American flag designs and flame designs.
A lot of people love Allstars because they wear so well. Even a well worn pair of them tends to look just as stylish (some people would argue that they look even better) than a brand new pair.
I had my eye on a pair of red tartan design ones, but decided I probably wasn’t brave enough to wear them. They were around £10 cheaper than most other styles, though. Eventually I decided on a pair of cream limited edition John Lennon peace design Allstars. They had a small world cartoon drawn by John Lennon with his signature underneath on the side, some lyrics from Imagine round the toe and had ‘peace 2004’ printed on the tips of the laces. They didn’t come in particularly cheap at £45, but I’d had a pair of very comfortable Converse trainers before and reckoned the Allstars would be just as comfy.
I couldn’t deny that the shoes looked good when I took them out their box. Inside the box was a little book about Converse shoes and the particular style of shoe I’d bought. Ok, so far, so good. I slipped them on and they felt OK, but I knew the real test would come when I’d been walking about in them all day. The next morning, I pulled on jeans and a t-shirt and my new, shiny Converse Allstars and headed off for Uni. Everything started off alright, but as the day wore on, my feet were beginning to get quite sore. The Allstars were definitely more comfortable than the baseball boots I’d previously owned, but were nowhere near as comfy as a good pair of ordinary trainers. My feet certainly weren’t aching by the time I got home, but I can’t deny the fact that I was pleased to finally slip my shoes off.
Would I recommend these shoes? Well, I suppose it depends on what you're looking for. They are stylish and the fact that they come in so many different styles and designs is definitely a good thing, but I find it hard to justify paying £45 for a piece of canvas joined to a relatively thin rubber sole. They are far from the most comfortable shoes I’ve owned and aren’t very practical in the Scottish climate. Fair enough, they’re good for summer wear, but you’d probably end up with fairly wet feet if you were ever out wearing them in a downpour, and they definitely don’t support your feet or ankles all that well.
Then again, they are designed to be (and marketed as) fashion shoes, and I suppose they serve this purpose well. If you’re not planning on being on your feet too long in them and are willing to fork out almost 50 hard-earned pounds for them, then they are the best baseball boots that you’re likely to come across.
If you have your heart set on a pair, then check out www.schuh.com or www.shoe-shop.com to see some of the range.
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