Conversely Speaking

Happy 100th birthday Converse!

I always have wanted a pair of Converse shoes. Remember the days of Cyndi Lauper and Punky Brewster? Their Converse hi-top Chuck Taylors with the funky colors always were turned down, I wanted that look. Unfortunately, at the time I was not paying for my own shoes and my mother much preferred the subdued white Nikes to any pink, purple and red hi-tops. Mom won, Chuck lost. I remained very uncool in the shoe category.

As I grew older and saw the kind of people who wore Chuck Taylors, my desire for them waned. They were much more of the "grunge" look than I was going for. Kurt Cobain and the rest of "Nirvana" wore them. In fact, they have a new design out right now honoring Kurt with his signature on the heel. My brother still likes them, I can't tell you the last time I saw him in any other shoe but Chuck Taylors. Needless to say, his grungy style does not fit with my "soccer mom" image. He likes his look with the Yosemite Sam mustache, baggy jeans, and his favorite black t-shirt with "jackass" (as in Steve-O and Johnnie Knoxville) boldly written on it. No offense to my brother, but until he starts shopping at Land's End and J. Crew or I go to the Salvation Army or any novelty t-shirt place, we won't have the same style.

So I was very conflicted recently when I received a children's shoe catalog in the mail and saw the cutest Converse shoes. They were low-rise canvas shoes with multi-colored stars all over them. Super cute! I wanted them! They would go so well with my jeans and any colored t-shirt I own. I'd never seen any other shoes so cute, I'd be the talk of the town! (We live in a small town, not much else to talk about!) However, these shoes which I longed for were in the children's catalog. Bummer!

I was reminded once again of those cute shoes today as I read the paper. On the front page of the Style section was an article about Converse's birthday. I went to their website, hoping and praying I would be able to find my newest conquest. Their website is amazing! Converse has a ton of different styles, fabrics, patterns, and colors. You can create your own shoes, designing the side panels, tongue, heel, rubber sole, and even the shoelace patterns and/or colors! Absolutely fantastic! It could get a little on the obsessive, bordering on crazy side...but fantastic! If you want to check it out the website is http://www.converse.com/.

After much web searching, I found lots of patterns and styles. I can get skull and crossbones (maybe a gift idea for my brother) or animal print, but no multi-colored stars. I may have to live vicariously through my daughter and get them for her in a couple of years! Lucky girl!