Not so long ago, people who were focusing on fashion would spend on clothes. Times are changing. Clothes are still important today but is it understood differently. Shoes used to be corresponding to clothes, with the purpose to match, to create a harmony in the look. One of the first fashion statement of this kind might date back to the french king Louis XIV who built Versailles. In other words, this kind of elegance was communicated by the wealthiest people. The design of shoes did evolve through time. One cannot help to notice that everyday shoes for the common people got functional. But this usefulness also translated in boring colours and shapes.
How sneakers are translated into a fashion statement?
The development of a pop culture in the 1980s contributed to create other types of fashion statements. It became significant to wear the right pair of trainers, or sneakers. This is still happening today, and numerous websites and shops are selling a wide array of sneakers. There are constant release and the need to check the release here is close to an addiction for some people. The development of another type of culture is most of the time linked with the development of another type of society. Twenty years after the two world wars which destroyed lives and most cities in Europe, the middle class was enjoying a level of prosperity unknown to that day. For most people, all of a sudden, there was the possibility to make money to allow buying commodities and also buying for just the fun of buying. Simultaneously, the strictness of clothes disappeared, for the display of wide varieties of collections. For the majority of the population, it became affordable to create a look from head to feet, like Louis XIV, without breaking the bank! But the stiffness of the previous wardrobe became forgotten very soon.
The appearance of the street culture influenced the choices of young and adults about their everyday wear. This had as a consequence to stimulate the regroupment in “clans” or “tribes” of young people. These groups got identified by the kind of clothes and shoes they were wearing. There was the preppy style, and the “street” style. The functionality of the trainers implied a certain level of comfort which was enhanced by shoemakers. Since the street culture attracted a lot of young people, they enjoyed the comfort and the different collections. Soon, it became almost compulsory to have the right kind of sneakers to attract positive comments. As these consumers are ageing, they keep their habits and transmit it to their own children. It would seem quite strange in 2023 no to have a pair of sneakers in your wardrobe as an adult and even stranger as a teenager or a child. This type of shoes now is adapted to different foot morphology, and style. The sneakers complimenting an outfit has nothing to do with runners. More than ever, people can easily make fashion statements by what they are wearing, should it be just a pair of shoes with ordinary jeans and t-shirt.
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