High-heel sneakers: - The triumph of form over function in Fashion
21/06/2014
I saw a young woman wearing (a different colour of) these the other day on the commuter train to work.
Because they got me thinking, I looked them up. They are Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars knee high sneakers.
Chuck Taylor was a basketball player and Converse shoe company salesman whose design ideas produced the "Chuck Taylor" model, as used by the Converse-sponsored basketball team, the Converse All-Stars.
Now, sneakers are supposed to be an athletic shoe. These "sneakers" are so far from the concept of a sports shoe that they would more likely be a handicap on the court.
Because they got me thinking, I looked them up. They are Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars knee high sneakers.
Chuck Taylor was a basketball player and Converse shoe company salesman whose design ideas produced the "Chuck Taylor" model, as used by the Converse-sponsored basketball team, the Converse All-Stars.
Now, sneakers are supposed to be an athletic shoe. These "sneakers" are so far from the concept of a sports shoe that they would more likely be a handicap on the court.
I am glad I have never worn any of the modern equivalents, brands which are strangely revered. In fact, I deliberately choose never to wear any kind of athletic footwear, in case I will be seen as interested in sport.
I was reminded of half-remembered song lyrics which I had to look up; see below.
(I had to transcribe them myself because all the lyrics websites just copy and recopy totally scrambled versions amongst each other.)
(I had to transcribe them myself because all the lyrics websites just copy and recopy totally scrambled versions amongst each other.)
|
"Hi-Heel Sneakers" Tommy Tucker 1963
Put on your red dress, baby Lord we goin' out tonight Put on your red dress, baby Lord, we goin' out tonight And-a wear some boxin' gloves In case some fool might wanna fight Put on your high-heel sneakers Wear your wig-hat on your head Put on your high-heel sneakers Wear your wig-hat on your head I'm pretty sure now baby, aw you know you know You're gonna knock 'em dead Hey! Instr Hey! Well got my Old Crow liquor, And my paycheck in my hand I got my Old Crow liquor I got my paycheck in my hand Big John's bootleg whiskey Cost much more than I can stand Instr. Put on your high-heel sneakers Wear your wig-hat on your head Put on your high-heel sneakers Wear your wig-hat on your head (..indecipherable..) I'm pretty sure you're gonna knock 'em dead |
Now I'm thinking, can sneakers really be that impractical; that is, high heeled?
I am still wondering if the song is just being poetic, or did they really have hi-heel sneakers back in '63? The Chuck Taylor All-Star goes back to 1932.
At this blog, it is claimed "she was wearing high-heel sneakers, light blue, that were the minute rage among young women that summer." That's 1964, so we know they actually were a shoe worn at the time of the song.
Time for an image search, and sho nuff, here's Tommy's cover girl in the title items and her red dress, but sadly without her wig-hat and, perhaps unwisely, without her boxing gloves.
I am still wondering if the song is just being poetic, or did they really have hi-heel sneakers back in '63? The Chuck Taylor All-Star goes back to 1932.
At this blog, it is claimed "she was wearing high-heel sneakers, light blue, that were the minute rage among young women that summer." That's 1964, so we know they actually were a shoe worn at the time of the song.
Time for an image search, and sho nuff, here's Tommy's cover girl in the title items and her red dress, but sadly without her wig-hat and, perhaps unwisely, without her boxing gloves.
I wonder if you can still get hi-heel sneakers today, and find yes, you can get this ankle-height sneaker, with a high heel.
Then it starts to go right over the top: -
By now we are so over the top we have lost sight of the sneaker concept.
We are so far away from it, so over the top, we are now over a mountain range and in another country.
When I was young we had what were called "sandshoes", pretty much as per the standard Chuck Taylor: - low top, white canvas, white rubber soles, worn for tennis and gymnastics. Then later there were basketball boots which we thought of as a new thing from America, were usually darker, and of the same construction but with ankle-height tops.
I thought all Americans called them all "Sneakers", but surprisingly, no. This interesting linguistic map (Scroll down on the page there) certainly surprised me.
I thought all Americans called them all "Sneakers", but surprisingly, no. This interesting linguistic map (Scroll down on the page there) certainly surprised me.
P.S. Wig hats!
As for wig hats..... they are not even in Wikipedia!
Scarce as hen's teeth on Google images.
Probably best forgotten, as everyone seems to have done.
Gisborne Photo News, 1963
Update 12/12/22 I found a short clip from 1962 on the latest craze:-
https://www.facebook.com/BBCArchive/videos/546114989302322/
As for wig hats..... they are not even in Wikipedia!
Scarce as hen's teeth on Google images.
Probably best forgotten, as everyone seems to have done.
Gisborne Photo News, 1963
Update 12/12/22 I found a short clip from 1962 on the latest craze:-
https://www.facebook.com/BBCArchive/videos/546114989302322/