Converse come in several colors, designs and styles. They are worn all year round, become one of a kind and can match with any outfit. Boys wore them in the 70’s to play basketball. The Chuck Taylor All Star came in a choice of black, white, or red.
They were believed to let you “step out onto the court with confidence.” It was advertised as no more or less than what it was: a basketball shoe. Later, girls began to wear them in the 1980’s and they became a common trend. Many ask why these shoes are so popular once again.
As you know, most popular clothing items eventually come back in style after a long period of time. “We started on the court and got adopted on the street,” the official Converse website said. A basic canvas sneaker has turned into a designer’s canvas. “Converse make people feel vintage,” senior Luke Palm said.
In 2002, the company reported just $205 million in revenue. Brands like Adidas, Nike and Puma promised consumers better shoes, cooler styles and endorsements. Nike then has transformed the brand into a $1.4 billion business.
Converse has seen the strongest growth in the North America, China and the UK, where it’s made significant investments over the past several years. Converse have been flying off shelves at many stores, such as Nike, Macy’s, Nordstroms and Finish line.
Low tops range from 50 dollars to 140 dollars but the majority of them are under 100. High tops are found to be more expensive ranging from 55 to 180 dollars. The varying looks of the comeback shoe can please any kind of person while exploring the brand.
“They go with everything and they are pretty comfortable, and you can wear them for a night on the town or to school,” Senior Claire Turnham said. This stereotype was created on college campus’s with thousands of girls rocking a pair of converse. It is only a rumor that in order to be in a sorority, you must have a pair of these.
Not only is this stereotype on college campus’s around the country, but also high school. Some believe girls need a pair to fit in with their peers. These girls have been labeled as “basic.”
“The stereotype is that if we wear them we are basic, but they are stylish and you can’t hide that it’s a classic shoe,” sophomore Nikki Praus said. Although this is well known, many believe that the shoes are worth it.
“It’s an essential need,” sophomore Anna Hutter said.
Slowly, converse are making a comeback for boys too. “The ones that I wear are black and you can’t mess up your outfit with my converse. They look cool with jeans too,” Palm said. Converse have come back and are here to stay.
“Converse are like white tee shirts, we all need them,” Praus said.