Vintage Converse
April 25, 2015Vintage Converse! The spring is finally here and nothing, but nothing spells s.p.r.i.n.g. like kicking off those heavy ankle boots, triple-layer socks, chunky yet elegant heels or lace-up Doc Martens and starting to live freely in your favourite pair of Chucks.
Converse Vintage Shoes – the 98-year-old style that’s still cool today!
The American Company who created the All Star trainers in 1917 primarily for the basketball players, stepped on to something big right from the start.
Chuck Taylor, the star basketball player and the All Star spokesperson, improved the shoe design by tweaking their flexibility and overall design and adding their trademark support patch on the side.
Now worn by anyone from the top class athletes and Olympians to actors, subculture heros, geeks, nerds, hipsters and the kids next door, a pair of vintage Converse trainers exude effortless style while remaining fantastically comfortable and cosy.
Vintage Converse – Iconic footwear of films and TV
The shift from the athletic sportswear to casual footwear took All Star Converse trainers on a detour through some of the most iconic films of the twentieth century.
They appear in M*A*S*H*. They appear in Grease (on the feet of Travolta’s Danny Zuko and his entire gang). They appear in The Last Dragon, in the classic scene when Julius Carry’s Harlem Shogun Sho’nuff screams “Kiss my Converse!”
No other trainer has that much street cred. No other trainer is so easily swappable between you and your boyfriend, either.
Rock Stars in Vintage Converse
And while the classic black and white vintage converse rocked Kurt Cobain’s world and Sid Vicious preferred the ripped red pair, the universe of All Star editions offers such a myriad of colours, textures, patterns and limited edition signature styles that it’s hard not to collect them all.
Some of the most prized are the limited edition signature collections, which gives your retro Converse pair a top price should you ever wish to part with them.
Vintage Converse – Perennially Chic
But why should you? Converse go with everything. They completely go with the colour blocking, or with skinny black jeans, or with the 70s hipster jeans and a stripy Breton top.
Vintage converse make a Chanel jacket less stuffy, a wedding ceremony less conventional, a short skirt a bit more street smart, and instantly turn a pair of pyjamas into stylish daywear.
Celebrities
Kristen Stewart wears her converse sneakers on the red carpet to soften the dullness of yet another Barbie dress, Michelle Obama wears hers to show that she’s still with it, whereas Alexa Chung teams her black Converse shoes with occasional bloodied knee, or opts for the limited edition John Varvatos American flag Chucks.
Customised
Of course, vintage Converse work best when customized:
paint them, re-lace them, add studs, safety pins, or check out the Ash Viper range of satin or raised leather take on the classic All Star shape.
Collectible Vintage Converse
My advice is: collect the classic vintage converse in black and white, or just crisp white, for each season, and top it up with at least one colourful pair that you can proceed to wear to shreds while the sun is high.
My two pairs of limited edition sequin studded Converse (silver sequins and black and gold high tops, respectively) are my real treasure, although it’s nearly the time to pass them on to my puppy… so the wardrobe will be ready for the fresh new summer styles!
Converse All Star Basketball Poster
Vintage Converse 1961 Basketball Yearbook poster
Kiss my Converse
John Travolta in Grease wearing Converse
Kurt Cobain in Converse
Sid Vicious in Converse
Limited edition vintage Converse
Classic Converse and skinny jeans
Red All Star worn with the flares
Converse and Breton top are perenially chic
Wedding shot – best men are all clothed in High Tops All Star Converse
Kristen Stewart wears Chucks
Alexa Chung teams High Tops with bloodied knees
Alexa Chung and John Varvatos Converse
Ash Viper Taupe silk satin vulcanised trainer
Limited edition Missoni Converse
Marimeko Converse
Converse John Varvatos Studded High Top
Converse All Star silver sequins
Rainbow of vintage Converse
