Your sneakers…..a pure symbol of fashion right? If you said yes, you’d actually be wrong. We’ll forgive you this time but the data shows us that comfort is actually more important. You could be forgiven for thinking that these days sneakers are solely about fashion. But apparently, you’d be wrong. According to a U.S.-wide survey by PromoPony…….
over two-thirds of Americans are still far more concerned about comfort than they are about style when it comes to sportswear for our feet. Specifically, 68% of those asked say that the comfort level is the single most vital consideration when purchasing a new pair of sneakers, whilst a mere 15% of us respondents put “style” in the number-one spot in the list of requirements.
The reality as true fashion aficionados realize is that life isn’t that simple. What we deem to be comfort can very often turn out to be style in a different guise. In other words, we select a pair of sneakers we love the look of and respect the brand of. Then, “miraculously”, we find that they’re really comfortable – and we’re equally “comfortable” with the purchase, therefore. If then asked why we chose them, we say “comfort” was the main factor because, after all – they’re sneakers – and sneakers are supposed to have a function.
If we conducted the same “style versus comfort” survey across American women on the subject of ultra-high heels, it seems likely that style would win out. But when it comes to footwear with a sports purpose, we maybe kid ourselves a little.
Of course, the world’s top sneaker designers are well aware of this subtlety and will always design sneakers that look great and which are comfortable. We may make sacrifices to go for that special evening out in a pair of Versace stiletto shoes that cripple our feet for a couple of hours – but we aren’t gonna make the same sacrifice for sports shoes.
So can comfort and style really co-exist? Well the answer is a resounding “yes” when it comes to sneakers – much more so than other forms of footwear. If we examine briefly, the history of sneakers, it’s easy to understand why this is.
Until the 1950s, sneakers were only worn to play sports, but this began to change with the so-called Beat Generation and continued to gradually build through the 60s and 70s. The real explosion then happened from 1984 onwards when Michael Jordan agreed the deal to wear Nike Air Jordans and the rest, as they say, is history.
You Can Buy LeBron James’ New Nike Sneakers Right Now – Footwear News https://t.co/10uSeyrs1u
— LeBron James view (@LeBronJamesview) February 11, 2017
Today, the U.S. alone accounts for $29.7 billion in annual footwear sales, a huge proportion of which is accounted for in sneaker sales – and they aren’t all used for sports that’s for sure! But here’s the thing; they’re still designed for sports use – and tried and tested by the top endorsement-earning stars like LeBron James in basketball before they’re marketed. So sure, they’re cool designs which are ever-changing, but they have to be comfortable and usable for different sports as well. So Foot Locker’s top brands like Nike, Puma, Adidas and others have us covered here. They recognize the need for comfort and fashion to co-exist; their whole business model positively depends on it.
So yes, not only can we have it all when it comes to sneakers – we have to!
Images provided by Pixabay
Find more fashionable footwear articles on Cliche Magazine
