I bought a pair of trainers for the first time in ages. Years, certainly. I had two pairs of Tigers which while I loved, have come to the end of their road. The green pair have only been wearable on sunny days thanks to a hole I wore into the heel through the rubber. The blue pair, well, let’s say that taking them off after a day’s wearing isn’t pleasant. Then there’s the fact that London and assorted globetrotting have left their grimy marks. Those I’ve always thought to be in my responsibility to deal with. I got a suede brush and diligently tried to use an eraser on the white (now gray) rubber outsole. Not to much visible effect.
Which brings me to today. I was in an outlet store looking at trainers. Remainder stock, whatnot. A cute pair of trainers from a brand I’d never heard of seemed to fit what I was looking for. £20. I thought, why not? A quick google for the brand on my phone revealed that they include eco-consciousness in their tagline. Sold. I don’t care if it’s greenwashing. It most likely is, certainly to people who like to dig. But it worked for me as a marketing thing.
So I got a pair of Ipath trainers. How long would I want them to last me? It’s unreasonable (and sad) that they’re made disposable, but I’ll do my best to wear them out.
It’s silly with me. I tend to hesitate on large purchases for myself. Or any purchases for myself because come on, £20 is like $30 or whatever and not exactly tons to pay for something you keep your feet in multiple hours a week. And I drop that amount on a round of nice beer on a regular basis. Or a t-shirt at a gig I’ve enjoyed (but then I know the money goes largely to the band who just sold it to you). And you could argue that I had a need for them. Hell, I’ve been thinking about new leisure shoes for like a year. My need is obviously vastly contrived and inflated but in this society it’s there. Nothing cool about tatty trainers, and I’m a student and have no need to wear brogues on a daily basis.
Plus I like shoes. I’m like a girl in that way.
I fuckin’ hate shoes, shoe shopping, anything to do with them. Shoe fetishism makes me weary. I dread my shoes wearing out. In fact, last year I had to buy a new pair of shoes to put on immediately in central London because the heel of the shoe I had been wearing became too detached from the upper for even me to ignore any longer. Quite embarrassing.
It’s why I wear DMs. They only wear out every few years or so. Much more economical and much less worry.
Shoes. Ugh. Fuck ‘em.
I dread the day I’ll have to replace my Doc Martens. Oh wait, that’s been and gone. Because of them having completely worn-out soles I’ve fallen on my ass when it was icy. Ouch. But they no longer manufacture them in the UK…
But then again the trainers in the post above were made in China. So it’s all the same.