The Vans Old Skool, originally known as the #36, is one of those classic shoes that everyone has probably owned at some point. One of the later designs from Van’s classic line, the shoe took what worked from previous skate shoes they have made – the padded collar, the thin sole, etc. – and added the leather strips on the side for additional wear protection.
Oak Street Bootmakers is now one of the most established names in the American-made footwear market. In fact, by late 2018, the brand was so large it was able to save a storied Maine factory that at one time made handsewns for Alden, Red Wing, Sperry, Sabago and others by simply buying it when the previous owners were unable to keep the lights on.
Shoes with Quoddy stamped into the sole have been around since just after the end of WWII, but like many of the other Maine-based companies, that iteration of the brand doesn’t exist today. The current owners of Quoddy started far more recently in 1997, with the goal of reviving the nameplate in order to sell shoes in their small knick-knack store that also had “Quoddy” in the name.
Brands like Allen Edmonds or Sperry spend absolutely boatloads trying to convince you that they are as old as the American revolution, but would it surprise you that a common sneaker name that your dad has probably worn has them and most other brands beat?
Most people who have done a bit of research about shoes online have read a post saying a shoe is “true to size” or a “half size down/up”, however one thing I’ve noticed is that what that true size is seems to change from group to group.
For many within the United States, Allen Edmonds is one of the most storied shoe brands. Starting off in 1922, the company has put shoes on the feet of every President from Reagan through W., Prime Ministers of Canada, LeBron James and Jack Nicklaus, and probably hundreds of thousands of 18 to 21 year olds trying to get their first “real” jobs.
Nike Dunks, at least the low version, are having a moment in 2020. Prices for classic colorways are going through the roof, even surpassing many of the Jordan 1 colorways. This would have been pretty surprising to someone who was around when the Dunk was first introduced.
The Sperry Top-Sider has been a staple of those who want to look like they could jump on their yacht at any moment – even if the closest they’ve been to a large body of water is Point Place in Toledo, Ohio. Most people will point to 1935 as the year the Top-Sider was introduced, but that isn’t exactly true.
Truman Boot Company is a relative new comer to the world of higher end footwear. Most of their competitors have long storied histories that go back several generations, where Truman started just six years ago in 2014.
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