"Chucks" are the only shoes that have ever existed. Ever since 1923, Chuck Taylor All-Stars have been "just a piece of rubber and canvas"- they haven't changed one bit from the sands of time. These shoes are devilishly simple, and customizable in every way. Everyone may be wearing Chucks these days, but you can still make them your own. There are so many ways- what color would you like? One of the core colors- black and white? Monochrome black? White? Red? Green? Blue? Pink? How about the latest pattern or print? Every year Converse also pumps out new seasonal colors, and different styles such as double-tongued shoes, "tear-aways", faded looking ones, everything. You can buy different color laces or you can go crazy with a Sharpie and draw up some art all over your shoes. And for something seemingly so flimsy, they're pretty durable. My shoes have withstood countless running and hitting the asphalt, games of soccer, basketball, jumping from everywhere, the basic abuse a teen can dish out to his feet. Granted, they may not be too comfortable at first, but once your feet gets used to them, well, you don't even notice you're wearing them anymore. Nevertheless, it does have some setbacks, but if you look at modern shoes, you can see the differences in design. But for something from over 3/4 of a century ago, you've got to admit they're pretty darn impressive. The skinny:
PROS
-customizable in any way- laces can be easily replaced and be done up in any pattern you wish
-look great with anything and everything; the unisex casual sneaker that will even draw you the occasional compliment from coworkers or friends.
-lightweight compared to most shoes of today
-so many colors- from your basic core colors (black, red, green, blue, white, or pink) to different designs (60s tie dye, camo, skulls, flames, etc.)
-also different kinds of shoes- from the classics to the newer double uppers, tear-aways (shoes with two layers of canvas, and some parts are already torn away to show the brighter underlayer), double-tongued, and also DIFFERENT MATERIALS like leather or suede.
CONS
-the color fades; especially in the harsh sun. My navy blue Taylors have been bleached to the color of very faded blue denim.
-the rubber parts of the shoe can get dirty rather quickly, but are easily cleanable.
-overall the shoe is pretty comfortable, but not recommended for prolonged running or a whole day on the boardwalk. It depends a lot on the shape of your foot- if your feet are flat, you'll find that these shoes are a match made in heaven. Otherwise you may have some issues, but not so bad they're unwearable.
-I don't know what it is about it, but they make your feet look bigger than they really are.
-NOT TO BE USED AS A SKATE SHOE. Converse shoes are made from canvas, which won't give you any mercy from runaway boards, and they do NOT have adequate cushioning on the top, bottom, or sides for such an activity.
NOTE: BUY A HALF-SIZE SMALLER THAN WHAT YOU'RE AIMING FOR. A Converse size 10 is, in reality, a 10 1/2.
ANOTHER NOTE: If this bothers you, then you should know. Chucks are no longer manufactured in the USA. They are now outsourced to other countries, mostly China. Your Chucks won't be falling apart on you or anything, but know that Converse is now a subsidiary of Nike, a company known to use sweatshop labor to make their shoes.
