Sneakers as Status Symbols

By Janis Prince Inniss

I’m in the market for new sneakers--not because the ones I have are worn out but because they’re dirty. And nobody wears dirty sneakers in my world. Do they in yours? (On whom do you see old or dirty sneakers? What does that tell you?)

Sneakers used to be…well, just shoes. Today kicks are so closely associated with hip-hop that there are at least 20 hip-hops songs associated with sneakers. (I only thought of Nelly’s “Air Force Ones” and Run DMC’s “My Adidas”.) Now sneakers are status symbols for a vast variety of the population—not only hip-hop performers and those who love that music. Once reserved for sports, sneakers are standard for casual wear and are paired by many in otherwise formal attire. But they’re all so clean! Many of them are gleaming white, in whole or in part. Matching every outfit of their owners. I don’t have several pairs, but I always own one pair for gym-going. Lately, I’ve been thinking that my gym footwear is just not up to par. And why is this the case?

The story of the somewhat grimy looking sneakers goes back a couple months. As I left the bank, I heard an odd noise from the front of my car. Fast-forward three days and my mechanic declared that the car should be towed. Since my husband and I sometimes carpool to work, transportation to work is not problem. My worry, however, was getting to the gym without a car.

Surely, this would be easy since I know lots of people at the gym and had been a member for about 15 months. As I thought about this, I realized that I only had the telephone number of one person there. I only needed one willing soul, so I called Suzie. She was willing to pick me up but would not be working out that next day. Well, I thought, it’s not that far away. It takes me about five minutes to drive there. Maybe I would walk. I remembered that there aren’t sidewalks everywhere in my city so thought about exactly where I would walk. Satisfied that I would probably not be run over, I decided to do it.

The next morning I thought about all the people I chat with at the gym and sighed in disbelief that I had no way of contacting any more than two of them; how is that for the anonymous and alienating nature of city life?

During the holidays I had gone to two social events that one of the instructors had organized for gym members. This reminded me that I had her number but I balked at calling her. I thought about the miles I walked as a high school student living in Antigua and decided that for someone interested in staying in shape, walking to the gym actually made sense. It is a great form of exercise, after all.

So I bundled up and headed outside, pleased that I didn’t let the absent car stop me from sticking to my exercise schedule. I had no idea before going out, but there was a slight drizzle. No problem. I headed back indoors for some rain gear. That’s when I remembered I store my pink camouflage hooded slicker in the car. And that my rain hat lives there too. Undaunted, I pulled up the hood of my winter jacket and went back out.

By the time I walked to the major road—that is, the short part of the walk, I was second-guessing this great idea. My sneakers were feeling a bit moist. And as I turned onto the main road, there was a patch with no sidewalk so I had to walk in the damp grass. When I finally made it to the gym I was thrilled and triumphant but stunned at how long it took me to get there. It was three quarters of an hour since I left home and I was yet to begin my official workout. Figuring that an hour and half walk (total time for both directions) was enough cardio, I did some weights and felt proud of myself. I then headed back home in the continuing drizzle. My sneakers have never been the same.

My sneakers picked up mud, grass and dirt during my trek. Back when sneakers looked like the ones pictured at left and were merely shoes, and when we walked more, neither would be odd. (Unless you’re an outdoor runner—in which case you probably don’t run in grass, pebbles and other debris.) But today sneakers are expensive status symbols that are pampered; at one extreme is a sneakerhead who has more than 2,000 lovingly displayed in a San Diego warehouse. My one-time road weary shoes are a give away at my uncool status in a gym filled with people wearing sneakers that look like they have just been unboxed; I’m giving in to peer pressure and buying a new pair soon.

Comments

[TheophileEscargot]

You can usually clean them in the washing machine.

I use a warm cycle, put them in a tied-closed pillowcase with the laces removed. Seems to work though I don't do it often.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2292648_wash-sneakers-washing-machine.html

[Riley Augst]

It's true. Not only with sneakers but as well as clothes. Many kids in school break the bank (or their parents' bank) for name brand clothing. This isn't a necessity in life but the cooler ricker kids have all those clothes. It makes you stop and think "What if popular people wore Wal-Mart clothes? Would that be the fad? Would Wal-Mart be expensive and Hollister and Abecrombie only a hole in the wall clothing store with $15 jeans, not $80?" This just shows how true it is, that people only care what;s on the outside.

[Metro]

Not only are sneakers a status symbol but so are clothing in their entirety; new clothes, especially expensive ones, are apparent and give one a higher social status.

[Taylor Reilly]

I completely agree that our society has come to only caring about whats on the outside and that, clothing, including tennis shoes are become what defines a person. If the clothing or outside isn't "cool" than that makes the person not cool, and the personality doesn't matter anymore.

[Ashley]

I believe that sneakers are a status symbol. In high school you hear kids talking about keeping their new shoes clean. A nice looking pair of shoes makes you look "cool" or even high class in some instances. To some kids, the shoes are the most important part of the outfit and sometimes make the outfit.

[Ashley]

It is totally true that people use things like shoes or clothes to fit in. I know this probably better than most people because I am in high school. Everyone wants to fit into a group, and what kind of shoes you wear can put you in a specific group. People want a status, and so they buy things that will put them into specific roles.
-Ashley Byykkonen

[LaDawn Terry]

This is whats wrong with today's society! Why should it matter what brand of shoes you have on? They do nothing to elevate your intelligence or moral fiber. They can actually distract a person from recognizing a worthy friend or life partner

[Mallorie O'Neil]

I think the trend in tennis shoes is associated greatly with the population change throughout the years. Even though we might not want to admit it, we are getting more and more egotistical and self centered than ever. Objects, clothes and material things are becoming more important and that's why fashion symbols that are used to express oneself, like sneakers come about. I agree 100% with this article and I believe it's a good and bad thing that's developing.

[debbie p.]

I really like how you brought up an issue that many would argue isn't true. Some people would argue that shoes are just a part of their "style". However, if you think about it, it is their style because that is a fad or trend, and they buy and wear to show it off. The trend / fad of the tennis shoes have greatly evolved because they used to "just be shoes" and now they are emphasizing the importance of the shoes and how they complete an outfit, or even be based off of them. I have no problem with shoes, but I just think it is ridiculous that people are buying more and more shoes for certain outfits or occasions because newer trends come out every season.

[Trent Bullock]

In my online sociology class we are currently studying the education system and its affects on society. One of the sections in the textbook talked about how a couple goals of school are to transmit culture and create a common identity. Well, in this case, the education system has definitely done its job. For example, it was mentioned how name brand clothing is a status symbol. One of the foreign exchange students that I am friends with quickly realized this so she went out and bought some Hollister clothes. This shows how our schooling system has done its job in transmitting culture. Also, the very fact that most people in school wear brand name clothing at least occaisionally shows that schools have created the common identity that they set out to do. To conclude, I would like to say that the whole concept of clothing as a status symbol begins in schooling as I have just pointed out.

[Caleb Pellizzer]

I just did an assignment about cliques. If people were involved in cliques in school. People are judged everyday in school and other places by what is on the outside. That is the first thing that we see of a person and that is what causes us to make our first judgement of a person. Kids are immediately put into a certain category by what they wear. There are kids who have nothing else and have dirty clothes, but they want to have cool shoes. Shoes have gone way beyond being a necessary item to keep your feet from getting injured to part of your status symbol. It's not just the shoes worn with your school clothes but even more so the sports shoes you wear and who the popular sports figure it is that promotes that brand. It is time for everyone to say, I am going to buy the cheapest shoe to accomplish what it needs to do with worrying about whose name is on it and what company is pushing it for their profit. I have been guilty of wanting certain shoes when I play ball to make me look cool. It is getting ridiculous. School (and the gym) should be a status free zone.

[Danielle]

I actually wear Converse sneakers all the time, and the majority of the teenagers in my school actually avoid sneakers. Well, they avoid Converse sneakers, and they prefer the bulky skater shoes instead. Although I love my sneakers, it is not because they're cool looking or "status-raising". I wear my Converse because they're comfortable. On the other hand, I do agree with the observation that most people refuse to wear dirty sneakers. I made the mistake of walking through a forest with clean pink sneakers, and they were so muddy afterward that I chose to wear my slightly dirty white sneakers over the dirty ones. I'm not sure why people at a gym would wear sneakers. That can't possibly be a healthy form of footwear for working out. When I work out, I wear tennis shoes, and not sneakers. Exercising, in my opinion, is not about looking fashionable, but about burning calories and staying healthy.

[Bekah]

That's an interesting way of thinking about things. It is strange that shoes used to just be something that you wore to protect your feet and now they are things that somewhat protect your social status. It is true how people use those things to fit in and make themselves look cool.

[kvinnor]

I completely agree with the comment Ashley. I believe that sneakers are a status symbol! People want a status, and so they buy things that will put them into specific roles.

[Alexandra]

Sneakers are an excellent example of the power of fads. We are influenced by celebrities and then will do anything to follow that fad and look cool. Several years ago only wearing sneakers would have been seen as being uncouth and poor, someone who didn't have the class or the money to buy nice shoes. But now we all want to wear them, we see them as signs of being hip and young. But we still want that symbol of being well-off, as evidenced by always needing clean sneakers regardless of whether the old ones are still usable or not.

[erin]

I understand where your coming from I'm in highschool and you are definitely judged on the type of shoes you wear. Now a brand new pair isn't good enough they need to be a certain brand and style and color. I have broke down before and bought a pair of flashy colorful Air jordans and I've only wore them three times, I just feel ridiculous wearing them you need a certain "swagger" to be able to pull this look off or else you are just laughed at and called a poser . Some fads are just crazy and this one sure is an expensive one.

[HutchinsST]

Its weird how much value we put in these things that are supposed to protect our feet.