My first pair of Converse sneakers were turquoise high-tops lined in fluorescent yellow that I loved to wear with the tongue rolled down and two layers of mismatched slouchy socks. It was the late 80s, after all, and Debbie Gibson and the girls in Teen magazine were my fashion role models.
I stopped wearing Converse sometime in the mid-90s when I feared they looked like clown shoes on my narrow size-10 feet. But a couple of months ago, I started noticing more and more of my new fashion role models, bloggers, pairing sporty white Converse sneakers with otherwise chic outfits — and looking effortlessly cool in the process.
So when we first visited Omaha’s new outlet mall last fall, I pulled JB and Levi into the Converse store to try on a pair of white low-tops, mostly for shits and giggles. I still worried my feet would be too long and skinny for them but was curious to see if I could somehow make them work.
Wouldn’t you know, Converse All-Stars run big, so instead of a size 10, I only needed a 9.5. And anyone with big feet can relate to the joy of wearing a size or even a half-size smaller than usual. I was nearly ready to pull the trigger based on sizing alone, but first I needed reassurance that I could really pull them off.
To my surprise, JB didn’t think the white Converse made my feet look like Ronald McDonald’s, but he wasn’t sure that I was actually a “Converse girl.” So I wasn’t hip (or hipster) enough to wear Chuck Taylors? No, that wasn’t it, he said, trying to explain that he thought I was too “fashionable” for them. Whatever that meant.
So I did what any modern girl would do when she needs a second opinion: I snapped a photo and asked my Instagram followers. The general consensus was that the white low-top Converse were cute and — hooray! — I could pull them off, but that they’re really, really uncomfortable. Like, sit in your closet uncomfortable.
Despite JB’s hesitation, I bought them… and they sat in my closet for months. But not because they were too uncomfortable to wear; I just didn’t think white Converse were “winter shoes.” (That’s weird, right?) Plus, in my very pregnant state, I tried to avoid wearing shoes that needed to be tied. At a certain point, you just can’t bend over to deal with shoelaces.
I’m still debating whether I’m truly a Converse girl, but I’m going to give them a shot this spring. With some Dr. Scholl’s insoles
What do you think of wearing white Chucks with, well, everything? Are you a Converse girl?
(images: [first and last] Polienne, Sincerely, Jules, P.S. I Love Fashion, Moeh Fashion, A House in the Hills, Remain Simple tumblr)
I have a well-worn pair of white Chucks that I have always loved wearing with black skinny pants, weirdly. I think it looks super cool.
If you want something with better arch support , check out Superga. They are my new, mid-30s version of chucks and they are about 100 times more comfortable.
I want to say that I’ve tried Supergas before and that they were too wide on me, but I’m definitely going to try them again. I really like the look of them, too (and if they’re more comfortable than Chucks, even better!).
I bought a pair of coral converse a few years ago – they were adorable – but so painful I just could not wear them more than a few times
How can a shoe so universally popular be considered so uncomfortable by so many people?!
I am a total converse girl!! I cannot wear them for long outings but putting in an insole night help. I have not tried white though… I too have a size 10 after my first child but for spring and summer I think they would be fun!!
Let me know if you try adding an insole and if they help!
I agree, I always try them on because they are so cute, but still a sneaker, but then I always remember how uncomfortable they are! But last summer I LOVED my top-siders. Sometimes walking to far in flip flops is super uncomfortable (especially on city streets), but these feel like sneakers, but make your look a little more pulled together. My husband even bought a pair (and I also caved and bought my 2 year old a pair for the summer at carters!).
Flip flops are so easy to wear in warm weather — but definitely less comfortable and less pulled together than Topsiders! My husband had a pair that he lived in for two years and finally had to toss at the end of the summer.
I wear chucks all the time! I’ve never had a comfort issue with them either– since they are the only sneaker I own (I dance for exercise, so I work out in pointe shoes) I’ve actually worn them hiking. So, clearly I’m a converse fan and probably biased, but I love the white ones. I think the versatility is fantastic. And I’d love to see a follow-up post with pictures of you pulling them off!
Thanks for the post suggestion, Carol! It would be fun to pose as a fashion blogger for the day 🙂