Shoes

What Shoes I Wore On My Trip To South America

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While my time away may not have been the ‘Grand Adventure’ I wrote about a few years ago, it gave me a taste of what to wear on foot. Heading to Peru and Brazil for just over six weeks, I took 3 pairs of shoes. These were the La Sportiva TX4, Salomon Speedcross 4 GTX and Nike SB PS8. The first two I had already trialled out in my last trip to Peru ‘22 so I knew how they already passed muster, but the PS8 still had a lot to prove.

The night before the flight out I spent umming and ahhing between taking my recently purchased Nike Lava Domes from ‘03 or my just-as-recently pair of PS8s. Eventually, I went with the Nike PS8 simply because they were less likely to fall apart. The Lava Domes I had sourced from Vinted and being over twenty years since they released had me slightly concerned. Unfortunately this meant putting on hold my dream of capturing a shot of me along the Peruvian mountainside that was inspired by the classic ACG advert of the two climbers descending K2. As they say, there’s always next time …

I ended up wearing the Nike SB PS8 until we ascended into the mountainside where I would spend the next three weeks. There I would end up swapping in a pair of Fisherman Sandals I had bought from the Trujillo’s footwear district. These ran me back 120 soles or approximately £20 and had me feeling like a prime Steve McQueen (minus the charm and sex symbol status), a small price to pay considering.

The Fisherman Sandals I wore for the majority of my time in Peru, were similar to our protagonist from Kerouac’s On The Road and how he swore by his pair of Mexican Huaraches. Admittedly, I was clocking in significantly fewer miles on foot, although if we count the number of air miles they tallied up then it could be a close call.

Allowing the tootsies to breathe as well as providing decent protection from any tarantulas crawling about the dark meant the Fisherman Sandals soon became a favourite of mine. Being light enough to carry, I was also able to strap them onto my bag throughout the travels between airports, revealing to me the importance of weight. Romanticising the idea of knocking about in a pair of heavy-duty leather boots during future trips has since become less practical.

Arriving in the northerly beach town of Natal, Brazil would suddenly render my Fisherman Sandals less than ideal. Having a knack for carrying around sand and creating funky tan lines were just two teething points I discovered during my first two days. Not to mention they only helped me stick out like a sore thumb, a fact I tried my best to disguise for multiple reasons. That being said, the Umbro England shorts I wore as swim shorts didn’t aid this disguise.

On day three I’d had enough of my Sandals and wandered into one of the many Havaianas shops along the beachfront. I spotted a pair of football-inspired ones hanging from the racks, a familiar yellow and green beckoning from its spongy sole. At a retail price of 25 Real (approximately £4), they were soon slapping against the bottom of my feet like an old friend (a metaphor which doesn’t really make sense but sounds great).

A Haviaianas advert I spotted in the Modern Art Museums Library

A week or so later I was in Rio, a city I had longed to set foot in for the past two years. For this leg of the journey, I had booked an apartment about 800 meters from the beach. Here my daily step count shot up and I would find my Fisherman Sandals coming back into action. Getting about the older parts of the city where the financial district and museums were would also mean blending in to avoid any of the more colourful characters and tourist traps. This was also relatively easy thanks to the Flamengo F.C shirt I picked up from the high street in Ipanema.

Once out in the warmer climates of South America, the need for fully protective footwear was less of a concern. This was partly because I wasn’t exactly hiking up mountains each day, although trips into the Peruvian village for dinner at night did mean having to lace up my Speedcross 4s. The longer I can wear open-toed footwear the better, although when it came to steep descents, these types of shoes inevitably fell short.

One of the many great Vibram sole swaps out there today

This leads me to think that a pair of Keen Sandals could be worth trying next time. Either that or a pair of hybrid Fisherman Sandals that has a lugged Vibram outsole glued on. Perhaps even one of the New Balance Niobium concepts however the most minimal section of the shoe usually relies on a slipper-based silhouette, defeating the whole open-toe objective. While I am not seriously considering taking my Fishermans to the Vibram workshop in London to get them kitted out, you do only live once as the famous saying goes. Plus with all the astroturf hybrids coming into fray, I wonder if a trail-inspired Fisherman Sandal is as radical as it sounds.

It goes without saying that travelling for any significant time abroad does mainly concern the climate. For example, my cousin swears by her Salomon XT-6s which she wore for the entirety of her trip around East Asia. Secondly, ‘fitting in’ or not attracting attention plays another major role in the decision-making process.

If you can source a locally-used piece of footwear for a reasonable price, then it not only speaks towards your respect towards the culture you are currently emersed in but it can also act as a symbol of the time spent in said space. That said, if you’re rocking around in a pair of Havaianas and you’re Ed Sheeran, the fiery red hair on the top of your head will likely outweigh your snazzy set of flip-flops… so swings and roundabouts really.

Ed Sheeran in 2009 showing off the least inconspicuous pair of high tops imaginable

[On a further note, the idea that global popstar Ed Sheeran can simply ‘blend in’ anywhere on this earth is silly – so no type of footwear will help this matter, just in case he reads the blog].

Film/TV

Shoes In Film: Perfect Days

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One of my favourite films in the last few years is Wim Wender’s Perfect Days. Upon my first watch, I spotted the main protagonist wearing a pair of GATs (German Army Trainer), the perfect choice for such a character.

Thanks to its sole intended purpose as a military training shoe, the GAT has since been adopted by many fanbases. Whether it’s the Japanese Americana enthusiast, Margiela Replica lovers or just people after practical footwear, the Army Trainer is a classic option for all. Built during the post-plimsole era, the silhouette was an answer to German military personnel looking for a pair that could keep up with the demands of basic training.

Classic lines, a majority leather construction and hit of suede have made this a staple for many, including our main character Hirayama. Certainly tough enough to withstand the rigorous shifts of a Tokyo city toilet cleaner, this is an excellent example of where the GAT is serving a more functional role. As we witness throughout the runtime, Hirayama is a man of few possessions, with his trusty GATs a key part of his work uniform.

In my mind, this footwear-based choice made on behalf of customer designer Daisuke Iga was spot on. Even the white and grey colourway was the correct choice, revealing how meticulous our protagonist is at keeping his uniform clean, a detail made abundantly clear by the bright shade of white.

Other scenes such as the cycle ride with niece Nico show Hirayama putting aside his practical footwear and instead opting for a comfy pair of sandals. Another decision made by Daisuke is that of the traditional slides and how they imply a state of change outside the strict and almost military approach Hirayama takes towards his work. We can also see this through the rest of his outfit and demeanour, not to mention the zen mindset he communicates to his niece – “Next time is next time”.

It is only towards the end of the film in which we see a pair of New Balance 996 in a traditional NB Grey being sported. A shoe which was once a pinnacle of running technology upon its first release, the shoe much like our character is reluctant to cry out for attention.

I have repeatedly watched this film since its release and will continue to do so for years to come – particularly because of the excellent costume design by Daisuke. While the film’s message is totally adjacent to the world of sneaker collecting, it emphasises the importance of looking after our possessions, no matter how much we own. This is a message some of us including myself should embrace.

Miscelanious, Music Explored

Kurt Vannegut on Boots + Music

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Weisberg’s Night Rider is a display of ’70s flute at its finest. Pre the album artwork too, only makes the song that much better. If I’m ever cool enough to drop an album then best believe it’ll feature an old racer.

This song was too funky not to include. Came across it on a MAJ Brazilian reggae set where the lady doing the back-to-back kept gesturing a cobra with her hands. She seemed like good energy and this song was doing a lot of the sunny Friday afternoon that I found myself listening to it.

Here’s a Skepta and Novelist rework that captures the silhouetted MCs in what was the resurgence period for the genre. You can just make out the Streetz Iz Watchin’ cap that defined the North London artist’s mid-2010s era, as well as a young Novelist who at the time was championed by all the OGs. Here is the original set for those wondering.

The first two tracks came from the MAJ YouTube channel, as well as coming across another Mellow Grime producer in RONIN. These three songs weren’t available on Spotify, reminding me of how disappointed I get when actively searching for new music outside the platform’s algorithms.

Also here are some words about a pair of boots which really stood out to me while reading Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5: 

"Those boots were almost all he owned in this world. They were his home. An anecdote: One time a recruit was watching him bone and wax those golden boots, and he held one up to the recruit and said, 'If you look in there deeply enough, you'll see Adam and Eve.'

Billy Pilgrim had not heard this anecdote. But, lying on the black ice there, Billy stared into the patina of the corporal's boots, saw Adam and Eve in the golden depths. They were naked. They were so innocent, so vulnerable, so eager to behave decently. Billy Pilgrim loved them.

Next to the golden boots were a pair of feet which were swaddled in rags. They were crisscrossed by canvas straps, were shod with hinged wooden clogs. Billy looked up at the face that went with the clogs. It was the face of a blond angel, of a fifteen-year-old boy.

The boy was as beautiful as Eve.

There’s a lot of religious symbolism which I haven’t broken down yet. If a boot is so shiny and golden, thus acting like a mirror in which that person can look into their soul. Whether or not that person is pure enough to possess that energy within is to be decided. Anywho, I’ll be looking out for more boot related sections as I read on. So It Goes.

Sticking with the abandoned footwear narrative, here is a cool video of someone putting together images of lost footwear they found in Thailand. It’s only available in 240p as it was uploaded about back in 2019, which in hindsight is no excuse as to why this should be such a low resolution. Perhaps it was an aesthetic choice, in which case I fully respect the creative license. A pioneer some might say, and with a name as cool as “Sill E”, I’m starting to think I’ve stumbled across this era’s Kubrick. You’ve earnt yourself a subscriber Mr E.

Shoes

10 Abadoned Footwear Projects

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Having had the idea to focus on Abandoned Footwear, it recently came to mind to ask Perplexity for some previous examples where this has been the focused topic. One of the most interesting and similar concept was Daniel Bass’ 2004 project, which involved Lost Shoes. An exhibition that also cropped up was that of Chiharu Shiota’s work which initially sparked the idea in my mind. The following is great food for thought and was worth sharing.

There are several notable art exhibitions and installations that focus on abandoned shoes, often using them as powerful symbols to convey deeper social and historical messages.

1. Shoes on the Danube Promenade

Located in Budapest, this poignant memorial features 60 pairs of iron shoes set into the concrete along the Danube River. Created by film director Can Togay and sculptor Gyula Pauer in 2005, the installation commemorates Hungarian Jews who were shot on the riverbanks during World War II. The shoes symbolize the victims’ abrupt departure from life, evoking a strong emotional response as viewers are confronted with the tangible absence of their owners.

2. Thousands of Shoes on Capitol Hill

In March 2018, over 7,000 pairs of shoes were displayed on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol as part of a protest against gun violence, particularly in schools. This installation aimed to represent the estimated number of children killed by gun violence since the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012. The visual impact of the shoes served to humanize the statistics and evoke collective trauma associated with mass shootings.

3. Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota

Chiharu Shiota’s work often incorporates found objects, including abandoned shoes, to explore themes of memory and loss. Although this exhibition took place from March to August 2023 at Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, it highlighted how such objects can serve as metaphors for personal and collective experiences.

4. Walk This Way Exhibition

The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum features an exhibition titled “Walk This Way,” which explores women’s history through footwear. This exhibition reflects on how shoes can symbolize women’s evolving roles in society over the past 200 years, emphasizing their significance beyond mere fashion.

5. Overboard

This exhibition, held in Washington, D.C., features handcrafted replicas of Nike shoes made from discarded materials, inspired by the “Great Shoe Spill” of 1990 when thousands of shoes fell into the Pacific Ocean. Artist Andy Yoder created these sculptures to provoke thought about waste and consumerism while drawing attention to the environmental impact of discarded footwear.

6. Lost Shoes by Daniel Bass

Daniel Bass’s installation consists of a grid of 135 photographs depicting lost or abandoned shoes, primarily taken in Kent, England. This collection highlights the stories behind these forgotten items, transforming them into a commentary on loss and memory through visual art.

7. Footprint: The Tracks of Shoes in Fashion

Located at Antwerp’s Fashion Museum (MoMu), this exhibition gathers around 600 pairs of designer shoes from the 20th and 21st centuries. It explores the emotional connections between shoes and their wearers, emphasizing individual stories rather than focusing solely on the products themselves.

8. Concealed Shoes in the York Castle Museum

This collection features historical shoes that were hidden in walls or under floors as protective talismans against evil spirits. These concealed shoes provide insights into past beliefs and practices surrounding personal belongings, illustrating how shoes can carry significant cultural meanings.

9. The Shoe Memorial at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

This poignant installation includes 4,000 pairs of shoes confiscated from victims at the Majdanek concentration camp. The varying sizes and conditions of the shoes serve as stark reminders of the individuals who suffered during the Holocaust, transforming each pair into a powerful symbol of lost lives and humanity.

10. The Shoes Project by Various Artists

This ongoing project features installations across various locations where artists create pieces using abandoned shoes to address themes of homelessness, loss, and social justice. Each installation varies in style and message but collectively aims to raise awareness about societal issues related to displacement and neglect.

These exhibitions not only highlight the aesthetic qualities of abandoned shoes but also engage viewers with profound narratives about history, memory, and social commentary.

Poetry

October Poetry: A Mountain in Peru

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On this Peruvian mountainside
that lays a million years old,
where kids grow up under the sun,
where the best of stories are told.

Of the brave and weary,
of the old and meek,
of characters sad and funny,
of those which from betrayal reak.

A history threaded from a cultural cotton,
where narratives are spun,
with tales all worth passing down
stories of lost soles that have only just begun.

A tree grows up and up,
earning a place among the tilt,
next to them people of the earth
toil among centuries-old silt.

Pineapples, yuka and potato,
sit in rows on rows
a man perched upon his rake
watching as it grows.

His wife inside the house,
prepares the rice and beans,
she boils a soup, a tasty soup
in her husband's eye a gleem.

Here tradition lays frozen in time,
spare the mobile phone,
destroying a way of living slow,
from many decades and millennia ago.

How to survive the blazing sun
and the blistering snow,
all this and more could soon be lost,
with an undetermined cost.

The market every Saturday
is where you'll find this change,
Yankees, limas and Trujio Pilson,
all sold at a range,

"4 soles por un kilo"
shouts a lady behind her sack,
it's filled to the brim with seeds,
a seriously nutritious snack.

Scatter them around the pigs,
and the chickens too,
each pecking at the ground,
bidding the passers-by adew.

Look up from the concrete slabs
you'll see mountains up ahead,
each one taller than the last,
a day of trekking will have you wishing for your bed.

Yet here the old climb narrow paths,
with lungs full of air,
no panting or sweat on their brow
or cramping in their calves.

Strong feet and a straight head atop,
from years of working tough,
a mindset that the west has forgot,
with hands anythint but rough.

Here is where true freedom lies
in the mountains of Peru,
where a family grows with each crop and a hearty stew.
Miscelanious

Pub Thoughts 1.0

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From the chimes of salsa playing out of a somewhat disheveled speaker
to the bongs and bangs of a local spoons.
"What you saying, film night?"
A retiree suggests as he himself sways among
a rather mock-extravagant carpet.
The thought of a few grown men sitting around the Tele in any sort of regular capacity is an endearing one.
Another re-watch of an old western or Kung Fu dvd
that has got pint glass rings printed onto it seems to be round the corner.
I might even watch a film now.
Not with the three gentlemen, although that could be a good story.
Tinny phone speakers play out the beckons of a football commentator,
another person on a grass pitch has kicked a ball in the right direction,
it's what it really boils down to.
Although everything can be simmered down to it's most basic - what's the fun in that?
Romanticise everything I say.
Or at least almost everything.
A man peels off his high Vis jacket as he steps into the pub,
perhaps a late commute home from the office?
I hardly think he's just clocked off from another shift as a lolly pop lady.
I guess he'd be called a lolly pop person these days.
Lolly Pop ladies must have a strong sense of fulfillment,
protecting future generations on a day-to-day basis.
I regret my choice of seat,
The constant waff of urinal cakes are not aiding this semi-satisfactory Guinness.
I'll probably leave in 10.
Shoes

Long Form Nike Dancing Piece

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Having been interested in the potential of the Nike Jam, I wanted to explore the world from which the shoe came. Digging into the history, I stumbled across Nike’s venture into dancing and breakdancing. From cool old adverts to the undiscovered talents of Sofia Boutella, writing this piece was fun.

If you do fancy giving it a read then here you go: https://thesolesupplier.co.uk/news/breaking-new-ground-nikes-journey-into-the-world-of-breakdancing/

Poetry

Shoe Poems 004

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"I bet you couldn't walk
a mile in these shoes",
How would you know?
Ain't got the faintest of clues.

The dribs and drabs
of my daily life,
the seething pains
and never ending strife.

Yet I'll lace them up anyway,
cause I've got bills and rent to pay.
Not only that
but I've got people to see
that's the difference 
between you and me.

Sure yours are shiny
and haven't a crease,
but I'll still be wearing my shoes
when I'm deceased.

I won't pass them on
they're mine to bear,
I'll be sure to look after them,
they're my only pair.
Poetry

August Poetry: In Sitting

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If I could sit among the trees,
I really think I would.
Enjoy the breeze that gentle thing
where the bark and branches stood.

I don't know where I'll go today,
but I don't mind a bit,
I think I'll ponder to myself,
and right here is where I'll sit.

Until then I shall move not,
no rush or place to be,
no one to call out my name
no humans left to see.

I'll drift away in mind and thought,
allow the rythme to take me there,
no focus point or book to read
just a thousand yard blank stare.

I look into an endless blur,
of black, browns and greens,
in hopes that one long thinking day
I'll discover the unseen.

A voice may beckon up above,
and give me word or prayer,
but till the day I hear that cry,
I think I'll sit right here.

: thoughts on footwear and fleeting poems