GASP. Chucks just got their first makeover in 98 years
After almost 100 years on the block, Chuck Taylor sneakers are getting a new look. But don’t freak out! Don’t worry! Very little is actually changing about one of our favorite pairs of every-day shoes. Really, the changes being made to the iconic shoe are for the better, and we’re excited to get our hands on a brand new pair of Chuck Taylor II.
Converse shoes have been around since 1908 (!!), and their original Chuck Taylor design has been around since 1917 (!!). They were first designed as an athletic shoe. But, if you’ve ever tried to play any sort of sport in these shoes, you quickly realized they’re not the best for running around. Thankfully, Nike — who bought the company back in 2003 — is here to make our feet a little bit happier.
With the new redesign of the Chuck Taylor, we’re going to get the same exact look of the shoe, but with so much more added support. The shoes are now getting Lunarlon, which is, according to Nike, a “foam core that is encased within a supportive foam carrier for lightweight, ultra-plush cushioning, springy response and support.” Basically, that translates to: your feet won’t hurt so much after walking around in Chucks for 12 hours, which are notorious for their completely flat design, without an arch. Yay!
The shoes will also include a no-slip tongue and a suede liner (oh, fancy) to give your feet a little extra breathability. Nothing about the actual look of the shoes are changing, which is awesome. They’ll still be made out of canvas, and feature a rubber sole. Plus, that big giant star on the side for high-tops.
There is one downside to these new shoes, though. They’re going to be a little bit more expensive, roughly about $15 more. High-tops will retail at $75, and the low-cuts will be $70. But as Mindy Kaling once wrote in her book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? these shoes are important, because, “[everyone] only need two pairs of shoes. A nice pair of black shoes and a pair of Chuck Taylors. They key, of course, is that you need to replace your Chuck Taylors every single year. You cannot be lax about this. Those shoes start to stink like hell.” Word, Mindy.
But with this brand new update, sounds like they won’t stink so much! Maybe we can even start replacing them bi-annually. And, we can snag our first pair on July 28th when they go on sale in four different colors: black, white, red, and blue.
(Image via Converse, Flickr)
