Last Friday, while you were thinking about dinner and I was working sound at a theater in Manhattan (wear-testing a pair of Injinji toe socks*), the United States Department of Defense made a move toward ensuring that service members are outfitted head to toe with gear made in the USA. The Berry Amendment was introduced 73 years ago to promote the purchase of certain U.S. goods. Over the years, exceptions were made when it came to military training sneakers. Boots were an issue item, but most service members wore their choice of trainers. These New Balances pictured are made in Maine using soles, uppers, textile parts, and straps sourced from Massachusetts- plus laces made in Rhode Island- making it a Berry Amendment compliant product. This NB 950v2 athletic shoe is being tested by the military and may soon become available to recruits via their vouchers. U.S. Congressional reps Niki Tsongas (D-Mass), and Mike Michaud (D- Maine) were instrumental in pressuring the D.O.D. to get it right with Berry. Michaud is a bigger New Balance head than you, and even sports made-in-USA blue and yellow New Balances while campaigning for Governor. Wolverine Worldwide, who already provides Berry-compliant boots through their Bates brand, and New Balance are currently the only American companies capable of producing competitive sneakers in the US. Now that Pentagon officials have made this announcement, other brands may consider rekindling their domestic production in order to compete for these military voucher bucks.
I never heard of the evil stepsister procedure until reading Laren Stover’s piece in the New York Times. “Make them fit, Please!” is something women have been saying to foot doctors in regards to outrageously impractical high-heeled footwear. Elective cosmetic foot surgery is a thing, and there are procedures ready to treat high heel foot, hitchhikers toe, toebesity and other man-made ailments that are keeping sufferers from comfortably wearing Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, and Christian Louboutin products. Get a load of the comments after the article as well.
Voting is now open for the 5th annual Vans Custom Culture Art Competition. Vans, who dropped some Star Wars gear this week, sends blank white shoes to 2000 high schools across the country so art classes can battle for design supremacy (and resources for their art programs).
Click here to check all the custom Vans designs
Did you know VIbram has a line of FiveFingers for golfers?
* I went my first day wearing some Injinji toe-socks under some New Balance walking shoes. I was moving around all day with them and like that they allow some splay.