Ideally our roads are never rocky, but to be unprepared for life’s gravel and pebbles due to making poor footwear choices is indefensible. Just in case you’re the type to bring a flip-flop to a boot fight, read on.
Standing in a long line (such as to vote), going on a march, preparing for a wildfire or earthquake-related evacuation, running for what you think could be your life after several manhole covers erupt sending flames over the street— these are a few situations where you want to be wearing solid shoes. Did you hear about the Global Citizen music fest in Central Park a couple years ago— where thousands of revelers ran every which way after a falling fence was thought to be a gunshot? We’ve been seeing what people have been wearing at some of these protests. In 2020, whenever you leave home you should think about roadblocks and emergency situations where your shoe game should be much stronger than it looks from our stoop.
When going to a conference, activist march, or something geo-political in nature where there could be crowds and unfamiliar territory, you should choose footwear carefully. Even if you don’t expect hostile environments— parades, nature hikes, music fests (we really miss those), plain old long days can turn into nightmares if you’re walking around in pathetic shoes. At minimum you’re risking daily comfort which can slow drip into a bad mood. You’ll be one of those I-need-to-go-back-to-the-hotel whiners on vacay. At maximum you’re failing to plan in case of emergency — sacrificing the mission whatever yours may be. No one writes “walk through kilometers of wet grass and gravel” on their daily planner.
BOOTS UP, SANDALS DOWN
Keep sandals, flip-flops, slides — things that expose a majority of your feet — as house shoes. If you’re going to a march, conference or show and may be bus/train-traveling to another city or town— don’t be the sap wearing the aforementioned shower shoes. By now, every workplace (sadly) has active-shooter instructions which explicitly have “fight back” as a final option. If you can’t stomp a mudhole in somebody’s ass with them, you are an ass for wearing them! I once had a good footwear discussion with a woman who just got off the subway after witnessing a sociopathic bullying incident. We agreed there’s no sense in walking around ANY city street or stepping onto public transportation with something like flip-flops. Violence is bad yes, but you need to be ready at all times to run for your life if violence occurs or kick a criminal in the crotch if you’re an unwitting first responder. Flip-flops say ‘mess with me’, boots say ‘don’t‘.
TIE SHOE CLUB
Keep your shoes tied when you’re on the move or you risk getting sicker, easier, quicker— entirely possibly—it’s important that they don’t touch the ground while walking. Through trace amounts of animal feces and bird dung on the ground “in the world” the diarrhea causing bacteria C. difficile “C-Diff” can travel from the bottoms of our shoes into the human body. It’s a safeguard against joining the feeling-sick club. If you must do the effortless swag thing— make sure the laces don’t touch the ground— especially walking around densely populated areas. There are plenty of stylish ways to lace your shoes. You can even buy a pair of shorter length laces than what came stock on your kicks. If the ship hits the fan and you have to run and your shoe falls off — you are a loser in the true sense of the word.
FLATS ARE NOT SHOES
Unless you’re doing ballet or sauntering indoors — duck those flats. They offer little-to-no support or shielding. Even the name is weak. “Flats”. That they’re an alternative to heels does not mean they’re good for rocky roads or sketchy streets. There are plenty of what your mother would call feminine shoes that are suitable for work and formal situations despite what weakling fashion sites tell you. Get some footwear with laces and an anatomical footbed to support your dual anacondas. When I see women trucking the streets of Manhattan in what are essentially slippers, I can almost hear her pinky toes crying out. There can be contractual stipulations on what type of footwear is acceptable for women in the workplace, but in 2020 we bet you can find a happy medium. Tell your boss Popdiatry gave you permission to wear shoes with laces or another suitable enclosure system. Nothing says “I fought the power, and the power won” like wearing flats in a revolutionary atmosphere. You’re not a cheap plastic doll. Get some real shoes.
WEAR SOCKS
Socks absorb moisture from your sweaty-ass feet, aid your footwears’ lifespan, and offer a courtesy layer if you’re asked to remove your shoes at a friend’s place. Darn Tough hikers, Wrightsock runners, bodega cheapos, “no-shows”, tube socks- get some freaking socks sis/bro or you don’t belong in this disco. In times of chill barefoot is great for sand and grass, but out of respect and common sense, if you’re going to be trooping to unknown territory — see what’s out there and invest in stockings. The friend referenced in the first sentence might be savvy enough to choose friends wiser and sockless birdbrains might never get a chance to make a first impression.
An honest sock review requires wearing said socks at least a few miles, a few times and seeing how they hold over a few washes. Allow us a quick first impression. Any shoe-watcher worth their weight in soles has been eyeing Allbirds since they burst onto the scene with their “best slice in town” approach to marketing footwear with wool uppers. I’m a fan of their shop on Spring Street in Manhattan. We like what they’re doing with materials. We love how they responded to Amazon’s craven cloning with a bit of swagger. Allbirds open-sources their proprietary materials and Trino™ are their latest sock offering and they contain eucalyptus tree fibers combined with their favorite Merino wool and more.
Succulent Trino™ Tubers from Allbirds
A good sock often contains a good blend, like a good wine. These Tubers are 50% Tencel, 22% Merino, 17% recycled nylon, 4% recycled polyester, 4% polyester, 1% nylon, and 2% Spandex. That’s a lot of different grapes. Sounds like the sock scientists pulled all-nighters settling on that ratio! Bless them. Kathy, a retired RN from Brockton Massachusetts was kind enough to give us a few test steps in these Trinos™.
The Green Festival Expo calls itself America’s largest and longest-running sustainability and green living event. I took a walk around the 2016 New York City Green Festival Expo to see what they had.
It seemed like 75% of the exhibitors fit snugly in what most would categorize as GREEN. The rest was rather “anything goes”. Enthusiastic Green Expo greeters threw around green plastic frisbees by the entrance of Javits Center North and cheerfully guided guests to the green table-clothed rows of exhibitors. I paid the reasonable entrance fee of fifteen greenbacks and commenced the stroll.
Who’s the greenest of them all
All in all, it was a fun event. The folks working the booths I visited were kind and helpful. The overall vibe was earthy, crunchy and friendly, but I had to get a little grouchy towards some of what I saw, so read on with good humor.
SOCKS THAT GIVE, TREAT, FEED & TEACH
Cause marketing is here to stay. That is- products where a portion of the proceeds go to a charitable cause. Conscious Step socks are made in India from fairtrade certified organic cotton in an ethical, worker-friendly environment and come in four main styles, each with an embroidered graphic representing the cause their sale goes toward.
Water socks = Water.org
Book socks = BornToRead.com
Red ribbon = UNAIDS.org
Food socks = ActionAgainstHunger.org
Tree socks (Limited Edition) = treesforthefuture.org
The stockings are well-designed, quality to-the-touch, and the packaging makes them ever so giftable. What kind of monster doesn’t want to conquer starvation, AIDS, pollution, and illiteracy?
If it were that easy…
With Conscious Step, or any other cause-marketer, the empathetic among us must rely on the benevolence of the entity when it comes time for charity to be delivered. The grouch in me wonders if you make a $50,000 donation to a charity and don’t tell anyone, wouldn’t you be helping more than a company that donates a smaller amount to the same charity then makes the act part of their brand identity? “Millennials like to buy products they think are helping people” say the Wall Street market watchers. I do believe we all want to help.
Many wonderful people do hard work for non-profits around the world, but it is discouraging when trusted sources become embroiled in scandal or at least have serious questions raised about their donations.
One of the most successful cause-marketers in the footwear category, with profits north of $300 Million, has been TOMS Shoes with their “one-for-one” model of giving a pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair sold.
A thoughtful expose done by Tiny Spark found that TOMS founder was essentially a reality show bro with evangelical tendencies who did drop shoes off to poor African villages whether footwear was needed or not. Bain Capital Private Equity bought 50% of TOMS in 2014, and the company continues to thrive and expand into eyewear using the same 1-4-1 steez. No data is available on the current state of worldwide barefootedness.
In a world full of pressing problems, most philanthropists pick a single issue to concentrate their forces around, so Conscious Step servicing multiple charities seems rather ambitious. With a positive outlook, I commend their idea and will observe how they evolve. Did I mention the socks look really nice?
NERVE STIMULATING SANDALS
HiDow Acuslippers
Hi-Dow (pronounced High Dow) makes a variety of products that employ the latest in TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation). These Hi-Dow Circulation Slippers are affixed with rechargeable lithium battery-powered sensors that can be controlled with a number of iPod/tablet-like devices offered by HiDow.
HiDow Circulation Slippers can be activated wirelessly by a TENS device
Green how? Using TENS devices to treat nerve-related pain instead of drugs is probably better for your mental environment. Consult your doctor before trying footwear equipped with electrical nerve stimulators.
VEGAN SHOES
If there’s something to be admired about those who identify as vegan, it’s the valiant effort to keep consistent across their lifestyle. Synthetic leather, or pleather- once thought of as a cheap sign of fakeness gets a rebirth as vegan-leather. I have no idea if there are any animal byproducts used in the glues on these shoes, or if there exists any internationally recognized vegan certification. The well-respected Moo-Shoes store uses the term “cruelty-free” to describe the products they sell. PETA tells aspiring vegans to look for shoes made from “faux leather, synthetic materials, waxed canvas, cotton, microfiber, polyurethane, cork, mock croc and fake snake” so I’d assume Wills Vegan Shoes use some combination of the above. They had vegan versions of many popular men and women’s styles all hovering around the hundred-dollar range.
What about your socks, belt and underwear- are those vegan too? If you take off your shoes at a vegan’s home for dinner and they see “vegan” on the inside, will you get an extra piece of seitan ?
A couple isles over, I did have a piece of “vegan” fudge that was quite good. In 2016, vegan shoes are a thing and Wills London is doing that thing. Popdiatry recommends never eating footwear, vegan or otherwise unless they are deep-fried in peanut oil.
CURE-ALL INSOLES
BestSole Inc. offers some unique polyester insoles that contain glycerin (not the explosive kind), and serve to be a peaks & valleys landscape for your feet that BestSole claims they’ll massage while walking.
Image: massaginginsoles.com
Do your feet, ankles, knees, hips or back ever hurt? Do you like massages? Ever feel fatigued? What about heel spurs, Morton’s Neuroma, Plantar Fasciitis, spinal problems, or diabetes?According to this evangelical Bestsole pamphlet- these massaging insoles can address all of that and more.
Their copy stops short of saying these things can cure cancer then hits you with generic quotes from “satisfied customers”. WB – a “camera man” from ESPN says “THEY ARE WONDERFUL”. JD’s son from the Navy claims “Boot camp marches were made easier with these”. Notice there are no endorsements from ESPN or the US Navy directly. A logo from the Pedorthic Footwear Association graces the front, but it is unclear what they have to do- if anything- with this particular product line.
Of course the friendly folks at the booth insisted I try them for a test walk. I was wearing my Finn Comfort Linz boots with leather/PU coated cork footbeds perfectly fitting with some cotton socks – no way am I sliding these in to walk in a 3 foot circle to try to judge whether they’ve cured my Morton’s-Plantar-Spur-Spinal-Bunion in 30 seconds. Since I wasn’t in immediate pain there was no need for these joints. If they’re powerful enough to cure many maladies, couldn’t they have unwanted side effects? (Other than disappearing $45 from your account)
So-called premium insoles are big business; This product is a neat idea, and I’m a made-in-USA product supporter, but spare me the late-night-TV snake-oily sales tactics. I’d ditch the creepy pamphlet and concentrate on comfort and durability.- maybe pay an athlete to endorse them. Please visit an actual doctor if you suffer from any of the conditions massaging insoles claim they can treat.
GREEN GREEN GREEN
Quinoa and hemp were plentiful here. I snacked on some jackfruit, gobbled some quorn (a fungus-derived protein), got a flyer for a documentary called “Cowspiracy”, learned about the plight of American wild horses; Sleepy Hollow Cemetery had a table there (their grass is green, and they offer good walking tours). LiveOnNY was there (organ donation).
Despite some of the stuff being questionably green, you have to understand that exhibitions like this need to fill all their spots to give their mission momentum. The zany mix of exhibitors was rather interesting in a carnival sort of way. The same expo will be visiting Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland before the year’s up so keep an eye out if you’re near those locales. There’s plenty to see for all ages, and I’d love to know what you think about what I thought about the Green Festival Expo.
Special thanks to Oscar The Grouch for inspiration
To be wearing the best socks available for your current life style with attention to fabric, thickness and shoe type
Clipped from The Boston Globe 1964
You lose the sock game if you are asked to remove your shoes and your socks are thrashed, dirty, ripped or all three. The board game Stratego was a bit like Chess, in that you had your plentiful ‘trooper’ pieces (work socks) and a hierarchy that led up to Generals and Marshals (socks you wear on a first date).
Whether you keep your shoes on indoors like on the Wale album cover,
or remove your shoes indoors like the Magnetic North and Taiyo Na album cover*,
It may benefit you to mentally leap from sock game to sock strategy, which can be even more fun since life itself is not a game.
*On the subject of shoes indoors, this recent New England Journal of Medicine study shows how trace amounts of bird dung on the bottom of shoes can transfer diarrhea-causing C. difficile bacteria to the human body. (game changer)
You can still conform to the style standards of your outside world while also being the most comfortable. Remember the goals of the game again?
To be empowered, never embarrassed by your socks
To be wearing the best socks available for your current life style with attention to fabric, thickness and shoe type
It starts with good buying choices. When it comes to shoes, we recommend spending more on less. With hosiery, the spending is more painless because affordable socks are everywhere.
A Happy Socks sock truck spotted outside Washington Square Park
I’ve gotten great socks from Amazon and big stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. Outdoorsy shops like REI tend to have great socks. If you think like me, the occasional splurge on some boutiquey expensive socks is an inevitability.
The Sock Man on St.Mark’s Place
Have you ever packed for a trip and spent minutes contemplating exactly what socks to take? You put in a couple extra pairs right? Your thin socks are good for those, but thicker socks work better on these. See: You’re a sock strategist. I got my first “good” pair of socks at The Sock Man on 8th Street back in the 90s. Up until then my sock game was passive; I just relied on the inevitable packs of socks I’d receive from my folks on birthdays and Christmas. I’d even default to socks from brands of sneakers I liked at the time: Adidas, Puma, etc.. Many years later I’ve gravitated back to the idea of buying socks in multi-packs in order to bring some consistency to my sock roster.
Einstein’s Uniform (bulk buying)
You know how heavy thinkers like Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs and Pee-wee Herman always dressed the same. Why waste neurotransmission on deciding what to wear in the morning? My grandfather always wanted the same kind of socks (black Gold Toes) for a similar logic. When you do the wash, you needn’t blow minutes sorting each pair. Partly because I long for brilliance, and mostly because I’m paralyzed by too many choices, I’ve become a sucker for a good 3-pack of quality stockings. This incorporates a bit of the uniform theory, and since I often wear the same footwear, it’s nice to have the same sock/shoe combo on multiple days, and opening the sock drawer doesn’t activate the inner scatterbrain.
Keeping in mind that Popdiatry is not a website for medical information while also bearing in mind that we urge readers to be comfortable and happy, I love me some cotton socks. Cotton is so forgiving and absorptive that it makes a great choice for a long day with long walks. Be that wise reader of the package while shopping. 100% cotton socks are rare. There needs to be some elastic agent; Just look for a majority percentage. The sock label will often have a breakdown similar to nutritional info found on food packaging. The con of cotton is that it tends to becomes pully and misshapen after a series of wears and washes. Other materials like polyester and nylon can lead to a better shelf life (drawer life) and therefore resilient look. We don’t need a PhD to recommend that you air-dry your hosiery as much as possible. If you don’t have some clothespins and a line, get yourself a wooden dying rack and hang your wet socks on there with game-winning pride.
A great hangout for socks
Also: You know that thing where you roll a pair of socks together to put in the drawer? I’d avoid doing that, or reduce it to one roll, to preserve the aforementioned elasticity around the ankle. Unless it’s a look that your going for, droopy socks can be annoying as hell.
How many socks should you have?
Reporting live from New York City, around twenty pairs should do ya. That gives you plenty of flex time between washings, and won’t crowd your drawer. You can hibernate those alpaca and merino wool socks when the temperature is above 80. Conversely, the no-show whites can lay low if it’s winter. You can store any socks over twenty and smoothly introduce them onto your roster when a pair ‘retires’.
Left Right Socks
I first noticed New Balance doing left/rights for some of their high-end running socks. Most of our socks start to develop a left and right after some good wear anyway- especially those cottons. But like the package of these Keen L/R socks say “You don’t have two left feet”:
During the American Civil War- the leather brogans (boots) issued by the confederacy to their soldiers had no defined left and right boot. Soldiers were expected to wear two of the same boots until the leather conformed. Imagine that break-in period? No wonder the bad guys lost. Today we have left/right shoes, and left/right socks, but sadly the human race hasn’t moved past wars. Maybe left/right socks can help pacify us?
CLIP YOUR TOENAILS (just not in public)
Until every sock is left right, you want to make your socks last longer by minding your toenail length. Comedian George Carlin had a funny line about toenail clipping- like, when you decide to do it? How about when your big toenail is sharp enough to cut a gash in your lover’s calf? That means it’s slowly slicing away at your sock. After finishing this article would be a great time for a clip.
Toe Socks
Toes to freedom
I first saw toe-socks (like gloves for your feet) in the catalog of Things You Never Knew Existed back in the day. I remember thinking how socks like these would drive me nuts with the sensation. Fast forward to 2015 and I bought a pair of Injinji performance toesocks to try for myself.
Injinji Performance 2.0 Original Weight Thin Cushioning ToeSock: 29% Polyester, 68% Nylon, 3% Lycra, made in China
I do appreciate my toes having their own pockets, and I understand they allow a more natural splay. These socks worked out okay. Maybe it was the material, but I found them to be a bit fatiguing after a long day. My index toe being almost equal length to my big toe probably doesn’t help either. If it’s toe-crowding you’re concerned about, a set of foam toe-spacers may be a better solution. I am however intrigued enough to buy another pair soon with a different thickness.
PLAYING FAVORITES
Think hosiery natural selection. The socks you like will always be picked and worn and remain at the top of the drawer. Before writing this article I did purchase a bunch of different socks, and one brand started to be picked all the time- Wrightsock.
I happened upon them in an REI store and really really like their patented double-layer construction. The company makes their socks in the USA, and guarantees they won’t give you blisters; They are double layered, but do not feel too thick. I bought a second pair, and look forward to my third, forth and fifth. They’re not cotton, but the innovative design has them feeling great, and they always seem to be hanging on the top tier of my wooden rack.
Swiftwick sock rack spotted at an American airport
Expensive Socks
Remember when Biggie rapped “…I stay Gucci down to the socks…”? Just like any apparel category, there exists a high-end in the world of socks. Pairs that may cost you more than dinner at P.F. Chang’s. Barring the simple name of some designer printed on the sock with no other testament to quality, many expensive socks aren’t even that expensive considering they should outlast the pair you bought off the endcap at Walgreens. You have Stance, Darn Tough, Cole + Parker, Dahlgren, Feetures!, Smartwool, Thorlos… so many brands actually that I’m having a hard time finishing this article.
Rihanna X Stance
Graphic/Novelty Socks
Odd Sox
Semi-recent advancements in fabric printing technology have made it possible to put detailed images on stockings, and there are a whole lot of companies offering anything you can imagine to grace your feet in these times of memification.
Cocky Socks
Don’t expect the graphics to stay looking brand new after multiple wears and washes. You should definitely follow the instructions on laundering, and consider air drying socks with pictures of butts on them.
40s and Shorties “Twerk” socks
I have a hunch many of these novelty socks are being produced faster than licensing agreements can catch up for likenesses and imagery. We know Biggie rapped “… cheese, eggs and Welch’s grape…” but the grape juice on these 40s & Shorties Big Poppa socks appears genericized:
“T-Bone steak, cheese, eggs, and Welch’s grape” – Biggie
The Rules
Every game has rules, and the sock game rules are written in invisible ink on the collective conscious of wherever you happen to be in this world. The more shorts are worn in the summer, the less I see of my own socks. In Seattle, no one might blink an eye at socks with sandals, elsewhere you might get Vice Don’ted or social media dissed for daring to .The fate of your sock/shorts combo will be tried in the court of public opinion regardless of what some blogger writes. Good thing you are the judge.
So there aren’t any rules, but if you break a non-rule, life will hand you the proper infraction. Function may funk you up if you wear wool socks and it’s 90 degrees out. Going sockless in certain types of shoes can be doable, but if you have a long day with lots of walking, you may be better off with stockings. I should add that getting blisters on your feet won’t help you win anything.
Uses for retired socks
Old socks that are still together but look bad, gifted socks you do not love, holy socks- these can all be retired in the trash, a deep hole or:
Dry foot therapy: Rub petroleum jelly on extremely dry regions of feet and put some retired socks before slumbering
ps- there are also these:
pps: Also: Going sockless at the airport is for losers
Wanted to travel light. Needed to bring a business suit; Bought a Skyroll Garment bag from a Manhattan Men’s Wearhouse in which you can fit a couple suits, other clothes, and a pair of shoes (in one of the cylinder partitions)*
*Look for an extended Skyroll review in a future post. For my purpose, I was able to pack enough for a 2-3 day jaunt and cancel out the burden of a big old case; Think more like dufflebag.
STUCK DOWNTOWN
In the shade of John Hancock Center/Water Tower Place, yes Near North Side; Yeah, where all the mall stores and annoying walkers are. I thought positive, had a little time between tasks, so took a stroll around-a-few-blocks in search of inspiration.
Rushing up Rush Street
I was wearing my Frye Arkansas boots (no affiliation), so on N Rush Street, I gravitated into their flagship store to see what they’ve been up to lately. The big Frye flagships, of which there are four in the U.S., are set up a like countryish museums, with lots of leather, dark wood.. a certain kind of mood. Most of the men’s made-in-USA footwear is in the very back.
TheFryeCompany.com
Frye has some interesting patinas going on that fill good space away from the standard browns and blacks. Some of their leathers are even tumbled with stones in a wood drum before construction. Though not always a fan of pre-busted wears, I really like the “smoke” distressed waxed suede on their Prison Boot (dig those inside-out eyelets too), and another color they are calling “gaucho” on their stuff. My year-old Arkansas are plain black (rubber sole) and it was cool to view some other colors, especially the painted and stonewashed leather shade they call Whiskey.
The Frye Company “Whiskey”
I make my boots travel friendly by swapping the stock laces out to 45-inch fabric ones, or else you’d be stalling in the TSA line tying those long leather laces that come with many of the Fryes.
Up the block there was a Vans store where I bought a swell pair of 45-inch polyester flat laces. I made quick work of a Mexican lobster roll at Da Lobsta on E Cedar.
I window-shopped through the little Church’s store on E Walton. The made-in-England brand’s NYC store is closed for renovations, and the Chicago one is the only other location in the country. It was proper to see the entire collection up close. If Frye was museum, Church’s have their men’s and women’s shoes presented more like a jewelry shop.
Game-wise I could totally see maturing Doc wearers wanting to take the British style to the next level and getting into the Church’s line. Most of the shoes appear at quick glance like they’re from 1930. Closer inspection reveals flourishes of modernity on the inners and soles plus they have some leather sneaker/shoe hybrids on the roster. Above images are from Church’s website.
INDEPENDENCE ON OAK
In-the-cut on East Oak Street in a waythat no dingbat may find, lives a place I would tag “must visit” in Near North. Independence has damn-near the whole collection of footwear by Oak Street Bootmakers on display, along with select made-in-USA clothing and useful accessories like shoe-care kits and bottle-opener keys.
Pic: Popdiatry
Less department store, more like a friend’s nice apartment, the guys who maintain Independence are very involved in its workings and are happy to talk all manner of shoes, clothes and life while you browse. Other customers in the store may join in conversation and give shoe and food recommendations. That’s the type of vibe this spot gives- just a great shop for the American man near Lake Michigan with a friendly crew.
Patina again. I love the color Oak Street refers to as ‘natural’ on their models. It’s a kind of oily golden that you can envision looking better with age and conditioning.
Oak Street Bootmakers “Natural” color
Oak doesn’t play when it comes to making shoes. They now offer plenty of loafers, bluchers, oxfords and boats featuring the same Horween Chromexcel leather and tough construction of their big boot brothers.
Oak St. Mocs @ Independence
For me it is all about the boots. We’re impressed with how O.S.B. has matured, making tiny improvements along the way, and getting into low-tops. Their natural roughout (rough side of leather out, smooth side in) products are very sweet. Though do you ever notice what happens to light rough leather boots when worn a lot with bluejeans? The blue dye may stain the tops; I feel like Oak Street channeled this by dropping these dark blue roughouts, with a “pajeana” baked right in. Cobra Commander could wear these on a date with the Baroness.
Oak St. Indigo Roughouts @ Independence
You have to feel the insides. To ready my feet for the day they marry some Oak Streets, I purchased a pair of their made-in-USA majority-cotton socks ($8) in a unique shade of burnt orange/red.
Oak Street Bootmakers
WHY NOT SOME UNDIES
Icebreaker have been on our deep watch-list for a while now. When I happened upon one of their nine U.S. TouchLab shops located on E Walton Street, I went in and dropped $33 on a pair of their Merino wool underwears. The Icebreaker rep says these drawers can be worn for three times the normal length of regular undies before washing due to the fabric’s absorptive nature. They’re wool, but spun so thin the front is double layered lest they be nearly see-through. They guarantee the product; Look forward to a review in Off The Path soon.
Icebreaker Anatomica Merino Wool Briefs
MIDWEST VINTAGE
Thanks to an old pal who lives in Chi, I rode shotgun in a Subaru through Wicker Park and Bucktown way away from the skyscrapers and mega-malls. We drove past the Horween leather tannery and I took a big whiff. I got a glimpse of Chicago’s new greened elevated rail path for bikers, runners and walkers The 606. We needed a retro sensory overload and It was at a vintage shop in Wicker called Kokorokoko where I saw some mind-blowing kicks that I never imagined existing.
L.A. Gear “Election 88” HIgh Tops with a license plate lace-tag!
Yes that’s Michael Dukakis on a removable velcro “All-Star” patch, and yes there was a George H. Bush one included. What?!
If the 80s and 90s were magic, you could cast spells with items from Kokorokoko; Cassettes, patches, VHS workout tapes, trading cards, Metal, New Jack Swing, Bulls, Hulk Hogan, select footwear and more. You’ll find something here whether you were born the 70s like me or the 90s like recording artist Tink, who came through for some shopping recently.
instagram.com/official__tink
Let thebright colorsof latelast century surround you, and pop-culture past rewind you. I forgot to check the size or where those LA Gears were made (Korea we think), but if you can get over to 1323 N. Milwaukee Ave quick you might be able to scoop the Election 88s in time to wear for July 4th when you’ll never be asked “where’d you get those?” so much in your life. Kokorokoko !
Before I knew it, it was time to go. I packed my laces, socks and underwear in the remaining space in the Skyroll and hopped a cab.
The Skyroll didn’t let me down. I packed my things just like the instructional video showed, and got it even better on the way back. You do need a large flat surface to get the pack correct: bed, table, clean floor; The garment bag is advertised as carry-on friendly but I checked it both ways because JetBlue.
PS: Water Tower Place has an amazingly wide variety of places to dine and lots of great stairs to climb.
