I hope you are having a happy shoe year so far.  This will be the first of many Popdiatribes, where I will run through monthly observations about footwear and the feet that fit them. In my home of New York City, it has been wet, cold and salty (in that order). That means boots, and proper boot care. Don’t be that guy who never takes off his All-Stars trying to navigate slushy northeast sidewalk ends, unless you have bread bags over your socks. Or maybe you are a running enthusiast who wears Icebugs.

Late last year, I couldn’t ignore the stories about how NBA star LeBron James wasn’t loving the design of his signature Nike high tops. Then on January 2nd (Heat vs. Golden State Warriors) he fell during the game and sneakerheads wondered out loud about the tread marks left on the court- presumably from the soles of the improved version of those Nikes. Maybe he just went to an unclean movie theater before the game? The NBA also saw New York Knickerbocker J.R. Smith being suspended for repeatedly pulling opponent’s shoelaces untied during free-throw formations. Remember to double-knot your laces whenever you visit Madison Square Garden. NBA All-Star week is coming up and all the big companies are rolling out more kicks than you can blow a whistle at- remember to save for retirement!

I’m thinking of doing a periodic piece called “shoes I was curious about, but never bought”. Clogs would be on the top of that list. I have always heard they were an excellent choice for people  who worked on their feet all day. “But what if there is an emergency where you have to run?” I would say. No matter, I really enjoyed Rebecca Adams’ HuffPo piece Why Dansko Clogs Are Pretty Much The Best Shoes In Existence .

New Balance did something with Disney, Adidas got 2 Chainz, Converse did Black Sabbath, Vans did The Beatles, and have also dipped their toe into high-school art class with their Vans custom culture contest. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker stepped into the market with her own line of shoes. The term maximalist shoes is now coined, and I have to walk away from this computer right now.