Converse: the Universal Shoe

This past summer I purchased my first pair of Converse Chuck Taylor Classic's to wear while I am abroad in Paris for the semester. I knew that I would be doing a lot of walking while abroad so I wanted a durable and comfortable shoe to wear. I wanted a shoe that could be worn with many different clothing items. Deciding what clothing items to bring to Paris was hard because I wanted to blend in and not stand out. After talking to people who had studied abroad I felt getting Converse was not a decision I would regret.

My friends collection of Converse 

Converse was founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts by Marquis Mills Converse. It first started off as a rubber company making sneakers and boots for men, women and children. Several years later they started making sneakers for professional basketball players. A basketball player named Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor not only wore the new Converse on the court but became a salesman around the United States for Converse. This is were the classic pair of Converse that many people including me own today got its name, hence Chuck Taylor. The Converse shoe over time began to not just be worn by athletes but rockers, celebrities, as street wear, the youth and so on. (converse.com)

Converse©

Now that you know a little background about the shoe here is where Paris, my Converse and America come together. I have been in Paris for two months and I can say that I wear my Converse about twice a week. When I wear my Converse I do not feel like I stick out in the crowd of fashionable Parisians I walk by each day. To my surprise I have seen many people wearing Converse! While the majority of people that I have seen wearing them have been either in their teens or 20's, I have seen a few older people wearing them too. On multiple occasions I have seen one of the mom's in the building across from me wearing brown high-top Converse on the street with a long skirt. Today I saw the mom walking with her daughter wearing her brown high-top Converse again but this time wearing red pants and a red coat. The Parisian teenagers and twenty years olds wear Converse just as teenagers and twenty-year old wear them in America. The most common way to wear Converse in Paris and America is with jeans.    

Group of friends on a Paris street all wearing different colors of Converse
 

A woman wearing Converse on a street in Paris

Back at my college in Arizona, Converse is quite the popular choice of shoe. My friends wear them as an everyday shoe for class, to sporting games and this past year are starting to swap out heels for Converse! I believe the reason that Converse are such a popular shoe is because not only are they versatile and comfortable but come in several different colors and styles so that you can make them your own. I believe that when someone wears any style of Converse it exposes a little bit of their personality. One common personality trait that I believe wearing Converse portrays is that you are down to earth.

My friends in college swapped out heels for Converse one night, Katherine and Amanda

More of my friends from college wearing Converse

I think that Converse are a universal shoe that is worn the same way in America and Paris. People like to wear Converse because they are comfortable, versatile and you can make them your own. One thing I love about Parisian style is that they pride themselves on being individualistic and I think that wearing Converse helps add to that. Converse is all about being who you are and being comfortable with who you are. When I wear my Converse in Paris I feel confident and comfortable and thats all that matters!    I will leave you with Converses' slogan, "Shoes are Boring. Wear Sneakers"(converse.com)

My friend Emily, Zoë and I in Germany wearing our Converse 

Emily and I at Versailles

Bye for now!
Marina