Athletic shoe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An athletic shoe is a generic name for a shoe designed for sporting activities, and is different in style and build than a dress shoe. Originally known as sporting apparel, today they are known as casual footwear. Depending on what part of the world you live in, they can also go by the name trainers (British English), sandshoes (Australian English) 'running shoes' or 'runners' (Canadian English) or sport shoes, running shoes, gym shoes, tennis shoes, tennies, sneakers (US English). In some urban areas in the United States, the term for casual athletic shoes is kicks. In Hiberno-English the term is runners. In South African English the term used is takkies.
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[edit] Use of athletic shoes
[edit] Use in sports
The term athletic shoes is used for running, basketball and tennis (amongst others) but tends to exclude shoes for sports such as football (soccer) and rugby, which are generally called "boots," or "cleats".
The shoes themselves are made of flexible material, typically featuring a sole made of rubber. While the original design was basic, manufacturers have since tailored athletic shoes for the different purposes that they can be used for. An example is the spike developed for the shoe soles for running.
[edit] Casual use
Athletic shoes have also been tailored for the casual market, and are popular especially with young people. The terms sneakers and trainers tend to be associated more with the casual use of athletic shoes.
Sneakers that are worn casually are made with a more simple "retro" design which are made to be more aesthetically pleasing than sneakers specifically designed for sports or exercise. Ironically enough, however, sneakers that were once designed for athletic purposes are now more commonly used for fashion. Examples include Converse's Chuck Taylor All Star which was designed for basketball, the Dunlop Volley for tennis and the Adidas Samba, a soccer boot created for indoor soccer.
Designs vary enormously depending on the origins of the manufacturer. German sneakers have a much more aggressive look, while Italian designs are somewhat more romantic, with finer lines and materials that are more expensive.[citation needed]
These casual shoes are derivatives of shoes worn, and endorsed, by athletes as well as other celebrities. The market for casual athletic shoes is quite large leading to a lot of competition between companies, and their eagerness to sign up celebrities to endorse their products. Popular brands include Adidas, Nike, PUMA, Reebok, Converse, Fila and Asics.
Sneakers have become an important part of hip hop culture since the 70s. These days, numerous rappers sign million dollar deals with major brands such as Nike, Adidas or Puma to promote their shoes. Some rappers, such as Fat Joe, are even known to collect sneakers as a hobby. Artists use sneakers as a way to express themselves by creating custom kicks from regular shoes.
[edit] Invention
The first "sneaker" was invented in 1893. It was made of canvas and was invented so boaters would not have to wear dress shoes when they were on deck- compare boating shoes.
[edit] Etymology
The term sneaker was first used in 1916 by the United States Rubber Company for the Keds brand, because rubber soles made the shoes quiet. The term "sneaker" refers to the fact that a person wearing them could sneak up on someone. The British English term "trainer" derives from "training shoe". EMOS!!! run for the hills.
Plimsolls (British English) are indoor athletic shoes, and are also called sneakers in American English.
[edit] Popular Brands
Popular brands include Adidas, Nike, Reebok, Umbro, New Balance, Converse, K-Swiss, PUMA, Lacoste, Shaq, Asics, Etnies, Brooks, Keen Footwear, Vans and British Knights etc.
The first brand of fair trade sneakers , Veja, was launched in 2005.
[edit] Trivia
- The average tennis shoe will travel 521 miles (828 km) in its lifetime.[citation needed]
- In Romanian, the word for sneakers is "adidasi" because Adidas was the first company to introduce sneakers to the market.
- In many Spanish speaking countries, the word for sneakers is "tenis", as in tennis shoes.
[edit] References
- BBC Sport — "The history of running shoes"
- The Lacoste Shoe Blog
- "2002: A Sneaker Odyssey"
- The History of Sport Shoes
- Smith, Ian. "Do the Shoes Fit?" Time; 09/27/99, Vol. 154 Issue 13, p.111
- Globus, Sheila. "What's Your Athletic Shoe IQ?" Current Health 2; Sep2002, Vol. 29 Issue 1, p12
