Sneakers Have Always Been Political

2: Readings Response: Sneakers Have Always Been Political

A journalist for The Atlantic, Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell is a fashion historian who has written various articles and books on fashion (Chrisman-Campbell, About page). In one article, “Sneakers Have Always Been Political Shoes,” Chrisman-Campbell discusses the history of sneakers. This discussion specifically focuses on how the sneaker’s development mirrored societal changes. Initially, sneakers were developed in the 19th century for sports and activities. These shoes, however, were quickly given a negative association with crime. Following the industrial revolution, these shoes became much more accessible and affordable. This resulted in continued importance and normalcy in the shoes. In fact, in addition to being sponsored by various celebrities, sneakers were exempt from the World War II plastic rations. Hollsitically, as sneakers became more popular, they also began to carry more political weight. Celebrities were purposefully wearing [or not wearing] and designing sneakers to spread a specific message. Over time, this use of sneakers as a political billboard became more common and more explicit. This led to the prices and collectability of sneakers to increase as well. In fact, at some point, it became more important to buy a shoe not for use but for its celebrity designer or political message. Subsequently, in modern times, sneakers have developed a two-sided meaning of cheap and practical or expensive and collectible. Within this historical and cultural development, Chrisman-Campbell discusses two interesting perspectives on sneakers in culture. 

Firstly, she discusses how the changing racial democratic of sneakers illustrated simultaneous changes in racial sub-cultures. For example, when sneakers gained popularity in hip-hop and street basketball, they also gained popularity in white communities. Particularly the white communities that were beginning to adopt hip-hop and basketball as cultural staples. This starkly contrasted with the “kids of color who grew up in a depressed economic era” that had previously been the target focus of sneakers (Sneakers, 10). This example illustrates how the adoption of sneakers into sub-cultures served as a kind of beacon. Sneakers adopted connotations with various cultural phenomena, and, as a result, when sneakers shifted sub-cultures, so did the phenomenon associated.

Secondly, Chrisman-Campbell also emphasizes the increased popularity of sneakers led to more political connotations. In fact, during the 1980s, the newfound popularity of sneakers across all political parties led to renewed discussions about sneakers’ association with crime. Namely, while various influential people were contrasting this narrative, the “rise in sneakers’ price and social cachet led to a wave of sneaker theft” (Sneakers, 14). These contrasting occurrences created a cultural debate about what fair connotations were and what biases might contribute to these connotations.

Collectively, both of the examples provided in the article highlight how sneakers evolved beyond a simple fashion item. This raises questions about how other fashions of items have developed. One could go through numerous fashion items and see how their cultural connotations shifted over time. As an example of this, the bucket hat has recently become very popular in mainstream white America. This adoption followed the popularity of the bucket hat in Asian-American cultures, especially in K-pop groups. However, much like sneakers, the bucket hat can be traced even further to the 1990s. In its entirety, the history of sneakers serves as a single example of how fashion changes reflect cultural shifts.

Word Count: 530

Works Cited

Chrisman-Campbell, Kimberly. “Kimberly Chrisman.” Campbell, KIMBERLY CHRISMAN-CAMPBELL, https://kimberlychrismancampbell.com/about. 

Chrisman-Campbell, Kimberly. “Sneakers Have Always Been Political Shoes.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 15 July 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/12/sneakers-have-always-been-political-shoes/511628/.

Miranda, Alex, and Kaylin Cantor. “Devious Elements Apparel Brings Back Popular 1990s and 2000s Accessory: Bucket Hats.” WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale, WSVN-TVSunbeam Television Corp, 15 Sept. 2022, https://wsvn.com/entertainment/deco-drive/devious-elements-apparel-brings-back-popular-1990s-and-2000s-accessory-bucket-hats/.