Nike ID customs

I've always been a massive fan of Nikes custom service. It basically allows you to create any pair of shoes you like, from the material used, to the colour of the lining and laces! It's a phenomenal idea that has broken down the boundaries between buying some shoes, and creating your own pair of amazing sneaks!

I just created these amazing pink and white Dunks with Jacquard fabric for the base and it really does it for me!

The possibilities are endless, so many colours and different combinations of things, you can even have your superhero name written on the heel! It's just sooooooo good!

I also found a really good video on nikeid's YouTube channel, which is basically a step by step tutorial on how you can achieve your perfect pair of skips but unfortunately they don't give an embed code, but the link is here! However I did find another video, it's quite good but I advise you skip to 0.55 seconds because it drags a bit in the beginning!!!

And if after all that you don't think you can wait another minute to make your own pair of super fly sneaks then wait no longer!

Here's the link you need to get straight to Nike IDs homepage!

The Dunk

As I sit here to write this blog I think...'what is the best thing about the Nike Dunk design?'

I think the best thing about this style is the accessibility. It comes in so many different styles, there really is a Dunk for everyone! I love the Elmo design above, it's really fun and gives a cool injection of childishness to a classic design!

Not only do they come in a variety of colours and designs but they do lo-cuts, mid's and high's. I couldn't find a picture to show you of some really cool, high cut, pink Dunk boots, but the link here will take you straight to it! They also come in black but I love the pink and white version, they look like they could be girly boxing boots!

A little bit of Dunk history now, when they first came out they were a technical basketball shoe, Nike say 'What the Dunk really represented was an explosion of colour.' A number of American College basketball teams at the time wore Dunks in their team colours.

I think I can safely conclude by saying the Dunk will always be a classic, there are so many different colour and material combinations that they would be impossible to get bored of! But make sure you check out those pink boots!

(Photography Courtesy of antonyhollingworth, Noel back in Zurich and azritt - Flickr)

The Star Wars collection.

Adidas recently bought out a new Star Wars themed range. Now ordinarily if someone told me that I wouldn't be bothered. I don't care for Star Wars and I'm one of those people who would usually call it 'geeky'. But Adidas have managed to give a new twist to something I never would have bought into.

Each item in the range is based on a vehicle, character or scene which is incorporated into the design. My favorite of the one of four featured is the Forum Mid At-At, which I'm told means All Terrain Armoured Transport. But I think they're cool all the same. I love how they've made them look fresh but a bit old school.

Next we have an appearance from the evolution of the Superstar previously mentioned. This one's called Superstar II Star Wars, I like the way the logo is simply printed as a background and not pasted all over like a tacky bit of memorabilia.

Shell toes have always been a favorite of mine, to me they are everything that started my passion. In 1969 the Superstar was introduced as the first low top basketball shoe, and it stays as one of the most iconic designs in history. This particular pair of shell toes have a Stormtroopers theme, who I've found out are soldiers from the Imperial Army.

Next up is the Stormskate Mid Stormtrooper, which are a great variation on the Adidas Mid show. The colours contrast really well and I like the understated trademark stripes on the side. Even for someone who's not into star wars I would definitely own a few pairs of the sneaks on this list, purely because they're a bit different to what you'd find usually up for grabs!

Finally we have The Skywalker version. It comes in bright orange with old school padded ankles and contrasting white. This style is reminiscent of a few old Adidas styles, I think that's why I like it so much. It's a re-vamped shoe that's been injected with some sci-fi geeky-ness, but somehow that works. The outcome... a modernly-classic shoe that looks like it might be worn by a boy in a comic book.

If you click here you can view the full range and take part in the interactive Star Wars experience on the Adidas website.

(Photography Courtesy of adifansnet - Flickr)

Adidas Originals Jeremy Scott sneaks.

These beauties are from the Adidas Originals Jeremy Scott range.

My boyfriend discovered them on the Adidas facebook page at the weekend. After a little research I found out they were actually released sometime in 2009, but due to popularity they decided to relaunch the range, happy days!

However after doing a little more research I'm horrified to tell you that Jedward have actually have worn the silver version! But don't let that put you off because Kanye West among others have been seen kicking these sneaks too!

But it does look like you need to be well funded to be able to own a pair, prices start at a whopping £119.99 and go up to somewhere in the region of £200! Not only are they expensive, but they're limited edition too, so not only do you have to be rich to nab a pair, you have to be speedy too!

(Photography courtesy of adifansnet - Flickr)

When I discovered Hi Tops...

I got my first pair of high tops for my 18th birthday two years ago. They were a pair of Etnies and I fell in love immediately! They looked so sweet when they were new, but being 2 years old in the photo they look a little battered!

I wore them everywhere, so much so that they were almost a part of me for a while! The print is just so cool, metallic rainbow roses, pretty apt really, and the pink details, they just ticked every box for me!

The difference between normal trainers and hi tops is that in a pair of normal skate shoes, the plastic in the heel will wear through before they even looked knackered, but these sneaks have been doing me well for the last 2 years and they're still well comfy! Value for money? Hell yeah!

The other thing I love is how good they look, I think it's the fact that the shoe has more to it, it's obviously taller than a normal shoe so it adds something more to the top. Being a size 7 some shoes make my feet look like little canal boats, but hi tops give me that balance.

These are Odessa Dylan G's, they are by far the coolest trainers I have seen. (Apart from the Adidas Originals Jeremy Scott sneaks, but I'll talk about them in a later blog!)

I got these in September and even though I have to wear three pairs of socks to make them comfortable, they're my babies! I just love all the little details, like the strap with the metal emblem on the loop and the yellow piping round the heel. The colours are bright and the material is shiny! I just think they're so cool!

They have lasted really well so far too. Usually when you get a pair of shoes that are more fashion than function they tend to fall apart rapidly. But even after accidentally jumping into a puddle in them, they still look amazing and feel as good as when i got them!

I think Odessa did a whole range of Dylan G's in a multitude of colours, from pastels to metallics and earth tones! I'd love to get a different pair for each day of the week, I think they're ace!!!

Tale of the Converse and Jesse James...

Tunbridge Wells in Kent is where I spent most of my time as a teenager. I lived 2 stops away by train and it was the closest town to where I grew up. My first experience of going to gigs happened in a little venue there called The Forum, which was previously a public toilet building!

The Forum has housed the sounds of; Oasis, Muse, Lost Prophets, The Kooks, Green Day, Coldplay, Biffy Clyro, Alphabeat and Stereophonics, along with many others. Ellie Goulding, who's now at number four in the UK chart, also graced Tunbridge Wells with her presence at the end of January. Although this is an impressive line-up for any venue in it's time, the gig I would never miss was when Jesse James came to town.

Jesse James were a pop-punk band from London, they got together in 2000 and toured in Europe and Canada as well as the UK. Their single 'Shoes' was a massive success in the UK and music channels were playing it regularly! The bit in the song that I really love goes like this...

I think your shoes can say a lot,

'bout who you are or who you're not

so much more than gloves or coats or hats or trouser

s can,

but when i see you out in heels,

then i know your not for me.

but it's a different thing if your wearing converse

all stars

Its just the shoes you wear,

its your shoes that turn me on,

I don't choose to stare,

so please don't get me wrong

This song was a bit of a teenage inspiration for me, I even managed to get the whole band to sign my camo print Converse! Much to my stupidity it didn't click that to keep them that way, it might be a good idea to not wear them! Alas the signatures slowly rubbed off as the canvas disintegrated and started to show holes.

So in 2006 they released their album 'The assassination of...' however this was closely followed by a farewell tour in 2007 as the band decided to part ways.

I'll still remember Jesse James for years to come, mainly because 'Shoes' is Mums ring tone! But also because the excitement of my first gigging experiences was sparked by someone else's love love of shoes!

That's not the end though, in the years that Jesse James were visiting Tunbridge Wells, my Converse became a trademark for me! Imagine it's a warm and clear Saturday afternoon, the sun is blazing. Young people are starting to gather on the common, armed with sunglasses, bottles of cheap cider, packs of Marlboro' lights and dirty Converse. The gig won't start until at least 7pm, but this is the pre-drinks of the underage society!

The days when the Converse army gathered on the green were good times. We might look back on some things we've done and cringe, maybe even regret. The best thing I ever learnt was that you've got to embrace everything you do and never regret, because at one point everything you did was exactly what you wanted to!

(Photography Courtesy of Hophoptuing, Ginnerobot and Marika - Flickr)

The DC Obsession

Branding is not something I consider to be majorly important when I buy my sneaks. It just so happens that they are almost always skate brands. This is generally down to comfort and style, and whether or not they catch my eye!

DC's have been ever present

in my shoe collection, their styles range from simple monochrome patterns, to clashing neon's and sparkling metallics! I think the key to their success is diversity and simplicity, they do a shoe for everybody!

DC's have become more popular in recent years, for me this can only be a good thing. When I first started rocking skates there weren't many shops that sold them so I'd find a load of kids I knew would have the same kicks!

This was a disaster, as anyone knows it's totally embarrassing walking into a room to find someone else wearing the same gear! However as time went on DC's seemed to be popping up everywhere, but this time they were appearing in more shops, each having different styles!

This was brilliant, the chance of being shown up by some teeny bopper trying to look cool had decreased dramatically and I was free to buy my shoes without fear!

Ever since then DC's have been a safe buy, to this day I've owned at least 7 pairs and have 2 currently in my possession. Each other pair have regrettably been worn to death, but they've served me well and I've looked great every step of the way! :P

Photography Courtesy of Featurette, Sally_monster and BuddaMunx - Flickr)

Skaters and mexers

When I was 12 the skate park was my hangout. You know the age... too young to go to gigs but too old to be seen dead with your parents. So my friends and I would spend our days relaxing, soaking up sun and catching up with the skaters, oh and not forgetting the countless fully clothed swims in the sea! We had everything we could wish for, seaside, warm summer air, and fish and chips!

In the two years I spent hearing the 'clak-clak' of skaters falling off their boards or the sound of bmx-ers sliding along the grind bar I developed a love of all things skate and surf. Still do this day I love the urban style of the extreme lifestyle!

The first skate shoe I remember would have to be the Osiris D3. These were the biggest shoes ever, I used to catch my feet when I moved which forced me to walk with a gangster bowl!

These shoes are amazing! The massive lace holes which resemble something like a caterpillar, the air bubbles and the moulding of the sole flows and looks balanced. But by far the most memorable thing about these trainers was how comfortable they were. They were pretty much padded, which probably explains why they're so big. The tongue was ultra padded, I came to the conclusion it must be so skaters aren't damaged by their boards when they stack.

Although I didn't skate, deciding to sit on the 3ft did create the problem of being hit by flying limbs or boards. I can safely say these shoes did protect my feet from being hurt, although my shins did suffer the consequences in the end.

Since my days hanging out at the park my preference has branched towards more fashionable styles with prints and different materials. But the D3's were perfect for me back then, and ever since my shoes have been chunky.

These shoes along with the experience is what sparked my love for skate shoes.

(Photography courtesy of Emily Stuff & Kikfoto - Flickr)

Story of my first sneaks...

It all started when I was about 11, I was just starting secondary school. My mum took me to buy a pair of trainers for P.E, what I didn't know then was how a pair of footwear could start what is now a blazing obsession for shoes.

The minute I saw the Adidas Superstar shell toes which would later be in my possession, I knew I wanted them. This particular pair of sneaks are recognised worldwide and I loved them. They revolutionised the way I thought about shoes.

My mum always told me that you can tell a lot a

bout someone from their shoes; how well off they are, how well they look after them, and of course a persons style will often be shown through their footwear.

For me my trainers have always been a symbol for what I'm about. When I started year 7 in a big scary place that seemed so alien, my superstars were a comfort blanket, so much so that I continually got into trouble for wearing them!

School uniform was always a problem for me, I just didn't see the point in conforming. As far as i could see, I was an individual, with individual style and I wanted to express myself! I think this may be where my passion for trainers was inflamed.

When I buy a pair of shoes now my choice of sneaks can be somewhat eclectic, I love designs that are a bit different and materials that scream colour and fun. There's no single style or brand I favour because it's the style, form and design that I buy into not the label. They simply must be comfortable and beautiful!

(Photography courtesy of Shaun Wong and Rodrigo Senna-Flickr)