Mysterious 'buzzband' Neon Indian 'unmasked'... Signs 2 Lesfe Records...I am trying to understand my identity as a member of an ‘alternative market’, and trying to figure out how & why marketers target me to sell their bloggable/unbloggable products to. In a world where everything is trying to ‘go viral’, it’s hard to know what’s authentic and what makes you seem like less of a ‘real person.’
I think it’s fair to say that NIKE will always be the best ‘lifestyle brand’ for both mainstreamers and alts. They have a dual identity. While the probably have well-developed research facilities to develop cutting edge products for the top athletes & the best ‘kids who play a sport and have parents who love them too much’, most of the alternative branding is done with ‘old products that aren’t incredibly comfortable, but people enjoy how they are perceived by others when they wear the product.’ AKA ‘The Convese All Star Theory’.
Sneakers/shoes/footwear are a HUGE representation of ‘who u r’, so I figured I should breakdown what popular shoes mean about U.
Good examples are:
The Samba - I wonder what would happen if people who owned Sambas were required to register for an indoor soccer league. Overall, a ‘humble yet alt’ look that I would compare to a modern take on the Converse All Stars.
Nike Air Force 1s - They are for both black and white people. For people who have advanced beyond having a desire for owning the shoes that belong to a popular athlete. 
Generally, Air Force 1s are colourful, and these colors can be used by generic altbros to differentiate from ‘the pack.’ People think they are supposed to be interested in interesting colors on shoes.
Nike Dunks - Are these the same as AirForce1s? I can’t rlly tell.
New Balance 991s - A shoe made for mainstreamers/frat bros/girls who wear athletic shorts+a university t-shirt. These shoes are built for comfort. I wonder if they selected a comfy shoe on purpose, or if it was an arbitrary decision.
Reebok PUMPS - Worn by some one who is probably a VERY dedicated alt or a self-proclaimed ’sneaker freak’ who wants to stand out more than Nikes would allow him to. When it comes to ‘form’, I don’t see why any one would prefer a Reebok design over a Nike design. However, the guy who ‘is wearing pumps’ really wants your attention. 
Vans - You might be an entry level ’scenester’ if you wear Vans. 
Checkered Vans - You might be a future FGGT/GHEY/future-failed-alt who gets too involved with marijuana and being quirky 
The awkward Nike shoe that looks like an indoor soccer shoe/Van - what kind of ass hole would wear this? Probably a failed cool dad.
Adidas Gazelles - If you want an Adidas indoor soccer shoe, you should buy a Samba. Gazelles are kind of like alt-Vans (that’s a bad thing).
Steve Madden Men’s Shoes - It’s probably ‘business casual day’ if u r wearing these shoes.
Keds - You are REALLY being an ass hole if you wear KEDS. You are probably a ‘kid who thinks he/she is smart even though you go to community college and only wear Earth tones/pastels and actually still have Wes Anderson posters up in your room.’
Doc Marten Sandals - Ur probably taking a bath in Abercrombie cologne and shaving your 14 year old pubes in preparation for your ‘first sexual experience’ if you wear these.
Asics - these are for people who are still trying to find themselves/are trying too hard to differentiate.
LA Lights - The type of person who wears these would also like to have a conversation about shows that were on Nickelodeon when you were a kid. ‘Remember Pete&Pete?’ 
Regular Converse -a classic look that often justifies itself/leaves much to be desired at the same time. It sort of says ‘I am a humble person’ but still lets people know that you are either 10-25% alt or 100% post-alt.
Quirky coloured converse - You were probably in a ska band in high school and are attached to your image as ‘the smart kid who was also artistic and also had a quirky side that his teachers absolutely loved!’
Interesting print Converse - The weekend shoes of mainstreamers.
Converse All Star Xtra High - If u wear these, u do not contribute anything positive to society. Your legs should be removed from the knees-down, and your legs should be used to keep kids in Africa warm.
Awkard Puma soccer/turf shoe - You should have bought some Sambas instead of being a weirdo.
Womens Reebok Freetyle Hi - I have yet to meet a girl who would actually wear this.
Why is Reebok trying to trick French people who like tecktonic into thinking their shoes make them dance better?
Yelle is more important to Reebok than Michael Jordan is to Nike.
Have u seen this Funny YELLE product placement commercial for Reebok?
On the subject of alt-celebrities promoting shoes…
I still can’t believe Converse hired the guy from the Strokes, the black guy from The Pharrell, and Santogold to write a song to promote Converse. This quirky video that forced music blogs to sound excited about an MP3 from multiple artists from different target audiences was one of the biggest hoaxes of the modern bloghouseosphere era.
The song is pretty funny. I feel like sneaker companies forget t
hat ‘normal people’ wear shoes. It’s not just people who ‘think their shoes make them look cool.’ This song is the type of song that ‘people who think that listening to certain new/buzzworthy artists makes them cool’ would listen to on their way to the mall.
I feel like music blogs have a bad reputation because up to this point because of this type of content. A lot of ‘d-bags who think the are supposed to find a collaboration like this interesting’ are the main proponents of mp3 blogs as a news/culture source. So while bloggers feel pressured to ‘blog about this new [HIGHLY BLOGGABLE] content’, the marketers/companies gain promotion but subtract from the authenticity of their message & the authenticity of the targeted blog as a tastemaking source. Advertising to ‘alts who are too cool for anything, but still kind of impressionable’ is difficult, and companies must hire better marketing teams in order to reach the new ALT MARKET, as opposed to advertising to the circa 2002 HIPSTER MARKET.
BUT SRSLY…
IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO PROMOTE THE CONVERSE ALL STAR? If I were the CEO of Converse, I would stop making every non-AllStar shoe and cancel their initiatives with high-profile athletes like Dwayne Wade.
Converse should just start distributing through thrift stores and be happy with ‘letting people pay what they want’ for their shoes. It worked for Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” and I think this product is similar.
Overall, I think Nike is the powerhouse with all of the history to make the best marketing campaigns. They realize that alts buy their products, but they don’t dedicate that much direct marketing towards them. They let ’sneaker designing boutiques’ and popular athletic figures who every1 liked as a kid to keep the brand’s presence strong with the alts.
This commercial appeals to both mainstreamers and alts with powerful imagery/iconography that we can all associate with. In addition, it utilizes that anthem by the Killers about having soul but not being a soldier (this song theoretically appeals to every1/sounds like the kind of song that mainstreamers-who-are-unaware-of-new-bands will go out and buy, then have conversations about ‘hearing this awesome song in a Nike commecial and the CD is actually really amazing.’)
[HIGHLY RECCD ENDING WITH A SPRINTER WITH NO LEGS]
I don’t think Nike’s alternative advertising is very heavy-handed. They keep their mainstream markets as a top priority as opposed to trying to ‘take over the alts.’ For example, this Nike Soccer commercial was directed by Guy Richie, who is theoretically an indie director (who banged Madonna), so every one can feel comfortable liking it.
N e ways…What kind of shoes do you wear?
Which lifestyle brand do u trust?
Which business is the best?
What shoes will be big in 2k9?
Do u feel like u r way 2 valued as a ‘hipster’ consumer by d-bags who have brainstorming sessions where they try to identify ‘what makes a hipster’?
What is a ‘hipster’?
What is an ‘alt’?
What is a ’scenester’?
Should I buy shoes only based on comfort?
Should I buy shoes that are made by lil AZN kids/women who are being underpaid?
Does being a ‘responsible consumer’ make the world a better place?
Remember hippie kids who ‘didn’t wear shoes’?
132 Comments
look at all these words
[Reply]
//////////Reply by anon
//////////Posted November 23rd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
@Anonymous,
yep, sure a lot of words on this page.
[Reply]
//////////Reply by centinel martinez
//////////Posted January 10th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
@anon,
all of this is stupid shit.
this entire blog, is filled with shit.
stop judging people and grow the fuck up.
shoes….
please.
[Reply]
//////////Reply by HAHAHA
//////////Posted February 24th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
@centinel martinez, whoa
chill
//////////Reply by heroine
//////////Posted April 25th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
@centinel martinez,
bahahahahah
go away
wait, comment more.
angsty ones. PLZ?
//////////Reply by Cassie
//////////Posted April 8th, 2009 at 11:33 am
@anon, Why do you come to this website?
[Reply]
i love the converse song but would never buy another pair of chucks. most uncomfortable shoe EVER.
[Reply]
//////////Reply by Dane
//////////Posted June 18th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
@Anonymous, nope your wrong and bad and dumb go buy some reeboks douche wad
[Reply]
Wow, amazing post.
N E WAYZ…so true that almost every mainstreamer at my college wears those New Balances and/or those Steve Maddens, what a joke. Eww, those hideous sandels too! sick
Sambas are niceee. I wore them for like, 8 yeras in a row (played indoor soccer with them too). Finally I got tired of that tongue. It’s so annoying. It falls over and rubs your leg too. Gah, you can pay more for the ones made with kangaroo leather if you want; those have less of a tongue, but unless you are really into soccer and don’t mind killing a kangaroo, then yeah…
Vans Authentics are MORE comfortable than their Sperry cousins. I have both. I like my Vans I don’t care what you believe.
Hmm, the LA Lights are interesting…
ok I’m done.
[Reply]
tl;dr
[Reply]
Dunk Highs are s0 alt
[Reply]
best post in a long while. what shoes does carles wear?
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thanks man. i was actually planning on going shoe shopping today. I was leaning toward asics, but now I think I’ll just but my 4th pair of black converse (I’ve been wearing them since middle school). you’re right, I did feel like I needed to differentiate.
p.s. people who wear dunks are fuckwads
[Reply]
You left out crocs, “the shoe of choice for alts in 2k10″ ©
[Reply]
//////////Reply by Dane
//////////Posted June 18th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
@Anonymous, and you deserve to have a a huge axe up your asshole
[Reply]
I totally agree about the Converse alt ad with Pharell, Santogold, etc., etc.
I don’t know anyone who wears converse who is really as cool as these cats.
Furthermore I want to know that my shoe relates to me and my everyday life.
This commercial only tells me that you should where Converse if you are an inspiring dancer looking to be in a hipster musical.
Converse is an anti-establishment shoe. Punk Rockers and starving artists established this brand in the 70’s and 80’s.
This speaks nothing to the culture that created the brand. This shit is too Hollywood to be relevant.
[Reply]
ur rhetoric is amzing
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I wear Gucci loafers. If you step on my shoes I WILL KILL YOU!!! that’s not a treat it’s a promise.
[Reply]
//////////Reply by Dane
//////////Posted June 18th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
@Anonymous, i dont think i know any doche that would wear those shoes, maybe i should kill you first, dumbass
[Reply]
o0o0o0oo0o i really like the alt-musical idea because i am a fggt.
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I have no money and I skateboard a lot so I go trough shoes like once a month. I just go to TJmax and pick up the cheapest pair of vans possible.
I am not going to lie tough. I am a little embarrassed of my footwear.
I CAN DO A 360 flip down a 8 set tough!!! Is that cool still???
i hate my shoes :(
[Reply]
//////////Reply by Dane
//////////Posted June 18th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
@Anonymous, hey douche bag i skate too, go find a discount at your local skate shop, or get sponsored by the shop, stop sitting on your lazy ass complaining about you gay looking shoes and skate, i own vans authentics all white (fucking dope), be a fucking man and buy some new shoes
[Reply]
hey carles, just wondering: how much did nike pay you to fool all your (wannabe alt) readers into watching a couple of commercials?
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some of this is funny but gazelles are unfuckwitable. also i thought we were past “omg you don’t even play that sport why are you wearing that shoe” by like 50 years
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plz sell graphic tees so i can showcase being meta-alt.
ps: you forgot pumas
[Reply]
AHAHAHAA
carles, I have an inkling you fall into ‘alts who are too cool for anything, but still kind of impressionable’ category, as that’s pretty much the only demographic that can read this blog w/o being offended by any/everything in it. i’ve definitely mentioned this blog in conversation with so-called ‘entry-level alts’ and now regret doing so, as they will come here, have their self-esteem dumped on by carles’ (valid) criticism of most things they deem ‘cool’, and then annoy me by trying even harder to become ‘master alts’, if you will. so yeh, this blog is hilarious but DAMN YOU for that. i needs to remember to keep ma mouth shut.
xo baby!
[Reply]
gr8 post. this is why carles is the blogger and we are just the commenterz.
make tweety bird slipperz the new alt “shoe.”
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ps to “Converse is an anti-establishment shoe” fool…
converse was bought out by nike in 2003. WOO for standing up to the corporate establishment with your corporately-produced sneakers!
cool kids wear tom’s nowadays.
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i was really hurt by the nickelodeon thing. i just mentioned pete&pete to someone. and i'd never wear those.
also, is there a difference between hipsters and alts?
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bathing apes what the fuck man.
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I wear the nike awkward shoe…
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I have black converse because every shoe that I like how it looks is made of leather/suede, so my only other choice is to go to wally world and consider their pleather/fabric knock-offs that only last about two months before the sole falls off.
Also, the converse work with almost anything, every other shoe I’ve worn didn’t really match besides with the one specific outfit I was wearing when I bought them.
[Reply]
that was absolutely fantastic.
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I fucking love sneakers, this was a great post.
I actually just picked up the same pair of Reeboks as Yelle is wearing in that photo… they're obnoxiously loud, but I don't care because they're comfy as hell and comfort > being obnoxiously loud.
[Reply]
//////////Reply by fcker
//////////Posted November 26th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
@Anonymous,
you clearly gt thm do tu yr suffring slfestm. dnt lie.
[Reply]
//////////Reply by lalalaliee
//////////Posted November 26th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
@Anonymous,
i bt you show ur tits 2
[Reply]
supra
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cardboard is the same to b-boys as broken glass is to tecktonicers? when did this happen
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Converse suck for driving a stick shift.
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i wear toms because the soundless, flexible sole allows me to traverse the alt-mnstrm boundary like a winged ninja (ie can wear to work/can wear to summertime outer-borough rooftop ‘film’ screening) there was something about kids too but i forgot?
gr8 post crls.
[Reply]
//////////Reply by anon
//////////Posted March 10th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
@mchn, ninja?
FEIYUE.
[Reply]
ummm…u have "dunks" & "Air force 1's" backwards…switch the titles…mmk
[Reply]
TOMS
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if this girl made music today versus five years ago. would she and uffie hang? would this song be a hit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJIJtgWpisA
i live with someone who matches the color of her vans to the color of her american appy underwears, her t-shirt of the day and her faux rayban wayfarers. what do i do?
[Reply]
i love this post.
(but you forgot pumas!)
:(
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i just bought green Reebok Freestyle Hi sneakers and i love them. Plus they match with those green AA socks…
But u can never go wrong with some unicolor Converse
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Reebok Voltron first set was pretty fresh. Their debut into the hipster/TCK world circa Yelle - à cause des garçons. I have the yellow omni light, comfy and the envy of every hipster in town.
[Reply]
Remember Pete & Pete?
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Do u feel like u r way 2 valued as a ‘hipster’ consumer by d-bags who have brainstorming sessions where they try to identify ‘what makes a hipster’?
yes. I hate those d bags. but what the hell is d bag talking about “entry level” alts.. wtf. weird people.
also, pumas.. I like two colors of them , never like NIKE. way too popular for me. black boots are cool.. with no brand.
[Reply]
tretorn
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umm you left out sperry topsiders, for the semi-classy more indie alt broz.. and winklepicker bewtz for the brit mod dior homme altz… those will prob be the alt shoes of 2k9 when urban outfitters finally catches on and releases them a year or 2 2 late and badgers the shit out of the look until everyone wearing them looks like an alt-d bag. Right now i’m actually rockin vans.. but not the vans all you mainstreamer urban outfitter altz wear.. I’m rockin the half cabs, they tewtewlly rewl, or better yet said.. they r0k my s0x ~*~*~~* @_@ ^_^ ^_~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*
zomg s0 lunchabalez bl0ggablezz
[Reply]
duder! saucony! you forgot saucony! man i was wearing that shit like ten years ago when NO ONE had em (ditched em bout 5 years ago yea), but i guess these days when sorority bitches wear em to their pilates classes you pretty much can’t include them in a “hipster shoe” post. anyway i was disappointed with no luv for hipster shoes of the past!!!
[Reply]
ps. i could write this blog except i’d incorporate some originality into it instead of blogging about mainstream alt trendz.
n0 0ff3n$e
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and i agree with the saucony post.
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no jellies?
this blog rlly has gone mnstrm
[Reply]
SUPRA
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let’s face it everybody loves sneakers, not even crls carefully hidden Nike sponsorship can spoil that. Well done crls. How about some more posts about the elctro drought, I am starting to feel as bad as I did when I first saw new young pony club live at tramp a couple of years ago and realized they were shit.
[Reply]
NIKE SB HIGHS!
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i totes believe i can do tektonic better w rebookz.
even if it’s placebo it’s ok coz it seems 2 work 4 shallow ones like me.
plz tackle the subject whether 2 wear shoz made by little ones in bad enviroments
very smart educated and worldly ppl who have seen it all- they say u can’t help it
but maybe U can
make an impact
[Reply]
i said it before and i’m gonna repeat it down here: look at all these words.
[Reply]
this blog sucks now
[Reply]
@Imperial Wonder
Urban already sells Sperry Topsiders, they have for a while.
[Reply]
you had the doc martin sandals, but forgot the doc martin combat boots.
[Reply]
memorable post
carles wears NO shoes
but was offered 1000 pair of shoes by nike to write this post
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Real talk, Supra Skytops. Obnoxious colorways (purple camo and 14K gold, among others), obnoxious design (24 lace holes on each shoe), and usually pretty expensive. BUT THEY’RE ENDORSED BY STEVE AOKI, COBRASNAKE, AND LINDSAY LOHAN’S LESBIAN LOVER (who gets custom made ones! Sew un1que) SO THEY’RE ACCEPTIBLE.
I spent 250 on the gold ones last week so I could be super alt and unique. By the time I realized how retarded I am, it was too late to return them. It’s cool though. I get so much alt-pussy now, it was worth it.
[Reply]
My sister wears Womens Reebok Freestyle Hi’s.
I’m the regular converse mystic.
Question: Does Ellen Page fit the ‘Keds’ profile?
In that case I love ked-kids!
[Reply]
Chucks = entry level scenester
Vans = authentic alt
[Reply]
i wear asics and youve finally made me realize that maybe i am trying too hard :(
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lol at ^ you wish vans were authentic alt! all the scenesters who want to ~differentiate themselves~ at my school school wear vans! and converse is and always will be a classic!
[Reply]
woops my comment was for ~ian curtis~ not anonymous @ 7:28 pm
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OMG!!!!
These posts are better than Carles’!
Do these people realise the irony or am I just drunk.
Wait, I did just have a beer………
But keep it coming-fuel for the fire!
[Reply]
Donald here again
A scenester is a girl who goes to university of british columbia in vancouver and dresses like a hip mom would in the 80’s. maybe some ugly dresses, huge sunglasses, high [jean] shorts.
A hipster or male scenester wears dark skinny jeans + a quirky/eye-catching top (from AA, urban outfitters, any hard-to-find-stores-in-downtown-north-american-metropolis’)
Alts are the aggy lookalikes, the azn fggts, the people who are just trying too hard, etc.
[Reply]
did u frgt about sketchers?
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pony’s are the altest b/c they are the most uncomfortable and the most retro… even in the future people when people no longer have feet and wear their shoes around their necks, the will still be altest because people keep forgetting… ALWYS 4GET!!!!
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I dress pretty mainstream, but one time I forgot to bring my new balances to school so I went to wal-mart and bought some bright white sneaks that were a size too large for $10. Funny thing is, I kept getting all these shoe compliments from authentic alts at my school.
Alt 4 Less?
[Reply]
NIKE OWNS CONVERSE!!!
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Fuck Nike. Or should it be “Nike is so in now becuase it’s post, post, post, post, post, post ironic.”?
I just can’t sleep at night because it’s really important to me that I wear a shoe that is comfortable but it’s also important that it doesn’t negatively impact my lifestyle brand. What am I going to do?
[Reply]
nike owns converse? that makes sense because carles gave major tug jobs to both nike and converse in this post.
hey carles how much did you get paid for the tug jobs? and aren’t you worried about how being a blog-stitute will negatively impact your lifestyle brand?
[Reply]
Careles has become (a) mainstream (product whore).
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ew, ‘runners’?
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hi carles! i just got a new pair of shoes! but when i looked in the box the sales guy had only put on of the shoes in! its ok tho.
heather mills
[Reply]
FINALLY
someone posts something funnie. (one leg heather mills joke)
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YAH U TOTALYY LEFT OUT ALL THE REAL HIPSTERZ BRANZ
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FFS- airwalks all day long or whatever is on clearance at mrshlls
>OMG wered you get your shoes?
>Mrshlls,
>O…
I feel cool wearing them, but one is a size eleven and the other is a size nine and I walk all funny now.
Nikes= I wont put my dick in u
[Reply]
save money on shoes spend money on booze
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there is a serious lack of shoes here… what about the chuck taylor?
[Reply]
first really good post in yonks!
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I like Dwayne Wade, he seems like he’d be cool to party with.
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p0st mo4e NIKE ADS plzzz
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techtonik is fucking sick, hahah those crazy french n’ their french dub
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5XN-yiAj0Y
[Reply]
thats a fucking long ass blog. how do you have the time to do this everyday?
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incredible post. i laughed so hard.
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crlz: what abt:
saucony (used 2 b backpackpunk shoes)
puma (golden age)
shoez that look lyk they r wooden but r actually leather…
(vegans can’t wear these? macrobiotics can’t wear shoes?!)
[Reply]
what about pf flyers. remember the kid from sandlot who wore them. benny? i feel like those could be the alt answer to mainstreaming converse
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u blogged about yelle like 10 yrs ago dumbass
also i wear asics and love them. oh wait, im not a hispter, im allowed to wear whatever shoes i want!
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http://www.youtube.com/v/5sFy5xDp9J8
lol…
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do reeboks come in human accessory sizes? i like the lil polka dots
[Reply]
Anonymous Anonymous said…
ps to “Converse is an anti-establishment shoe” fool…
Regarding “Converse is an anti-establishment shoe”
Everyone knows Nike bought Converse….Tool!
You get know cool points for pointing out something that didn’t need to be implied.
My argument was speaking on how Converse became an anti-establishment shoe by virtue of being the staple shoe for the emerging punk rock scene in the 70’s.
Read a book asshole. You should understand history beyond the last 6 months of knowledge the internet has induced into to your baby brain.
Read…then react.
Stop waisting peoples time with your ability to find something wrong with everything you come across.
POSER!!!
[Reply]
WTF!? How dare you diss the nike classic…that shoe says that ‘I used to listen to the deftones/KoRn in JR high and I’ve seen the error of my ways, but I’m still in love with a flat soled sneaker’. I’m like a mnstrm demn who assended into heaven and now jesus is my homeboy and we go to ‘underground’ shows in silverlake.
[Reply]
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=ejj3tk&s=4
<3
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i’ve got some gold/black puma that says “yo” on the back
is it alt ?
[Reply]
New Balance 574 CTS
They are the greatest shoes of all time.
But are they alt?
http://www.newyorker34.com/newbalancekahve-3.jpg
[Reply]
OMG 100 cmmnts. Lyek wow!
But srsly Carles y did u leave Crocs out of this poast?
[Reply]
i love you
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u sound dumb!!! get ur facts str8
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Your argument is inherently dumb, because u is not a word.
[Reply]
ONITSUKAS.
[Reply]
The is a Nike Factory outlet now on S. Carrolton and Canal!
[Reply]
Supra Skytops (I have four pairs), Greedy Genius, Creative Recreation, JB Classics, and always gotta have some Dunk High’s!
I buy a new pair of sneakers every week on Thursday, sir.
[Reply]
the tongue on my sambas rubbed my leg hair off. true story
[Reply]
its more alt to wear two pairs of socks instead of shoes
[Reply]
walmart canvis sneakers for $4
authentic and cheap
[Reply]
Brands just aren’t that important. I like my friends because they are cool people, not because they have cool shoes. This hipster is fixing to go and buy New Balances just to dissociate himself from you, your pretentious blog, and your mixed-up priorities. You’ve just made me, a self-proclaimed hipster, feel loathing for a subculture in which I willingly included myself.
Consider using words like “you” instead of “u.” Those two extra letters make a big difference. And leaving vowels out of words really doesn’t make them cooler. Let’s try to differentiate between AIMspeak and real English, please.
[Reply]
When I told my sistah Jules that I was going to get some Air force 1’s that were gold and black she told me that I was becoming an alt bro. I’m only 13, I said and I was like, wtf is an altbro?
and then I ran into your blog and I was like OH SH**.
I might be alt.
[Reply]
oh and you need to add “toms” up there
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i wear borrowed crocs my starbux wage not enuf for real shoes
jolson u mad? u fggt
[Reply]
Where are all the commercials? What’s happened to HRO!?
[Reply]
No idea who the fuck Yelle is, but I love those shoes she’s wearing.
I wear white Converse low tops everyday though. [:
Do those go into the “regular Converse” category, or the “quirky colored Converse” category?
Oh, who the fuck cares.
[Reply]
You forgot Zuriicks. Its a small company from Salt Lake city. Their shoes are way more alt than any fucking sambas or airforce one’s
[Reply]
what about the topsider for the alt that wants to look like they do outdoor/boating activities?
[Reply]
carles so totz upset about the keds! they are the most comfy // cheap!
how can u go wrong?
[Reply]
So alt i don’t own a single pair of sneakers.
[Reply]
sperry top siders!
[Reply]
//////////Reply by Reo
//////////Posted March 6th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
@tony, They are a very fine shoe
[Reply]
um, so which meta-alt shoes are the ones you grace your feet with?
[Reply]
This post is s00 American… and looks like a viral campaign for Nike, a good one though…
[Reply]
You forgot to mention that Pumas = guido sneakers of choice.
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//////////Reply by Gullible
//////////Posted January 6th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
@Gullible, And good call on the Sambas. Seeing a lot of those in Chicago.
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What about penny loafers/?
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//////////Reply by Nathan
//////////Posted January 7th, 2009 at 9:39 am
@alt-oid, only for gheys and ezra koenig.
what about brogues?
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so confused with my type of shoe, theyre kinda like regular converses, but not as gay (theyre really mainstream around here), and not converse, they dont have a label/brand, and the design is a tad different.
Best shoes, are non-branded shoes, and non-stickoutish shoes
worrying about shoes too much are for faggots/gays/mnstrmers/females
guess that makes you a faggot/gay/mnstrmer/female carles
ya faggot
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//////////Reply by anon
//////////Posted January 7th, 2009 at 9:53 am
@anon, ehhh, guess its relevant to everyday life though
soooo
you’re alright
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fuck nike for ripping off the Minor Threat album cover for an ad. nike trying to be punk + already hating them for taking over skate fashion= me wearing adidas or pumas because these companies know their fucking place.
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LA LIGHTS IN DA HOUSE
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i rock slipper-moccasins made out of giant prairie rodents from argentina. carpincho ftww,.
alt as fuck.
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Puma Cyldes are the freshest shoe alive!
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i have a pair of adidas sambas, but the puma romas are way more comfy. my feet hurt in the sambas, but i just got ‘em for schlepping around anyway. i’ll probably go back to the nb 587s b/c lately i can’t find anything worthwhile. tried to be ‘altgreen’ but the patagonias were worthless.
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you really can blog about anything. sneaker companies have to use advertising that deals with lifestyle brands because ‘normal people’ aren’t going to spend upwards of 60 dollars on a shoe they can get at walmart for 15. also, none of these shoes are comfortable except asics! maybe new balance, but i have never tried those.
in 2k9, the shoes that rappers were wearing a year (or 20) ago will be what’s popular with hipsters.
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I would like to declare myself a chick who would wear those colorful shoes. Now I wonder about what that makes all the guys think I look like in real life
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I wear TOMS SHOES which are a totally indie brand of shoes. Cheap. Totally uncool. Totally weird looking. Totally made by a small company that is totally against leasing to sweat shops like every shoe co. on this page is for. And the best part of them is…
They give 1 pair of shoes to people who cant afford or who don’t have access to shoes away, for every pair you purchase.
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Vans are good anyways
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I’m listening to music on a computer while reading about shoes on that same computer, shoes that other people who listen to music on their computers may consider buying, but only if they think that yet more people who listen to music on their computers (and on their phones too, probably) will think the appropriate things about them when they see them wearing them, luckily the shoes come as part of a package that also includes hair, music, computers and phones, so it doesn’t all hinge on shoes, jesus was I like this at any time in my past? Did people older than me think the same about me as I think about these people? If they did, and they were wrong then (as I at the time would have sworn with all my venom that they were) does this mean that I am also wrong now?
Just remember this - if I am also wrong about the current generation then there is a good chance that you will be wrong when you make judgements about the next generation.
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haha, i remember when i used to wear sambas. now i just make my own moccasins and listen to devendra banhart.
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Yeah, I wore Chinese Kung Fu Shoes all through high school, especially because noone “got it” = tru alt.
Fuck them.
Now I have the last laugh = bone spur on my heel.
Go to your alt coffeehouse and keep trying!
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What do you think of people that wear all black~ankle length Converse with white socks???
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Adidas Campus Vulc…
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Hi. Loads of people round my area are wearing converse now, and they are all totally mainstream and non-alt-indie. What can I do? People will start to think I’m one of them [via generic converse]! Honestly this new craze has made me angry. HELP! Should I get Vans?
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