Explain Oct 14, 2008 @ 2:54pm

Vintage, But Not My Own

leahs black converses.jpg I have a pair of Chucks that I adore. They cost me $80 and I got them at a vintage shop after a 12-hour work day assisting a photographer. The $100 bill he handed me lasted for a whopping six hours before I pulled these beautiful black, high top Converse sneakers onto my feet. I love them, but they’re kind of bothering me. I feel like they’re not really mine.

I mean yes, I paid for them from my hard work, but these shoes are worn in, deliciously and beautifully beat up and special, not through my own hard wearing, but through somebody else’s. This might sound crazy, but I feel like I’ve stolen someone else’s coolness.

The truth is, I wouldn’t have bought them if they’d been brand new. Their discoloration and wilted state were part of their appeal, all thanks to the street pounding of their first owner, the length of their life (and my mother’s would-be reaction) be damned.

I’m not sure if this has to do with the fact that they’re shoes (insert proverb here) or the fact that I receive so many compliments on them whenever I wear them (my standard thought: “They’re not really mine!”), but I just feel like a phony wearing Converses I didn’t beat up myself.

Have you ever experienced guilt at not having worn in your vintage shoes? Or is my existential shoe dilemma totally unfounded?

—LEAH MELTZER

« Charlotte Ronson to Sebastian

Fashionista Main

Shopbop Fall Sale, Now »

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:02PM

seriously?

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:08PM

Nowadays, with so many labels beating "coolness" into clothes that have never been worn by anyone, I think authentic wear becomes even more valuable. That said, you recognized its value while the original owner apparently did not.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:09PM

maybe you're just embarassed about spending 80 dollars on dirty converse

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:10PM

You paid $80 for those over-played, smelly old things? That's sad, girl.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:21PM

Well said, guest #3.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:26PM

this has now taken over as the most ridiculous thing i have ever read on this blog.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:31PM

HA! You spent eighty bucks on a pair of grubby Cons! What a chump! No wonder you feel like such an idot.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:31PM

Let's see ... you are too lazy to beat up your own Converse (as if that's hard -- it's not a Doc Martin, for god's sake), so you pay eighty freaking dollars for "realness" (and then walk over to Avenue B and laugh at girls because they're wearing denim jackets, LOL).

The reason why the shoes bother you is because they make you realize you are an enormous poser.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:32PM

SAME THING, I bought a pair on nantucket just after labor day because they were predicting down pours of rain from the hurricanes and although it didnt end up raining past a few drizzles, i did end up running around the island in shorts with faded beat up green high tops on. past that weekend everytime i put them and feel fine but whenever someone compliments me on how cool they look, i think, dont thank me, thank whoever owned them for a few years and abused the crap out of them. i own another pair, and have worn them regularly for over a year and have left them in the sun for weeks on end and they still look almost brand new. so if whoever was willing to part with them did, then all the better for me i think!

posted by marichon

Oct 14, 2008 3:34PM

Wow. I was feeling guilty for buying a pair of Robert Clergerie boots. (On major sale but still not cheap.) But at least those will last for a while and are appopriate for a variety of situations. I have always found that when converse look the coolest they are just about to fall apart--watch out!

posted by GD

Oct 14, 2008 3:39PM

I've always thought that there is something a bit creepy about wearing someone elses clothes.

I still love vintage but I often buy things knowing that I simply won't wear them. Like you said, they just don't feel like my own.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:43PM

wow that was the worst fucking post ive ever read. as if paying $80 on dirty fugly shit isnt bad enough, now you are admitting how lame you are on a blog that is supposed to be about high fashion? bitch should be fired for that.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 3:48PM

Back in the day when I was a punker, you would have been labeled a "Fashion Punk" and grouped with the girls who bought thier Doc Martins at Nordstroms...part of the what makes Chucks cool is that you have to beat them up a bunch and live in them. Buying them already worn might get you labeled a poser by a bunch of seventh graders!

posted by cassie

Oct 14, 2008 3:56PM

this subject gets people so riled up! i work in a consignment store and we get so many awesome shoes, manolos, chanel ballets, ysl platforms...yet there will always be folks that get creeped out, and then there will always be people like me who love a perfectly worn in lanvin flat, they become your own the more you wear them. the best thing is you don't get blisters, but be my guest if you want to spend $495 instead of $99 (who knows who tried them on at barneys before you!)

posted by KLW

Oct 14, 2008 4:11PM

I don't think it's creepy, I just think it's kind of lame. Go out and live in your Chucks and they'll eventually look like that. And you probably feel ridiculous because you did actually pay for the look--those shoes only cost about $40 regular retail. You're right to feel phony. But since you paid $80 for them you better wear them until their natural life span.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 4:13PM

hahaha. This is the most ridiculous post ever. The only thing to be said for this, is that all of my Converse have broken before they got as dirty as I would have liked, except for the pair which got mud-soaked for five hours at a concert. Which of course I love the most and wear on the weekends all the time. I see nothing wrong with buying used shoes. I see a lot wrong with paying more for a used shoe than it costs new.

posted by TyTy

Oct 14, 2008 4:40PM

Definitely would be more pissed that I ever paid that much for them in the first place. =X

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 4:43PM

This post is ridicules and insane but I love it. Isn't fashion as a whole entirely ridicules yet lovable? Enjoy the shoes and please post these ridicules posts more often. I for one love them considering what is going on in this country with the economy.

posted by fauvism3

Oct 14, 2008 4:51PM

#14, there is a huge difference in buying gently used Manolos, YSL Tributes, etc. and buying used, dirty converses. I'm sure you inspect those shoes for quality...no one is looking for beat up Manolos, that's not the point.

She wanted beat up Converse but didn't want to do it herself. Also, the hygiene thing here is different...the YSLs were probably worn a few times, and then maybe with tights or hose. These were worn with bare feet, maybe socks and look nasty.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 5:04PM

You do know you could have spent $40 and bought a brand new pair right? I'd say the people at the vintage store saw you coming a mile away..

posted by fay

Oct 14, 2008 5:06PM

#14 but now I'm imagining who got blisters first in those second-hand Lanvins in order to break them in. Ick.

Would they stand up to a boil wash as well as Converse do you think? ;)

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 5:09PM

#19. I like that you think the hygiene issue is different. I for one wear my ysl platforms and cute little flats and manolos with bare feet all the time. A few pairs I've gotten rid of gently used ... I'd like to think that my feet are clean, but they were worn with bare feet. If I accidentally picked up athlete's foot during yoga before shoving my feet into my lanvins ... Just saying. Don't judge the shoes on how expensive they are.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 5:17PM

I hope someday they feel "yours"! I got a bunch of necklaces at a vintage store over the summer, and like you, at first I didn't feel any connection to them; they weren't "mine". But one is an emerald-colored beaded necklace with a brilliant faux emerald stone as its pendant, and I think I wore it twice and it felt like it had been part of my collection for years.

PS - I agree with guest 18, please post more entries like this - it was a joy to read!

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 5:23PM

yes!!!!!!!!!!! guest post # 18!!!!!!!
hahah yes yes yes

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 5:24PM

It takes no time at all to break in Converse. You could have spent half as much on a new pair, waited until it rained and splashed through a couple of puddles. This makes you seem extremely young.

posted by gerald

Oct 14, 2008 6:07PM

well if you dont want them, i do. call me a 'fashion punk' but sometimes i want a quick fix while i break in my own shoes. just wear them like you own them and have the attitude to go with it.

wear the clothes people, dont let them wear you.

(but seriously leah, what size are they?)

posted by gerald

Oct 14, 2008 6:53PM

oh and btw- newer converse are not made the same as vintage ones. for example: made in china vs/ made in usa. (if you google it you'll see more differences)

and while its possible to score a vintage deadstock pair...its not so easy finding the exact color and size combo you want. so somtimes buying "used" is the next best thing to owning a true vintage pair of converse...plus they tend to last longer.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 6:57PM

x-hi chucks are actually about $70, so buying them for $80 would probably be about the same as ordering them online and having them shipped if you couldn't get to a store/find the color you want. not such a huge rip off after all...

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 7:01PM

hey i've got a pair of circa 2000 red, uh, vintage chucks. totally worn in (gym class/warped tour/etc). you can buy them for $80. i'll even deliver them.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 7:25PM

the whole point of converse is that it takes FOREVER to wear them in and to get their personality going...its taken me three years for my black high tops to be perfect and now you can't take them off my feet. who gives a crap if you buy used or new...whatever floats your boat.

the shocker to me? is that you spent 80 flippin dollars on them...man you could have done so much more with that 100 bucks. that and putting your feet in someone elses beat up worn out broken down converse seems super icky.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 7:33PM

that's pretty gross to buy used sneakers... for twice the price of a brand new pair. this is really lame. why do people wane beat up shoes anyway?

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 8:14PM

that's so funny! i have really been wanting a red pair, but i know that i'd SELDOM wear them, and brand new chucks just look too... brand new!! i can't be bothered to wear them in like i did when i was younger. i have too many pairs of shoes to dedicate enough time to just one pair in the hopes of making them not look so nooby!

where we diverge though, is that i was hoping to find a pair of high tops on ebay for $10...

but come to think of it, yeah, the hygiene part is pretty sick >.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2008 8:22PM

this is HILARIOUS.

aw leah baby, i think the 12 hour work day made you a little delusional.

80 bucks. for "vintage" chucks. really?!

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 12:05AM

I've had my sci-fi cons for a year (the double layered ones) and the bottoms are already almost worn through. Given that I alternate between them and beloved older DMs everyday, yeah they wear pretty fast, but still, mud takes about 3 weeks in my life. I gently washed my first pair of chucks to get the mud off every day of 7th-8th grade! I mean, you could just DIY and hang them out your window for $80...

posted by cesarcmma

Oct 15, 2008 12:25AM

I've never liked this thing of beat up clothes and shoes just to make them "cooler", they just look plain cheap and dirty.

The worst part is that some people actually use them and actually end up that way, others are just faking it.

Valuable vintage pieces in good condition are a different story.

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 1:23AM

Is this a joke? Damn, that hurts.

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 1:41AM

I have to agree. $80 for USED shoes is ridiculous. I thought you were joking in this post when I first read it. I don't know, the quality of this site seems to have gone down a lot. No wonder I only check it once every couple of weeks anymore...

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 4:31AM

I bought a pair of new fake beat up Converse on sale at Urban Outfitters for $12 a few years ago.

Oh the irony...

You really shouldn't make fun of girls in jean jackets if you're going to pay $80 for a pair of vintage Converse.

You're officially a poseur in my eyes.

LAME.

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 8:10AM

I am all for vintage clothing and have actually purchased used chucks before, but that was for like $3 at Goodwill. I can't imagine spending $80 on something that is so prevalent.

IMO, the point of buying used items is either to A. get something for less money or B. get something that is rare or hard to find (like most true vintage items).

This article reminds me of why I stopped buying vintage when I moved to NYC. There are much better deals at sample sales than the ridiculously overpriced vintage and "thrift" stores here!

posted by debutanteclothing

Oct 15, 2008 9:27AM

I kind of agree with guest@8:10am. This is quite a bit of money for used sneakers! And I am a vintage seller. But they forgot a 3rd reason: to look different than the average person. Rarity is not the only factor that constitutes price, although the rarer, the more expensive.

But I know how you feel Leah. This is precisely the reason I didn't wear a vintage dress to my wedding. I felt that on a day like that, I needed to create my own memories, not pass on the memories of others.

Superstitious? Maybe. But even though you didn't break in those Chucks, you have given them new life!

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 10:17AM

this is hilarious you guys

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 10:37AM

This is the most ridiculous shit I've read in a long time. $80? For Converse? For used Converse? You desperately need to find a new vintage shop.

Otherwise...I got a bridge I could sell you...

posted by Tricky

Oct 15, 2008 11:44AM

You bought them because you knew they would add to your personal style. That's what a stylist would do. F*** the new ones you could have gotten at the store. These have the look! xo

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 12:14PM

In a word....ewww.

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 12:47PM

.. its just an article dont get your panties in a wad. good job stirrin tha pot leuh

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 1:49PM

A. they are extra high high tops= more $

B. made in the USA makes a difference.when Nike bought Converse I new it was a matter of time before they would be made in China and they ARE different now somehow.I went and got some ASAP and they are probably 10 years old now.I found another pair at the thrift(made in China) but they are so hard and stiff I'd rather wear the old raggy softies.

C. chuck Chucks in the washer,they'll be fine if not finer.

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 3:46PM

# 46 very true

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 9:09PM

I always feel like that with "vintage" t-shirts that I actually just bought beat up.
I think it kind of stems from people that wear tour t-shirts when they haven't actually been to a show from that concert

posted by guest

Oct 15, 2008 11:00PM

this is pretty pathetic

you are a poser, wear your own chucks in! it's not like it's hard

this is as if buying a pair of pre-worn in raw APCs or something.

i worked hard to wear in my chucks and my APCs, it's the best part knowing the history of it.

you did steal someone else's cool, it's not stealing since you still won't have it

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2008 12:06AM

wow, what a poser...

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2008 1:02AM

what the f*** is happening to this blog. personalized posts are great and all, but what kind of person beholds this personality!!?? is fashionista regressing into "wanna-be" ethics (facilitated by insecure hipsters) or is this site about inspiring and educating readers? FASHIONISTA: GET WITH THE PROGRAM (cause i used to love this site but it's starting to get "lame")

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2008 10:28PM

omg like fashionista get with the program...
HOW OLD ARE YOU GUYS!??!?!?!?! ARE ALL THESE READERS IN 8TH GRADE?????

posted by gerald

Oct 16, 2008 10:55PM

guest 46,43: my thoughts exactly

the rest of you calling her lame and a poser should do get a life. unless im to assume every item in your wardrobe is of perfection, authentic, and worn only by you from day one of its existince? didnt think so.

posted by disneyrollergirl

Oct 18, 2008 10:45AM

Yikes, what a brouhaha. I have twice bought used black Cons from what Comes Around Goes Around. Black high-tops in fact (but not the extra highs). I paid about $80-$90 each time which is a lot but I'm paying for the old design (Made in USA= more pointy toe) which you can't get any more. Only problem is you do have to be careful with them, once they get holes in the sole you can't wear them in the rain. Which is slightly annoying when you live in London!