On 13th January I wrote about my latest style inspiration, that being our 5 year old daughter's Clarks trainers. Sad, I know but I just love them - and not particularly for any sentimental reasons (how bad it that?) but just because I like the style.
Being in possession of several pairs of converse, and with any new pair being eyed eagerly by our 14 year old to the extent that they have to be closely guarded, I decided that it was time to branch out into some non-running trainers. I try and walk to school as often as possible and given that it often involves running alongside a scooter, or running along side a five year old (I wonder if I have gone overboard on emphasising how good exercise is for her!) it's good to have shoes that I am not going to be tottering in, especially as we are often passing stationary traffic, where the potential for ridicule is great.
So, since that post I have been on the hunt for the perfect pair of trainers and these were the criteria:
They could not be white - that would make them too much like running trainers, of which I already have a pair;
I didn't want them to be flat (which ruled out Adidas Gazelles and Puma classics) but instead I wanted a slight "incline";
They needed to be a bit nerdy/1980's retro. Why, I do not know, but there we go;
They had to cost as little as possible.
So far I have trawled Office, Schuh, JJB, the new Sketchers store, Asics, Adidas online, Topshop, Asos, Gola, New Look, River Island, Nike for Liberty - and they are the ones I can remember - but to no avail.
And then this morning it hit me! Sports Direct! Now we are lucky (or unlucky) enough, depending on how you look at it, to have one close to hand. I both hate, and love, that store with a passion. It's great for the children - reasonably priced swimming goggles, shin pads, football boots and so on but the experience is pretty dire and you have to be in the right frame of mind to enter the building - which often I am not, not least because it is located right next to the Ann Summers store and I am frequently fielding difficult questions as we go over the threshold.
However, online it is a completely different experience and that's where I found these gems. They are exactly what I am after and being priced from £28 to £38, depending on whether they are the leather version or not, they are heavily discounted too. They are the Nike Oceana in a myriad of colours from black through to grey, purple, pink, blue and the palest mint green.
They have the incline that I was after, are just on the right side of retro and come in enough colours to satisfy even the most discerning of customers. I quite like the ones in the top left - fuschia and lime. Great with jeans, ankle length trousers, shorts and even the odd sun-dress. I just need to order myself a pair now. Well, either that or brave the store, minus the children so as to avoid more embarrassing Ann Summers type questions.
