Keds!

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a ridiculous Keds fan. I even did a case study on Keds my last semester for an advertising class and got a big fat A on it . . . because I so was obsessed with writing every little detail about Keds. For those unaware, Keds is the inventor of the sneaker and was most popular (in my opinion) in the 80s, and could be found on the likes of Kelly from Saved by the Bell. White was the most popular color and was often worn with little lacey socks and leggings. Are you getting the picture? Anyway, Keds have been around since 1916 and were named the "sneaker" because the rubber sole was so quiet you could "sneak up on your boyfriend," haha.

Almost everyday I'm wearing my latest find: a pair of vintage (VINTAGE!!) 1970s all black Keds that I got for a mere $3 at the thrift store (they were in mint condition by the way). How do I know they're vintage? Because I'm obsessed enough that I can distinguish the different aspects of design of their trademark blue rectangle logo tab on the back of each shoe. And the shoe is pebble-soled with pink liner as opposed to today's kind-of-pebbled soles and multi-colored liners, and much more narrow than today's Keds so IT'S CLEARLY FROM THE 70s and I'M AMAZING. Or maybe they're from the 80s. Anyway, VINTAGE.

Part of the case study was to speculate what you think would be best way to rebrand the company in order to reach a different market. I said that Keds should go for a more urban vibe and try to market to indie hipsters. From 2005-07 Keds deemed Mischa Barton "the face of Keds" and had a preppy we-love-the-OC-esque campaign until Mischa got a DUI (among other things) and couldn't represent their squeaky clean image anymore. Ah well, the times are a'changin'.

Keds did some thinking and has now partnered with Chictopia for a "Straight off the Streets" style gallery on their site, which features fashionista hipsters who submit photos of themselves posing in Keds. Woo hoo! Great rebranding! And what an excellent way to reach out and get the market involved!

Anyway, there is a certain style of Keds I wish they'd bring back and that I'm positive hipsters (mostly me) would love . . . the pointy-toed Champion. Keds could partner with Urby and do a sexy photo shoot in a submarine or something and make these things the hottest shoe on the planet.

On a side note, these shoes are far more sexy for longboarding than the typical chunky equivalent . . . if you're just pushing around, and not sliding or trying any too complicated tricks that would require heavy foot padding, anyway.