FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

Skate shoes have been popular for a while, with many adults and kids embracing the fashion trend they lend themselves too. Others seem to take no notice of the style, while others often make the pointed remark that they are not for them, some stereotyped idea about skaters in general blurring their otherwise possible good sense when it comes to picking out comfort and quality footwear. This is typical of any fashion really. Some like a style, others do not, while others might own a piece or two from a particular line but not totally embrace the trend that the pieces might represent.

My teenage son falls somewhere midstream between totally embracing the style, and not quite, when it comes to his skate shoes. He loves them, wears them exclusively for his preferred choice of footwear. He owns other footwear, such as cleats and work boots, but hand him a pair of DC shoes, Audios, Osiris, Vans, Elements, or some other brand of skate shoe, and you can see his comfort level soar. Other skate styled clothes though are not tops on his choice of dress, though I see some tendency to lean that way. He likes his jeans a bit baggy, is open to just about any t-shirt if the saying it sports is to his liking, and has been known to sport the occasional radically styled hat, but forgoes any sort of body piercing or jewelry that is common with many who both dress the style and live it.

The closest he has ever come to skateboarding is to try out his older brother's board, playing his Tony Hawk video games, or watching the skaters compete on the X Games each year. Not that he would not love to skate, but we live in the middle of the woods, without even a paved driveway to skate on. He lives to snowboard though, and just recently became the owner of a snow skate. His heart is in it, just not actively pursuing it due to demographics.

As a mother who skated her entire childhood, I actually found it hard to write that my very athletically minded youngest child is not a skateboarder! He would be ideal at the sport, daring, always pushing the edge in whatever sport he is taking part in, and I have seen his eyes light up as he checks out boards whenever we shop a certain particular store that carries them. Alas, he is destined to be a skate wanna be, at least for now.

Still, he is the proud new owner of a pair of DC Contender Skate shoes with Graffiti. The shoes are white and black with red highlights. They are a perfect example of what skate shoes are all about. What they are all about is comfort for the person lucky enough to wear them. From the thick foam padded tongue with elastic holders for added stability when the shoe is on the foot, to the highly abrasion resistant sole, (think of a skateboarder abusing a shoe on the pavement while keeping the shoe on the foot!) you can see why skate shoes are so popular. Kids and adults alike enjoy comfort, and when it comes to an athletic styled shoe, skate shoes are all about that!

If you have a child who has asked to pick out a pair of skate shoes, do not negate the idea right off just because they do not skate. Like my son, even if they do not, if they enjoy other sports, they most likely understand the attributes that this style of shoe offers. They have heard how comfortable they are, and if you ask any parent who has purchased any number of pairs of skate shoes through the years, you will hear yourself how well they hold up on the average.

You can find skate shoes, including the brands I mentioned, DC shoes, Audios, Osiris, Vans, Elements, and man y more at stores nationwide. One of our favorites is The House online. They carry a full selection of skate shoes for men, women, and kids. Do your child a favor, and your budget, and let your child pick out a pair of skate shoes. They will gain comfort, while you will know that the are buying a shoe that will last as long, or longer than an y other type of athletic shoe on the market today.