I Like Your Shoes - The New Yorker

I Like Your Shoes - The New Yorker
Rare Nike 'Moon Shoe' auctions for $437K, breaking sneaker auction record - ABC News
The Lems Mesa Shoe Is Close to Perfect - Outside
Pair of Nike's 'Moon Shoes' sold for record $437500 - KWCH
Are Your Summer Shoes Totally Wrecking Your Body? - HuffPost

Posted: 25 Jul 2019 02:02 AM PDT

This is the fourth story in this summer's online Flash Fiction series. You can read the entire series, and our Flash Fiction stories from 2017 and 2018, here.

The note read "I like your shoes." She found it spelled out in the condensation on her living-room window, written glidingly, with a sort of throwaway prettiness, in strokes the width of a fingertip. When she attempted to wipe it off, her palm came back dry. Even so, it took her a moment to understand the situation. The writing was—had to be—on the outside of the glass. Her apartment was on the sixteenth floor, with no balconies or even window ledges. How such a message could have gotten there, who could have composed it, eluded her. The heat of the morning took hold as the sun crested the high-rises, and she watched as, all at once, the words were inhaled back into the air.

The second note arrived a few months later: "I like your shoes," written in the same pleasingly rounded hand as before. She pressed her cheek to the window, searching for a suspended platform, a bungee cord, some scaffolding or suction marks, but the face of the building offered only glass and aluminum.

The third note appeared early the following winter, lingering in the frost above the kitchen sink as she washed the dishes. The familiar words—"I like your shoes"—almost escaped her notice, since the sky behind them was the same marmoreal gray as the ice.

The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh notes arrived on a hot April afternoon within the span of a few minutes, fading away and then replacing one another with a bellows-like breathing rhythm: "I like your shoes," "I like your shoes," "I like your shoes," "I like your shoes." By then, she had moved to a third-floor walkup in a converted school building. Her new boyfriend, obliged by his commute to wake an hour earlier than she did, often left little goodbyes for her on the kitchen counter or on the dry-erase board, but his crabbed script was nothing like the declarations that had pursued her across the city, so fluidly, so puckishly made. She was certain they were not from him.

What she was starting to suspect was that the notes would accompany her for the rest of her life. That some god, ghost, or demon would go on, until the day she died, liking her shoes. And that even after eleven different houses and apartments, hundreds of guest rooms and hotel suites, seven boyfriends, two husbands, and several checkerboards' worth of windows, she would never be sure whether the message was meant to be a compliment or an insult. The phrase reminded her of the roundabout observations of teen-age girls, the kind who put just enough sugar on their barbs to disguise them as flattery. Every time she went shoe shopping, she found herself asking the same question: But what do they really think?

Rare Nike 'Moon Shoe' auctions for $437K, breaking sneaker auction record - ABC News

Posted: 24 Jul 2019 12:25 PM PDT

A rare pair of Nike sneakers with a storied history has just shattered auction records.

Sotheby's auctioned off the Nike "Moon Shoe" for $437,500 Tuesday night, "far surpassing" the pre-sale high estimate of $160,000, the auction house said in a press release. The previous world record for sneakers sold at auction was set in 2017 for a pair of signed Converse worn by Michael Jordan in the 1984 Olympic basketball final.

Just 12 pairs of the Nike Waffle Racing Flat, or Moon Shoe, were ever made -- and fewer exist today, according to Sotheby's. They were designed by Nike co-founder and renowned Oregon University Track Coach Bill Bowerman for runners at the 1972 Olympic trials.

Bowerman was inspired to create the innovative "waffle" sole traction pattern found on Nike's early running shoes after tinkering with his wife's waffle iron, pouring rubber into the mold to create the first prototype for the sole.

The sneakers were purchased by "avid collector" Miles Nadal, and are the only known pair to exist in unworn condition, according to Sotheby's.

"I am thrilled to acquire the iconic Nike 'Moon Shoes,' one of the rarest pairs of sneakers ever produced, and a true historical artifact in sports history and pop culture," Nadal said in a statement.

A total of 100 pairs of shoes were included in Sotheby's "Ultimate Sneaker Collection," which kicked off on July 11 and included collectibles such as two pairs of Nike Mag sneakers, inspired by Marty McFly's kicks in "Back to the Future Part II," and five pairs of the sneakers designed by Travis Scott for his Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 "Friends & Family Collection."

Last week, Nadal offered to buy the entire lot, but the auction house decided to let him purchase all but one pair in the private sale -- the Moon Shoe remained on auction until Tuesday.

Nadal paid a whopping $850,000 for the other 99 pairs, according to Art Net. His sneaker splurge tallied in at nearly $1.3 million, according to reports.

The entrepreneur and philanthropist said he was determined for the Moon Shoe "to remain part of this remarkable collection."

"I couldn't be happier with the result," he said. "I think sneaker culture and collecting is on the verge of a breakout moment, and I hope Sotheby's and Stadium Goods will continue to lead the way in this exciting new future."

All of the sneakers will be displayed along with Nadal's collection of classic cars at his private museum in Toronto, according to Sotheby's. He plans to open the museum to friends, family, charitable organizations and others upon requests.

ABC News' Ella Torres contributed to this report.

The Lems Mesa Shoe Is Close to Perfect - Outside

Posted: 24 Jul 2019 12:33 PM PDT

People love to call certain pieces of gear a "quiver of one." I call bullshit. There's no such thing. There's no one ski that can handle all conditions equally. There's no one mountain bike that tackles every trail perfectly. There's no one pair of sunglasses equally suited for the Tour de France and dinner out. You get the point.

However, as design and outdoor-material technology gets better, we are approaching a point where one piece of gear can indeed do a lot of basic things pretty damn well, allowing you to declutter your garage, your closet, and your life. Case in point: the new Mesa shoes ($125) from Lems (also available in women's), which sit at the intersection between a runner, a travel slipper, a water shoe, and a low-cut hiking boot.

The upper is made from a breathable, stretchy knit construction—similar to the one used in Nike's Flyknit technology—that vents well on a hot day, dries fast after getting wet, and wraps your foot for immediate comfort. Lems also built in a wider-than-normal toe box, so there's never any squish, even when your feet are swollen from a 12-hour day of traveling.

A TPU cage surrounds the midsection for added support, which is handy when scrambling over rocks. The medium-aggressive tread—matched with a cushioned EVA midsole—handles the chunky, variable, loose terrain you find on trail as well as cushions against the foot-busting asphalt of city streets. The sole is also flexible enough to bend in half, so the shoe packs well in a carry-on suitcase.

With all that functionality, the Mesa has quickly become my favorite everyday summer shoe. I wear it to work, out to lunch walks, on weekend hikes, and with my kiddos at the river, and it'll be the only shoe I need for an upcoming weekend trip to California. The Mesa has replaced at least three other pairs I used to rotate through (flip-flops, hiking boots, and work shoes) and looks mostly new even after a couple beatings.

To be clear, I'm not kidding myself. The Mesa will not replace my favorite backpacking boot. Nor will it work for a marathon or a nice date with my wife. And yes, I will need to replace these shoes in a year if I wear them every single day. That said, I'm still a fan—and will buy a new pair next year— thanks to the simplicity it's created in my life.

Buy Now

Lead Photo: Jakob Schiller

Pair of Nike's 'Moon Shoes' sold for record $437500 - KWCH

Posted: 25 Jul 2019 04:24 AM PDT

(CNN) – Some rare Nike shoes have knocked a world record to the moon.

New York auction house Sotheby's said a pair of Nike's "Moon Shoes" broke the world auction record for a pair of sneakers Tuesday when a collector bought them for $437,500.

Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman designed the waffle-soled running shoes for the 1972 Olympic Trials, creating the sole by melting rubber on his wife's waffle iron.

Only 12 pairs of the shoe were made, and the pair that sold Tuesday is the only known set in unworn condition.

The buyer, collector Miles Nadal, plans to display them at his private museum in Toronto.

Sotheby's said the previous world auction record for sneakers was set in 2017, when a pair of signed Converse that Michael Jordan wore in the 1984 Olympic basketball final sold for $190,373.

Are Your Summer Shoes Totally Wrecking Your Body? - HuffPost

Posted: 24 Jul 2019 02:45 AM PDT

A favorite summer footwear option is the flip-flop. What's not to love? It's easy to put on and take off. It's often waterproof. You can wear your flops to the pool, or to get the mail very quickly, or to the beach when you need an easy-to-clean option.

But what happens when you start wearing flip-flops more frequently? Maybe to the grocery store, or to a cookout where you'll be standing around with friends, or even to work. They might be comfortable, but are they actually safe and supportive enough to wear for those longer stretches?

According to Gerardo Miranda-Comas, an assistant professor in the department of rehabilitation and human performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the shoes you choose are an important component in making sound physiological choices.

"Everything is connected," he said. "Footwear is only one component ... but the footwear you choose will affect the rest of the body."

Factors to consider before deciding which shoes to wear

Some footwear can change your posture quite substantially, including flat sandals. The type of foot you have ― whether it's flat or arched ― also matters, said James Holmes, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery and a foot and ankle specialist at Michigan Medicine.

People who are flat-footed need to be particularly aware of what they wear on their feet. The condition ― and your choices of shoes ― can certainly affect your posture, depending on whether your legs curve in or out at the knee. "Both can lead to knee and hip pain," Holmes explained.

When it comes to maintaining healthy posture and preventing pain, comfort is the most important factor, Miranda-Comas said.

"The foot affects the ankle, the ankle affects the knee, the knee affects the hip, and the hip affects the spine," he said. "The body wants to be aligned, and as central as possible; it will adjust for that. A layer of shoe can help stabilize the body and improve alignment in general."

This rule goes for flip-flops, yes, but also for all shoes. High heels are something you should also be wary of when it comes to prolonged wear.

"When you're wearing a heel, you're going to end up bending the knee more to keep your center of gravity," Holmes said. "As a result of bending the knee, you're going to have to bend a bit at the hips, too. You also have to compensate for the shape of the shoe in your back." This can lead to a slew of problems, including back pain and forefoot issues.

Whether you're flat-footed or have a high arch, choosing footwear with an arch that matches your natural arch can help add a little extra support while standing or walking. This will support the body overall.

Not sure what type of foot you have? Runner's World suggests trying a simple footprint test for determining your own arch, which essentially involves getting the bottom of your foot wet and stepping on a surface like cement to see your shape.

When in doubt, though, or when experiencing back, knee or hip pain you think might be related to the shape of your foot, talk to an orthopedic specialist.

It's also important to remember that "flip-flops are not made for you to do a lot of walking on" and they are "not made to be worn all day," Miranda-Comas said. They're also not going to "correct an alignment issue" you might be having with the arch of your foot. (Just think about how easy it would be to twist your ankle on uneven terrain or by simply getting the flip-flop caught on something ... you get it.)

There are potential small perks of flat sandals

All that being said, there is some scientific evidence to suggest shoes like flip-flops can help your feet in some cases.

In one Auburn University study, researchers compared the movement of people in flip-flops with people in athletic shoes. Flip-flop wearers hit the ground with less vertical force and did not lift their toes as much as those who had on tennis shoes. This altered the normal movement of their bodies, resulting in shorter strides and a greater back-and-forth ankle motion.

It sounds bad, right? But those micro-movements might not be the worst thing in the world ― as long as you're not trying to protect your foot from injury or doing the sort of running where it's easy to lose an unsecured shoe. Flip-flops are not that far off from barefoot walking, and scientists are starting to note that there are keen differences in populations who do and don't regularly use footwear.

"If you look at populations that don't wear shoes, they have fewer issues like bunions or hammer toes," Holmes said. "When you're wearing shoes, there are muscles in the arch of the foot that don't need to work at all."

The theory there is that these muscles become weaker when they aren't working; when they are working to grip the ground, they're building up strength. The way you stride may change altogether, too. And maybe that's not a bad thing.

"Humans don't actually need shoes," Miranda-Comas said. "The barefoot functioning of the foot is actually more natural, and there are good arguments for that." Hence why there's a whole movement on choosing minimalist shoes, even for running.

Perhaps the closeness of a flip-flop to a barefoot gait, during light movement, can be a pro for wearing one. A 2013 study of healthy children walking or jogging in flip-flops found that, while the foot does compensate for holding the shoe on, "the overall findings suggest that foot motion whilst wearing thongs may be more replicable of barefoot motion than originally thought."

Holmes said he doesn't see a ton of problems resulting from flip-flop use in practice. Miranda-Comas said choosing a comfortable pair with a supportive arch for appropriate, short-term use is also OK.

But if you're going to be walking a long distance, choose ankle and posture support, and overall foot protection. "If you're going on a walk in Zion National Park, I'd suspect you'd want the tennis shoes," Holmes said.