Chuck Taylors a cultural tradition

There is an old expression which states, "You can tell a lot about somebody by the shoes they wear." So what exactly does it say about people who wear Chuck Taylors? Depending on which era you are talking about, the groups of people who have worn Chuck Taylors has changed over time.

It can be assumed that if you wore the "All Star" shoes back in the '40s through '80s, you were most likely a basketball player or involved in sports. In fact, the Chuck Taylor All Stars were one of the first premiere athletic shoes and were worn by American athletes in the 1936 Olympics. This is when the classic white canvas, with red and blue stripes on the soles, were first introduced.

In 1949, the company introduced the classic and now infamous black high top shoe.

From the 1980s and beyond, the company began experimenting with different colors for the canvas and today, if you visit Converse's website, you can customize your own Chuck Taylors to your aesthetic liking.

In terms of weight lifting, the shoes are sought after by those who body build and even Arnold Schwarzenegger is often depicted wearing the shoes during his exercises.

During the 1980s and through today, Chuck Taylor shoes have become synonymous with the counterculture. From bands such as the Strokes to Nirvana and the musician David Bowie, all of these artists proudly wear their Chuck Taylor All Stars when performing live or for photo shoots.

But, a little known fact about Chuck Taylor, the basketball player whose name is inscribed on the infamous shoes, is that he is a Hoosier.

Taylor was born in Azalia, Indiana on June 23, 1901. He was also a graduate of Columbus High School. In 1917, the "All Star was first introduced and subsequently, that is when Taylor first starting wearing the shoe."

In 1921, Taylor was hired in the sales office of Converse Shoes in Chicago. It was directly through his efforts that design changes were made to the shoe and 1932 was the first year when the Chuck Taylor All Stars first hit the American market.

On October 22, Converse announced they will be putting forth a limited edition dedicated to the man that made their shoes now infamous.

According to a press release from Converse, "The shoes feature Taylor's signature on the classic Columbus "Dancing C" logo and the outline of a basketball court. The free-throw lane is shaped like the state of Indiana, and the Converse five-point star designates the city's location."

The exclusive edition of Chuck Taylors will be $57.99 for adult sizes and $38.99 for child sizes through www.hoosiersportinggoods.com.

Over the years I have owned at least five if not more pairs of Chuck Taylor shoes ranging throughout the color spectrum from black, red, and orange.

Though their construction is simply a canvas shell molded against a rubber shoe, they are surprisingly durable and it was only recently that I finally disposed of my first pair I bought in high school.

There was always a lore that surrounded the best way to "break in" your Chuck Taylor shoes. The best theory, at least when I was in high school, was to run over your new purchase with your car. This might appear odd, and if you decide to try out this theory in public, you might receive odd looks from your neighbors, but, at least for me, this was always the best method.

Styles of shoes change frequently over the years, but poignancy and the simplicity of the Chuck Taylor All Stars has satisfied the public taste for many years, and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Grant is a staff writer for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at (812) 847-4487, ext. 19. He can also be reached via email at gkarazsia@gmail.com.