Monthly Archives: May 2016

boots, comfort, footwear, sneakers

May Popgallery

Leave a comment

Rick from Massachusetts and I have been talking about shoes and sneaks since the 90s. When he’s not battling blazes as a member of the Brockton Fire Department, he also does paintings with a sneaker theme; check the lobster Nike piece^

Rick’s daughter graduated from The Culinary Institute of America earlier this month and jumped right into working at one of the premier bakery/cake shops in southern New England.  She copped a pair of the Vans Sk8 Hi KS to wear at work.

BsKitchenVans2I haven’t seen a pair since I heard they dropped last year. The idea is the classic Sk8 Hi body is modified to meet the needs of professional chefs; Water repellent canvas uppers, more comfortable footbeds and the inside-out rubber waffle soles make these Sk8 His a stronger version of the originals.

BsKitchenVansI grew up in Sk8 His and from 1990 to 2010, could not have imagined wearing anything else. I could envision these Vans being wearable in many different workplaces where black shoes are required. They sell for 75$, but it looks like they’re almost all gone. Who knows if Vans will make more.

Spotted on the walls of Delancey St. Essex St. NYC subway station
Spotted on the walls of Delancey St. Essex St. NYC subway station

I’ll be following up to see how she likes them. The KS Vans seemed to get slammed in reviews on Vans.com, but a poster named Jim the Hiker wrote that they are the best hiking shoes ever and that in the woods he stunts on all the people wearing REI gear. I”m sure you can still skate in them too.  

JimTheHikerOnChefVans

I had to know what Rick wears when he’s not in firefighting gear, and he sang the praises of these boots by Keen.  

RicksKeenBootsThanks Rick and congratulations Brianna !

Follow Popdiatry on IG and twitter , and if you absolutely have to- Facebook

customize, footwear, sneakers

Shoehacker : Time to Dye

Leave a comment

In the quest for a perfect shoe lay many opportunities to take an already great pair to the next level.  You can upgrade laces, get the stock insoles coated with leather, or get elements dyed to the color of your choice.

PreDyeMaurisWe loved these Mauri patent leather/ostrich-leg toe sneakers. The snow-white leather inners gives them a great orca look on the shelf, but like your favorite white tee neck- they’d be hard to keep clean for the long haul.  

evsrApplyingDyeToInnersThe white leather was supple and soft. My shoe doctor Boris at East Village Shoe Repair combined some black dye with a little thinning agent (to open the pores), and applied the mixture using a soft brush.

ApplyingDyeToMauris1All visible white leather was turned just as black as the outers; The wearability and likability was Darth Vadered up something serious.

MauriPostDyeThey were given a finishing rub with a horse hair brush then left to dry for a couple.

MaurisBackyardFor the first few wears, we’d avoid light-colored socks as there will be naturally be a little rub-off from the dye job.

Like a great stylist for your hair, an experienced cobbler will know exactly what can be done to custom dye your kicks. Thanks to East Village Shoe Repair at 1083 Broadway in Brooklyn, New York for letting us snap shots. I’m sure your smartphone can help find a capable cobbler near you.  

sneakers

Bras and Lady Sneakers at The Rack Shack

Leave a comment

Hey ladies, The Rack Shack boutique on Central Avenue in Brooklyn NYC is calling out to you with crushworthy lingerie, sneakers and accessories in a comfy environment piloted by an owner happy to guide you to just the right bra, corset, legging or sneak.

Artist-designed footwear by Bucketfeet at The Rack Shack
Artist-designed footwear by Bucketfeet at The Rack Shack

It’s True

Racks of flirty lingerie by specialty brands like Panache, Playful Promises, Love Claudette, and The Little Bra Company surround a pedestal topped with a thoughtfully handpicked footwear menu.

BucketfeetBikePrint

Bucketfeet slip-ons are here, and are each kind of limited-edition due to the brand’s artist powered model. A Vansy profile with plushy walker-friendly insoles (heel pillows!) are uppered with various designs by any one of 25,000 creators. Bucketfeet is out to make sure no one has the exact same kicks as you. 

Light Up Gold 

CelestialLightUpShoePair
Celestial LED footwear

The conversation pieces here were these shiny golden trainers by Celestial Footwear featuring translucent outsoles that can illuminate red, green, blue, yellow, turquoise, purple, white or all seven in rotation via an internal light emitting diode (LED).

CelestialGoldLightUps

I remember L.A. Gears from the 90s, and I always thought of light-ups as a kid’s gimmick to wear running around Chuck-E-Cheese, but Celestial is offering something way more refined and well-constructed than some tossable cheapos. The build is solid, and the pliable body looks like C3PO gold- not sure how they do it, but these aren’t your little niece’s light-up sneakers. 

Gimmie a light
Gimmie a light

The vibe in The Rack Shack is warm and the natural light is great- a picture couldn’t capture the shoe’s light activation so well so you’ll have to check ’em out for yourself. As of this writing, The Rack Shack is the only brick-and-mortar retailer stocking Celestial products in the United States, so again with the “no one else has these” effect.

Can I borrow your micro-USB charger ?
You ain’t even got a USB-charging port on your shoe

Alongside the Celestials and Bucketfeets were some athletic offerings by Supra. On the walls hung stockings and hosiery from Pretty Polly. On tables lay edible massage oils and intimate cosmetics by Luz De La Riva .

Pretty Polly Hosiery at The Rack Shack
Pretty Polly Hosiery at The Rack Shack

Thanks to Laura- leader of The Shack- for letting a fella snap some shots and blab about shoes.  I would be shocked if any girl on Earth couldn’t find an item here to eroticize their wardrobe. 

The Rack Shack 
155 Central Avenue 
Brooklyn, NY 11221