Is the Stained Sole a Clean Look?

There is no greater feeling than unboxing a brand new pair of kicks for a sneaker head. Much like most things purchased, we love sneakers the most when we first get them because we know after multiple wears our sneakers will never look as clean and fresh as they did when we first laced them up. However, what if the shoes already come with a stained, dirty, vintage look? Do we treat them the same? Are they still considered clean? Today marked the official release of the Air Jordan 1 Retro KO Hi, a vintage sneaker many people have been impatiently awaiting. Obviously, its most talked-about attribute is the discoloration on the sole which gives the shoe an archaic, traditional look from the past. Although some people welcome this old-fashioned look, others have stated that they wouldn’t dare touch a sneaker that already comes with a dirty-look. Click here to read our synopsis on the vintage look and share your thoughts on it as well.

The vintage sole has become a love/hate topic over the years to say the least. Although the Air Jordan 1 Retro KO was one of the first sneaker to feature this old-fashioned sole, (when it was first seen a couple of decades ago) there has been a slew of sneakers that possess this characteristic. Sneakers such as the Nike Blazer, the Nike Vandal and the Converse Pro Leather have all sported the vintage at least once. So, when is the vintage sole a good look you ask? Judging from the many vintage sneakers we have seen lately (and your comments), it seems the vintage sole is appreciated more when it coincides nicely with the texture the particular shoe owns. For example, the Air Jordan 1 Retro KO Hi’s predominately canvas-covered base nonetheless assists the vintage sole nicely. The sole is used better when the entire shoe owns a ‘vintage’ feel; notice how even the outsole gives off the impression of a worn-out look. With most sneakers owning a 100% leather base these days, a rare, all-canvas sneaker welcomes vintage attributes. The sole discoloration is used best when certain aspects of the shoe are also old-fashioned-like.

Canvas-textured bases are not the only ones that bond well with vintage attributes. Suede seems to co-exist with the vintage look as evident by the Nike Blazer Hi Vintage trifecta seen above. However, the vintage characteristics on these Blazers are much different from the aforementioned Air Jordan 1 Retro KO. These Blazers own a completely off-white colored sole as opposed to the spotty, discoloration seen on the KOs. In addition, matching vintage attributes such as the tongue and the old-fashioned Nike branding on the tongue further solidify its traditional feel. Therefore, the vintage look seems best when all qualities of the shoe co-exist to portray an antique-like feel as well. Converse also tried its hand at designing a vintage-like sneaker in its collaborative effort with Lanvin; and according to you, they were pretty successful. The vintage sole on this Converse Pro Leather ’76 does not necessarily coincide with the texture on the upper; yet, its old-fashioned star chevron logo further assists its outdated look.? Judging from these three sneakers, it is safe to say the sole discoloration is used properly when certain aspects of the shoe are also vintage-like. Check out next page which shows some vintage shoes that we feel do not use the classic characteristics properly.