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High Heels Losing to Sneakers in Popularity


Steve63130

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This article is from the Trade Journal Footwear News, and it's not good news for the industry, but it might be a buying opportunity for bargain hunters:

Steve

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https://footwearnews.com/2018/business/news/heels-sneakers-resale-data-thredup-1202573604/

JUN 13, 2018 2:44PM PT

Women Are Choosing Sneakers Over High Heels — And the Proof Is Mounting

Alfredo Martinez heels.
CREDIT: JASON JEAN

Spring cleaning is all about out with the old, in with the new, and for 2018, women seem to be in agreement: high heels are old and sneakers are new.

Resale site ThredUp analyzed data from December 2017 to May 2018, and found that the last three months in particular have seen a significant uptick in activity surrounding footwear sales. Since March, it’s seen a 38 percent increase in the number of heels sent in by sellers, with Kenneth Cole, Guess, and Jessica Simpson leading the pack among brands that experienced the highest “purge surge,” as the site calls the phenomenon.

Shoppers, meanwhile, are adding more sneakers to their carts. In the same period, sneaker sales soared 46 percent, the site found, with demand spread amongst a mix of both athletic and fashion-geared brands. (Here, Keds, Dr. Scholl’s, and Asics came up on top in terms of growth.) The trend toward tossing one’s stilettos — or rather, shipping them off for someone else to wear — is evident in the site’s overall inventory, too: it currently has 11,862 pairs of heels for sale, compared to 3,184 pairs of sneakers.

This data backs up recent findings from market research firm NPD Group, which reported that sales of high heels fell 12 percent in 2017, at the same time that the women’s leisure sneaker category grew 37 percent to hit $2.3 billion.

The movement embracing comfort, it seems, is here to stay.

 

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I’ve read similar articles. Bear in mind that fashions are like sine curves, forever oscillating. I doubt very much heels will go the way of ruffs and powdered wigs.

Edited by Shyheels
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Sad to think of a world without heels being seen - there have been fewer and fewer opportunities to see them being worn.  They used to be the staple of the female wardrobe only a short period of time ago.  Sneakers, athletic, flip-FLOPS, and UGGS  are just that...flops and uggs.

 

 

Just a bit higher to to delight - low enough for healthy foot comfort and great beginning.

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I'm afraid sneakers (usually called 'trainers'' in this country), took over 'my' city many years ago. I rarely see a woman in heels, and those that do occasionally wear them seem limited to about 2". 

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Whilst I don't debate the findings of this current trend I would remind everyone that the attraction of this site isn't about what is popular rather about what is unique and individual. The world has seen a trend toward casual wear although I think the trend has gone a bit far as I have seen people dressed way to casually in places like church and at weddings. Running errands in shorts and flip-flops is one thing but showing up in a house of worship or a wedding dressed that way is a sign common sense has been lost. It is quite possible though that any heel wearer, woman or man, may remind some of a time when more stylish footwear was common. Every trend, no matter how overwhelming it may seem, needs those who buck it. The world would not be the same without them :spin2: HappyinHeels

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You are absolutely right. 

And that is ( one of) the reason why I try to wear the highest heels I can as often as possible. 

In addition of the pleasure of wearing high heel,the look it gives ,it is also my way to look different ,with the risk that goes with 

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This is explained by the streetwear macro movement in fashion.  Streetwear takes it's strategy from IRONY.  Vetements partnered with Champion.  Ironically, a $35 sweatshirt at Amazon became a $1000 sweatshirt.  Ironically, a $17 DHL t-shirt at Amazon became $790 in luxury.  Ironically, a pair of $88 Juicy Couture track pants became $1140 luxury retail track pants.  Vetements shortly thereafter made 100 million € a year.  Ironically, Calvin Klein took road and fire safety references and made them luxury status symbols.  Ironically, Tommy Hilfiger took Formula One references and made them luxury status symbols built into their clothes.  PVH corporation (PVH owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger) stock is soaring now.  Ironically, Virgil Abloh from Off White took a little black dress and put the words "little black dress" on it transforming it into a luxury status symbol.  Ironically,  Balenciaga took basketball, running and track soles and made them status symbols of luxury fashion.  Balenciaga's TripleS sneaker is the best selling unit it's portfolio.  And Kering's stock (the company that owns Balenciaga) is soaring too.  The same goes with Louis Vuittons Archlight sneaker.  It's on back order and sold out.  Dior responded with a slingback with IRONY references on the ankle strap. 

 

The consumers buying these brands perceive IRONY as new and fresh.  Those consumers are Millennials and GenZ.  According to BAIN (clients outperform S&P 500 by 400%), Gen Y and Gen Z drove 85% of luxury market growth last year. 

One could probably easily take a pair of white pumps, print out with Black Helvetica font, "mens heels" on them, and have all the consumers participating in this growth frenzy going "cool!!" (really thinking of doing this myself)

Screen Shot 2018-06-17 at 5.16.19 PM.png

Edited by kneehighs

Feminine Style .  Masculine Soul.  Skin In The Game.

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I'm totally not a photoshop expert, but here's ONE rendering of a Mary Jane pump that would probably work well with the existing IRONY/Streetwear movement in fashion.

MensHeels.jpg

Feminine Style .  Masculine Soul.  Skin In The Game.

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I don't doubt the revenue share of the latest generations. They are making their mark on the economy. I could probably take them even more seriously if they took the economy by storm from outside the cocoon of their parents' homes. :shocked:  HappyinHeels

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4 hours ago, kneehighs said:

I'm totally not a photoshop expert, but here's ONE rendering of a Mary Jane pump that would probably work well with the existing IRONY/Streetwear movement in fashion.

MensHeels.jpg

 

Well I'd wear these !

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  • 1 month later...

My observations are anecdotal, but out west this summer it does seem that I have seen a lot more gals out in tennis or running shoes than ever before. And more guys in sandals. Many times couples will be out and the gal is wearing running shoes and the guy is wearing flip flops.  

As others have commented, styles tend to fluctuate, like the stock market.  

As for us, my wife and I are dedicated sandal wearers, it is summer after all!

Adios..   sf

 

"Why should girls have all the fun!!"

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I liked it better when sandals were the go to shoe.....   I am sure that trend will return, just like paisley prints and bell bottom pants. Still have some of those from my “flashback” days....   ha ha ....

have fun...   sf

"Why should girls have all the fun!!"

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  • 4 weeks later...

Isn't fashion a 20 year cycle?  I remember some fairly outrageous platform shoes in the late 70's and 80's that came back around Y2K.  They'll be back.  Just a matter of time.  The higher heels never completely go away.  It just falls a little from grace.

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To add my two cents worth (adjusted for inflation), my uneducated guess would be that women value comfort over style when it comes to footwear these days. But yeah, fashion is indeed cyclical, so heels aren’t going away.

I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman!

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One certainly does see far, far fewer women wearing killer stilettos these days. I doubt very much if heels in general will vanish from the scene, they are iconic, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the killer stiletto has had its day. 

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I attend the opening days activities for faculty this week and was surprise by how many heels I saw on the women faculty members. Only 1 or 2 higher than mine, but many more than I have seen in past years.  

Over all I see less and less high heels.

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