Many readers may be thinking that it is against a tradition as old as sneakers themselves. Since sneakers were shoes worn on croquet lawn by members of high society, they have often been a crisp white, as a marker of status. They showed everyone you could afford to own a pair of shoes that weren’t dirty. And since then, this ideology has remained a constant in the sneaker space, until the present day when rappers often make the news for only wearing their white Air Force 1’s once before chucking them. But just because this is, and has been the case, it doesn’t mean it has to be. Maybe you’ve just bought a grail off of WOOVIN, and you don’t want to get it ruined. Let me try and tell you why getting your shoes dirty is what it’s all about.

Image: Nike

Firstly, if you are going to spend your money on a lovely pair of shoes, you need to make the most of
them. And when you do, you don’t want to live with the stress of making sure you aren’t getting them
dirty or creased. Eventually, you will come to the same realization that I did, that it is better to rock what
you want when you want. The weather is out of your control, so wear your shoes and accept the
consequences.

Secondly, any sneakerhead knows that their shoes are an extension of themselves. So how would you like to introduce yourself? As someone who doesn’t go outside often, and is careful to stay in their comfort zone? If that’s the case, then feel free to continue keeping your shoes white and crisp. But if that isn’t you, why don’t you want to show that in the shoes you wear? If you are adventurous, spontaneous and like to get your hands dirty, let your feet reflect that.

Image: SepRun

Lastly and most importantly, if scars look cool, then scuffs do too. Sure, when Buggin Out had his shoes
stepped on in Do The Right Thing, it was a major point of anger for him and was a relatable situation for
many of us. But looking back at that moment, it’s become iconic in the sneaker world, to the extent that
people have been adding matching scuffs to their own Air Jordan 4’s in tribute, and Jordan even
released an official version with the added scuff. We are meant to believe that one scuff ruined the
aesthetic of the shoe, but it is now understood as something that tells a story. It makes your shoes
unique. Scuffs really do add character to your shoes and are a device we can use to remember moments of our lives. So why not? Go out into the world and get your sneakers dirty.