Every year the emergence of spring is signaled, for me, with the acquisition of three new pairs of Vans Canvas Authentics (true white, off white and navy) from the Vans Classics range. Being the workhorse of my summer concert-going, bike-riding, beach-combing days, three pairs won’t get me all the way through, but its a symbolic start to long days of warm weather adventures. Vans recently launched a feature on its website that lets you celebrate and share your Classic Tales with the world. It’s a time capsule of your trip to Austin (above) or that perfect summer afternoon in NYC (below). All you need to do is upload a photo of your Vans Classics, submit your Classic Tale and that adventure will be forever immortalized. [Vans Classic Tales]
I love the classics but I was wondering to myself the other day, do I look like a teenager when I wear these? Really what I was thinking was are these shoes giving off the impression that I want. I think that the white and navy are here to stay but maybe my bright red with black laces shouldn’t see too much face time. What do you think?
Get a pair of Chukka’s or some Checkerboard Slip-ons.
This guy blows through three pair of shoes a summer? I know they’re not that durable but damn…
For whatever reason, I get my shoes super dirty and I like to keep em fresh and clean. Which is why I go through them so fast. Plus, NYC is dirty.
When I was a kid and wore these, I used to just wash them when they got really dirty. I mean, these aren’t your selvedge jeans so you could just wash them. Then you could be all middle class and everything.
4 pairs of vans lasted me 4 years all year around (in LA.) Washing them helps, but it hastens the sidewalls to delaminate. For that reason my Vans days are over. No more canvas sneakers without sidewall stitches.
At least you get a summer thats over 3 pairs of Vans long, in London you dare not wear them outside of August for fear of getting trench foot…
@Michael – I know you’re in LA a lot. Will you and yours Vans be making it to Coachella this year?
My Vans and I will be in LA next week, but I don’t think at Coachella. I didn’t love it last year so I think I’m going to stay away.
So what do you do with your 3 pairs after summer? I get a new pair about every year, but continue to wear my old ones, holes and all. I’d love to take your scraps. Seems a little wasteful to me.
I keep wearing them after summer (until they die) and then I restart in the spring.
Before even reading this article, I have to comment: Thank you so much for disclosing sponsorship in a way that is both obvious and still in keeping with the overall look of the site. Lovely.
As a web designer, I love to see this sort of stuff implemented in a sensible way.
Nice post MW
I agree with Jacob
Still don’t get why Vans puts ridiculously long laces in their shoes. Hate the look of long laces on a low top sneaker.
i practically live in vans. at least, they are the sneaker brand i own the most of. red/black check slip ons are the far and away favorite. but i own a couple pair of old schools too, and a sweet pair of vans vault mexican blanket slip ons from a few years ago. i spent 3 weeks on the road in my ’54 ford last summer, and 2 of the 3 pair of shoes on the road with me were vans. ahhh, summer. and vans.
After 31 years of life I finally bought a pair of vans. I had always been a Chucks guy, but the classics might be my favorite shoes of all time! So much i went and bought a second pair already, one off white, one blue. Since it’s early i don’t have a tale but I suppose i will by the end of summer.
As to their laces, I ditch them and put in leather boot laces. The final look is super sharp and more grown up looking.
with regard to Bonchance’s comment above…
“No more canvas sneakers without sidewall stitches.”
would anyone be kind enough to suggest nice/cool canvas sneakers with sidewall stitching?
thanks in advance!
Michael, I noticed you said that you bought white, off white, and black blue, but the black blue color isn’t listed on the vans website. did you mean navy?