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I know that Chuck Taylors are considered the most classic sneakers ever, but I can't find any photos of a grown man wearing Chuck taylors in that time. Young JFK wore Chuck Taylors, but he never wore them again after that.
Did people actually wear Chuck Taylors as casual shoes in the 50s and 60s?
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Kids and teens wore them casually.
Public school dress codes relaxed in the 50s, which was the big driver for adoption of the shoe (and other brands of sneaker) among youth.
In the 60s, you might start having more "adult" adopters (probably the kids who wore them in the 50s)... I mean, Mr. Rogers came along in the 60s!
(And why isn't Fred Rogers more of a trad icon?)
DH
Public school dress codes relaxed in the 50s, which was the big driver for adoption of the shoe (and other brands of sneaker) among youth.
In the 60s, you might start having more "adult" adopters (probably the kids who wore them in the 50s)... I mean, Mr. Rogers came along in the 60s!
(And why isn't Fred Rogers more of a trad icon?)
DH
The "Trad" adults of my acquaintance at the time believed that sneakers were for kids and no one needed them after high school. "Physical culturalists" could wear them at the health club for handball etc., but that was about it.
Also, no one needed blue jeans who wasn't a farmer. Adult non-farmers wore shoes and slacks.
The sneakers of that era were crap, offered no support and were commonly believed to cause flat feet (which might prevent you from getting drafted). They would also wear through to your socks in a couple of months in an urban environment.
Chucks were about the most expensive sneakers on the market (about $12 / pair, vs about $8 / pair for Keds IIRC) until Addidas and Pumas came out.
Also, no one needed blue jeans who wasn't a farmer. Adult non-farmers wore shoes and slacks.
The sneakers of that era were crap, offered no support and were commonly believed to cause flat feet (which might prevent you from getting drafted). They would also wear through to your socks in a couple of months in an urban environment.
Chucks were about the most expensive sneakers on the market (about $12 / pair, vs about $8 / pair for Keds IIRC) until Addidas and Pumas came out.
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Indeed, why is the iconic Mr Rogers not a Trad icon? He certainly should be! As for kids and teens wearing Chuck Taylor's casually in the 1950's and 1960's, I regularly wore a pair of Converse Sneakers in the 1950's as "play" shoes and was taught to keep my leather shoes looking good for Church and school wear. By the time I hit the 1960's, I had discovered Beef roll penny loafers and deck shoes and had largely abandoned the Converse sneakers.Kids and teens wore them casually.
Public school dress codes relaxed in the 50s, which was the big driver for adoption of the shoe (and other brands of sneaker) among youth.
In the 60s, you might start having more "adult" adopters (probably the kids who wore them in the 50s)... I mean, Mr. Rogers came along in the 60s!
(And why isn't Fred Rogers more of a trad icon?)
DH
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If by people you mean grown men, no.
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Authentic teenagers wearing Chucks in 1957.
Attachments
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On what appears to be a basketball court.
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I was born in 1953 so I have limited recall of what men wore in the 1950's. I would say that in the 1960's I don't ever remember my father wearing sneakers except when he was playing tennis. (He wore Jack Purcells.)
Come to think of it, I don't remember what he would wear when he was doing physical work around the house; I think that when he was coaching my grammar school track team or various Little League teams he was just wearing dress shoes. I don't recall ever seeing him wear sneakers until the 1980's but I was long out of the house by that time so it could have been earlier.
Come to think of it, I don't remember what he would wear when he was doing physical work around the house; I think that when he was coaching my grammar school track team or various Little League teams he was just wearing dress shoes. I don't recall ever seeing him wear sneakers until the 1980's but I was long out of the house by that time so it could have been earlier.
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On TCM right now is the 1956 movie "Tea and Sympathy" and the lead character - a senior at a border school - is wearing an OCBD, belted-back chinos and, while not Chuck Taylors, what look like similar basic canvas sneakers to hang out in on a Saturday.
![Plant Tree Botany Comfort Grass]()
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Anecdotal story -- my father, who was born in '49, saw my daughter wearing a pair of Converse shoes and said "hey, I had a pair of those as a kid."
That's all I can contribute here.
That's all I can contribute here.
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They're aren 't many things still around of which that can be said. I've got four years on your dad, as a kid drove (my father's) '58 Cadillac. Can't do that anymore, GM put the screws to that in '59. But Chucks, they look the same as when my 16 year-old Chuck clad feet were pressing hard on the pedal of the 'bad ass'est Caddy ever made. I love the Chucks and have worn them continuously throughout my life, the classiest sneak ever made.
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Your brother should have stood his ground. Nike purchased Converse Chuck Taylor in 2003 and has owned them for the past 17 years.
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The fact that very few adults are ads to my perverted sense of caché. I have dozens.
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I just noticed that Converse has started selling an updated version of the Jack Purcell. I'm not sure how long they've been selling these again. But it has a cleaner look than the Chuck.
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Just stumbled upon this Joseph Demers illustration. Couldn't find a date, but it looks '50s to me and he lived from 1910-1984, so '50s could be the period. Not Chuck's, but looks sneakersish to me .
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