I’ve always liked going
sneaker shopping with my dad.
We both have good taste
And are honest with each other,
And we’re concerned with sneakers
And that’s it.
He’ll tease me for gravitating towards
Pink sneaks or anything pastel.
I’ll tell him I like pink
Because it looks really good with denim
Because it makes me feel radiant
Because I like it.
I’ve always loved shoes
More than any other piece of clothing.
Sneakers have always been my favorite.
You can get a lot of mileage in them,
You have a variety of styles to choose from,
You feel comfortable.
There have been phases where
I hated how much I loved sneakers.
Ballet flats, heels, mary janes: I should like those.
Girls shouldn’t be into tennis shoes, I thought.
Girls should dress like princesses, I thought.
Girls should be girly.
So I tried wearing “women’s shoes” instead.
I wore Chinese ballet flats that
Would break because my feet aren’t familiar with fragility.
Heels were the absolute worst: Heels gave me blisters, bruises, and bunions,
Heels just aren’t who I am.
Then I realized those liking sneakers
Didn’t make me less of a woman;
Clothing isn’t the gender dictator.
It is the vehicle to drive fashion flare.
It is my presence while walking the streets.
It is my personality while wearing pink sneaks.
I wear sneakers because I have
The power and the freedom to;
It’s on my body so it’s my choice.
Sneakers make me feel free,
Sneakers embody my personality,
Sneakers are who I am.
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