I don’t have mine yet, I want them now (but I only just ordered!!). The fab new Chunky sneakers…

This post I want to talk about what is for me a historic new addition to the GuidoMaggi range which makes it possible for the first time to get over 4” (a whole 4.3” which is 11cm) of height into right up-to-the-minute sneakers (or trainers as we call them in the UK). I am getting a pair, I only just ordered them so don’t have them yet, but I will let you know my experiences once I do.

For me this is the most important development in my footwear for several years, really since I hooked onto elevators five/six years ago. And let me tell you why.

Sneakers are almost ‘obligatory’!

I run club and party nights as a profession and sneakers are pretty standard wear. In fact at times (for example when I run summer nights and parties in a regular trip to a very hot country), sneakers are just almost obligatory. And one thing I ALWAYS wanted was to be able to choose from a range of good FASHIONABLE sneakers and add mega height without shoving as much lift into standard brands as possible. Uncomfortable and really tricky to finesse and pull off, shoving socks into the usual ones, especially with shorts etc.

When I was in my late teens/early 20s, flared pants and jeans were all the range in the UK and Europe (c mid 2000s) and these really helped you to add massive height under all that long loose fitting flare – skintight at the top and wide flared at the bottom. But when the trend went, aaaargh, it was time to get real about the height addition. That major negative development was therefore countered when I discovered GuidoMaggi and its elevators – one door closes and another opens, as they say.

 Ultra fashionable

And then BANG. Along now have come the Giant range of superb 90s-influenced currently ultra-fashionable chunky sneakers. 13 in the range, lucky for me.

I liked some of the other earlier ones but these in the Chunky range are just 100% tailor made for my kind of style and look – and they add enough height for me to make it a good investment.

Trend is here to stay

If you look at the way the chunky or big or ugly sneaker came back, it was pretty fast for guys – Balenciaga and others threw them down the runway and everyone wanted them. Those minimalist sneakers of not so long ago are fine but there is beauty in the big beasts. The trend is here for a while and so this has been the first time that I can say sneakers and elevators and fashion have meshed perfectly for me.

I have an instinct when it comes to stuff like sneakers and I suspect most people into them and who swear by them as the best footwear share this gut feel as to whether something is right or not. And these feel just right.

For me, the knack with adding elevators to sneakers is that the styling is just so important – sneakers are a fashion trend and major statement by the wearer (whether this is admitted or not) with so many subdivisions and worship of branding: sneakers with height addition have to take this into account big time. In other areas of footwear it is more varied and less brand driven.

The amazing thing about them generally is that if you look at many on the market they look like they add height anyway – what better way of disguising 4.3” (11cm) of added height?

So now I await my own ones, the Giant Cougars, and will give a full report…