Those new to the blog are probably unaware of my devotion to the One Perfect Sneaker, the Converse Jack Purcell. (I still wish I'd bought these.)
I bought the above pair a couple weeks ago on eBay, but when they arrived, they turned out to be the wrong size! (The box was mislabeled. Oh noes!) Luckily the seller (DesignerAthletic) was able to exchange them for me, and my right-sized pair arrived yesterday.
Are they, or are they not, the perfect autumn sneaker? They're teal-frackin'-velvet, people! I am going to wear them with an orange corduroy skirt and a fuzzy brown sweater over a teal t-shirt and be blissfully happy scuffling through the falling leaves.*
*For those readers in Australia, I suggest buying a pair now and waiting to wear them until your autumn.
Oh damn you, Erin! VELVET Jack Purcells??!! Like I haven't spent enough time trolling ebay for vintage patterns, now you get me hooked on shoes like this? Please God, don't tell me they come in green velvet....(I'm a hard core skirt and sneak wearer).
Posted by: sara jane | 09/14/2007 at 10:23 AM
I'm a Chuck Taylor groupie, but I agree that these are lovely!
Posted by: Julie | 09/14/2007 at 10:28 AM
So now I am sucked into this vortex as well.Sigh.I do, indeed, go willingly.
Posted by: TransplantedOkie | 09/14/2007 at 10:44 AM
Are these men's shoes? What size would I wear if I am wearing 8 1/2-9 in womens?Linda
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/14/2007 at 11:37 AM
I bought sneaks similar to these several years ago -- grey velvet beauties. I loved loved loved them, but when I put them on, they were like boats. They were like heavy, ponderous stumps at the ends of my legs.Not the look I was going for.I gave them away, sadly, as I did love the idea of the sneaker. Just not the execution.
Posted by: Deirdre | 09/14/2007 at 11:52 AM
Erin must wear a smallish size - my women's 10 (see shoe conversion charts for US sizes here: http://www.i18nguy.com/l10n/shoes.html) Jack Purcells are like boats. I agree they're heavy, too. I like them, in theory, but in practice they're my gardening shoes.
Posted by: flea | 09/14/2007 at 12:07 PM
Personally I like these:http://www.asicsamerica.com/onitsukatiger/products/shoes/shoes_detail.asp?gender=womens&productid=240007883I wear sneaks with skirts all the time.
Posted by: ellenbrenna | 09/14/2007 at 12:33 PM
I wear a women's 8.5, but the Purcells run a bit big, I think. So I usually get a men's 6.And yes, they are boatlike, but for me that's part of the appeal. Kind of an "I am Woman, Feel Me Stomp" thing.
Posted by: Erin | 09/14/2007 at 12:36 PM
Those are the Moss Blue/Mink ones, right?
Posted by: lsaspacey | 09/14/2007 at 02:14 PM
Hey, you have readers in New Zealand too! :-D
Posted by: Waimauku | 09/14/2007 at 02:36 PM
Mmmm . . I love velvet and CT's. I do have to admit a fondness for the red/orange/yellow/black flame printed ones I'm wearing right now!
Posted by: Summerset | 09/14/2007 at 03:12 PM
At the Converse web site, you can design your own Jack Purcells. As an experiment, I just designed up a pair in all black with my nick-name embroidered in red on the heel strip - quoted price: $60 US, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. (Granted, you can get some better deals on eBay.)http://www.converse.comWarning: This is a web site with "way cool" navigation (AKA "mystery meat navigation") that drives me nuts. Search for 100679 to see a pair of patchwork Jack Purcells. You can pick the Design Your Own option right from the shopping cart navigation "thingee" .Happy Designing,CMC
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/14/2007 at 03:43 PM
I am in the rehearsal phase of the production "Nunsense", where Sister Robert Anne traditionally wears red Chuck's. Not one to be conventional, I chose a pastel plaid high-top Chuck, which delighted my director and me, since I get to keep 'em after the show. What was even better was they were only 24 buck at Overstock.com. ;)Love the velvet-
Posted by: mickey | 09/14/2007 at 04:28 PM
Do they come in 11WW? Love 'em!
Posted by: Mad Fashionista | 09/14/2007 at 04:47 PM
I'd like to see some pictures of dresses and skirts with sneakers. I can never pull that off, and I always end up favoring the sneakers and putting on jeans. The new (to me at least) ballet flat style shoes has become my answer. Old Navy has a ton that are sooo adorable and cheap enough to buy a pair for every dress. :)
Posted by: Karen | 09/14/2007 at 05:32 PM
What size do you wear? Email me. I have a pair in mustard in a size 9.
Posted by: lucitebox | 09/14/2007 at 05:52 PM
Hi! I found your blog a couple weeks ago, and I'm lovin' it! If you didn't have any, now you have at least one brazilian fan :)I found this link today, don't know if you have seen it yet, 'people's magazine ten best dresses of 2007'. Hope you like it!( http://www.people.com/people/package/gallery/0,,20055119_20056265,00.html )
Posted by: Rina Pri =) | 09/14/2007 at 10:41 PM
Oh I don't know about waiting until Autumn, it's 10-19C in Perth today... pretty good sneaker weather.
Posted by: Lizza | 09/15/2007 at 12:08 AM
Thank you for the flashback to my youth. I used to burn through four or five pair of Jack Purcells a year playing tennis. I didn't realize that they still made these.
Posted by: Ellen | 09/15/2007 at 06:13 AM
Converse, any Converse, is great, although I'm more of a Chuck Taylor person myself. Oddly enough, I wear Converse because I have very narrow (and small, men's 4) feet. Perhaps Chuck Taylors tend to be narrower that Jack Purcells...Anyway, hooray for sneakers!
Posted by: Ari | 09/15/2007 at 03:34 PM
I DID buy the Liberty Jack Purcells. (I'm a Liberty fan.) And...they're slightly too small. Grrrr! I wore them for a day before I figured it out, also, so I couldn't return them. The kill my feet after an hour or so, but they're so beautiful. Because of all the rubber, you can't stretch them like you would leather shoes. Anyone know a way to make them a little bigger? BTW, I love those teal velvet ones, but I've learned my lesson.
Posted by: Pencils | 09/15/2007 at 05:55 PM
This has nothing to do with sneakers BUT if you go to the Vogue PAttern site - you can get a free pattern JUST for visiting. You have to click on a pattern and put it in your cart. If it's free it will tell you. You just pay shipping. I found V2858 - only $3 for shipping! Free PATTERN!
Posted by: theresa | 09/15/2007 at 06:22 PM
I love ballerina flats. And now they come in so many fun colors and patterns! Never been a sneaker girl myself. The swingy corduroy skirt for fall? Love it.
Posted by: Marjie | 09/15/2007 at 07:05 PM
Speaking of ballerina flats, have you seen the new Purcell "dance" flats? They look like ballerina flats, but are Jack Purcells...sort of. They're on the Converse site, in the Purcell area, check them out. Wonder if they're comfy? Recently Converse came out with Chuck Taylors cut out to look like espadrilles, with long laces to tie around. I liked them, but never could find any in my size.
Posted by: Pencils | 09/15/2007 at 09:22 PM
I went through two pair of these between the ages of 15 and 19. I loved them and was very sad when I couldn't find a non-platform pair in college. Going to add these to my favorite ebay searches now...
Posted by: ambika | 09/16/2007 at 12:23 AM