Nike Air Yeezys are kinda fly, kinda not

As a huge sneakerhead and lover of Kanye West’s mashup fashion sense (which somehow manages to be retro, futuristic, gangster, hipster and classy all at once), I’ve been pretty pumped about Nike’s Air Yeezys for at least a minute. I’m the type of person that regularly salivates over new shoe releases on sneakerfiles.com or sneakerfreaker.com or sneakernews.com or any other iteration of sneaker and freshness followed by a dot com, but I hardly ever do any real purchasing. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, and most importantly, the footgear I usually fiend for is uneconomical. Obviously I would love to drop a few Franklins on a pair of some Marty McFly-lookin’ kicks, but I can’t. Secondly, being that I’m a lady, my gentle little feet don’t fit into mens’ sizes unless it’s a seven and I’m having a lucky day width-wise. I like plenty of womens’ shoes (in fact, these Vandals are easily one of my favorite pairs), but there is definitely a dearth of fly sneaks for ladies.

Consequently, the Air Yeezys are not something I truly consider ordering. But thought experiments are being conducted at all hours of the day in this brain about the crazy and galvanizing shoe. I just don’t know if I love them. If you don’t know what the Yeezys look like, or anything about them, I’ll pause for you to read this. The hype for this shoe is absolutely insane. I think they look pretty great on Kanye. They’re just theatrical enough to complement his ego but also grounded enough by the Nike brand to seem plausible for nonmoon traipsing.

Let’s consider the specifics of the design, though. There’s something bothersome about the thickness of that strap. Too thick. Looks like an element from a robot child’s wardrobe. And for at least two of the colorways (the zen gray/light charcoal and black/black-pink) the strap texture is puckered and tacky. The colorways in general are unique, which is cool I guess, but none of them really blow me away (save for that glow-in-the-dark, as-yet unavailable design). And Kanye’s insistence on pink interiors is troubling for me, especially when it’s paired with the black exterior. I like to stay away from colorways that remind me of Hot Topic garments.

Basically the Yeezys are kind of ugly. They’re bulky and extravagant and sorta look like the shoe equivalent of a Trapper Keeper, but sometimes that means freshness. And I think I want them.

• Sat 21st
  • Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
    
    All day
  • John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
    
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• Sun 22nd
  • Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
    
    All day
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  • John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
    
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• Mon 23rd
  • Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
    
    All day
  • John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
    
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  • John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
    
    All day
• Tue 24th
  • Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey
    
    All day
  • John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
    
    All day
  • John Pfahl, Altered Landscapes
    
    All day