Alison Trebilco from Smiths Sports Shoes. Photo/John Borren
Want to be proper cool? Then ditch the heels in favour of trainers this summer, advises Annemarie Quill
When it comes to footwear, everyone wants to be like the cool kids and the sports shoe industry is seeing a growth in demand for lifestyle shoes.
And while typically these lifestyle shoes, by the likes of Nike and Converse, were adopted as streetwear by the "street" fashion scene, they are now becoming mainstream with everyone from teenagers to grandmothers sporting the Nike swoosh or coloured converse.
Bruce Trebilco has owned Smiths Sports Shoes on Grey Street for more than 14 years, with wife Alison, and over that time he has seen the sports shoe emerge into both a functional shoe and a fashion item.
"In the last eighteen months in particular we have definitely seen a rise in demand for sports shoes as fashion statements - in fact, this is a huge growth area in the sports shoe industry, what we call the performance/lifestyle shoe - that is, shoes that you can use for activity but also wear every day."
Trebilco says that the Nike Free range and Converse fall firmly into this category. With models in sneakers adorning the catwalks, the trend has filtered down to the everyday and Trebilco says white converse are popular among females wearing both with jeans and dresses. This year Trebilco says he has sold "thousands" of Converse shoes.
The Nike Free range is also popular with everyone from children to teens to older people up to their 70s.
"In the Nike Free range, the black with the white stripe has been very popular with both sexes, but we've also had demand for the very bright statement colours."
Trebilco says other shoe brands are recognising the growth in the category and launching their own lifestyle shoes. "New Balance, for example. These were traditionally a very technical sports-focused brand but they're branching out into the lifestyle shoe, too."
Trebilco says he expects Under Armour shoes to take off in New Zealand.
"In the States, this brand is rivalling Nike. Their shoes are entering New Zealand and I think they will be very popular."
When looking to purchase a shoe, a buyer should consider a number of factors, he says. The shoe's function "Ask yourself what you need the shoe for, what will you be using it for. If you are just running, there will be particular shoes that suit. If doing a lot of weights, you would need a stable shoe. Or you might be mainly doing gym classes.
"So that is the first thing we discuss with people." The right fit "We offer a free in-store video analysis in which we video people walking and running. Then we blow it up on the screen and talk them through it. It helps us understand how they move and what will suit them.
"And of course measuring and fit is a big part of choosing the right shoe."
Indulge asked podiatrist Rikki Ringrose for some tips buying sports shoes. Ringrose is the podiatrist at Aspire Health and Sports, as well as at Food Mechanics in Mount Maunganui.
1 What key things should people look for in choosing a sports shoe to work out in? Comfort and fit are a big factor in picking the right shoe, as well as some cushioning with varied levels of support dependant on your biomechanics and injury history. If in doubt, it can pay to get a quick check-up with an experienced professional.
2 If a person is mainly doing classes, what is a good all-round shoe? A good cross trainer would usually be sufficient. Some classes can have some fairly heavy loading through the lower limb and a good shoe should have the required cushioning and support to combat this. Keeping it fairly lightweight is usually important, too, as you don't want to be clunking around the class or tripping over yourself.
3 And if doing a lot of running? One big factor is the surface you are running on, whether this be on treadmill, road, trail or grass - this will influence what type of outer sole you'll need on your shoe. The key here is there is never one shoe that will suit everyone. Again, comfort, fit and your biomechanics dictate which shoe will suit you along with your level of activity. When running, the forces going through the foot are increased hugely and therefore the importance of the shoe technology increases. The weight of the shoe is also a factor as even a small increase in weight can really add up to using a lot more energy, while having good flex around your toes is key to efficient propulsion. If in doubt, it's always good to get yourself assessed by someone with experience in running footwear. Trying on several different shoes with your required support levels and going with the most comfortable is usually a safe bet.
4 What if you're lifting weights? Something comfortable with a fair amount of cushioning to cope with the increased load and ground reaction forces from the firm gym floor. In general, the shoe does not need as much support or forefoot flex as a running shoe while movements should be well controlled, creating less likelihood for lower limb stress and injury.
5 How does wearing the right shoe protect you from injury? It can reduce problematic levels of tissue stress by decreasing the load on different structures in the lower limb through cushioning and support which can reduce the likelihood for injury.
6 What are the most common injuries/complaints if you don't wear the right shoes? Numbness in toes is quite common if the shoe is incorrectly fitted. The most common complaints I see from poor selection in shoes is heel pain, arch pain, shin pain, Achilles pain and knee pain.
The details Smiths Sports Shoes is at the indulge Outlet Sale in association with Aspire Health and Sports When: Saturday, October 10. Doors open to the public at ASB Arena 10am-4pm. How: $5 entry. Pre-purchase tickets at bayofplentytimes.co.nz Grab a bargain on tickets: indulge has a great combo offer to attend all three indulge events in October - indulge Speaker Collective (October 7), indulge Bay Model (October 9), and indulge Outlet Sale (October 10). Attend all three of these events for just $40