Although my skateboarding skills are subpar, my love for skate shoes and brands far surpasses my physical abilities. Santa Cruz, Thrasher, and Vans products are among the most populous in my drawers as well as the most aesthetically pleasing in my opinion. Not all of these brands are neck and neck with one another in mainstream clothing, though; Vans shirts and shoes are ubiquitous among teenagers and young adults.

However, in more recent times, I have noticed that the number of vans shoes, from slip-on to tie-up, has begun to steadily decline. While the tops and dresses are still frequently on the streets, Vans’ staple item is being pushed out by Nike, Converse, and a variety of smaller brands.

This turn of events has brought me great sadness and disappointment; after my first pair of tie-up checkered Vans became worn out and ripped, I have been searching for the perfect pair. This is not due to the lack of sufficient choices, but rather quite the opposite. Each design, color, and style brings a pop of personality to any outfit, and the huge variety of choices makes it nearly impossible to choose just one.

The vast selection of pre-designed shoes does not even scratch the surface of the possibilities that the Vans brand possesses; the custom option allows individual creativity to take the form of a unique pair of shoes. Inspirational designs are also advertised on the Vans website, allowing ideas to be shared among fans of the company. Creators also drop their own lines within Vans, expanding the choices even further.

With so many options comes the ideal pair for any occasion; some are more casual and fun while others are on the neutral side and step in flawlessly to a professional setting. From simple base colors to superimposed designs on top of mesmerizing checkerboards, each design can be as complex or basic as needed.

Not only are the graphics malleable to the preference of each buyer, but the fits and builds are various beyond most brands. The five styles—sk8-hi, authentic, slip-on, era, and old skool—all offer similar, yet distinct, enticing looks. Despite the fact that I like all five of these, I do have several favorites, those being the old skool and slip-on; however, I think that the authentic give the perfect beach and summer feeling.

Since Vans are so versatile and can be fitting for many settings, I don’t think that these retro resurfaced shoes are going to be fully forgotten any time soon. Nonetheless, after the initial boom in popularity, the numbers naturally have dropped. This is an occurrence with all trends and popular clothing items. 

Thankfully, these timeless shoes likely will fluctuate in popularity for decades to come, seeing surges and recessions. Surely, as technology advances, they will become even more customizable, adding to their popularity. Perhaps this is just wishful thinking, but I firmly believe that Vans are a timeless shoe that will stick around for the time being, and maybe even see another return in another generation.