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Sole Style

Arizona Daily Wildcat

Summer ended a couple of weeks ago, and the default trend of tossing on a pair of flip-flops and cruising to class will soon be out of season.

So forget about those lingering mid-term exams. The crucial issue is what to wear while walking around campus. More importantly, what will students wear once the winter of our discontent finally arrives?

University of Arizona students have mixed reactions. Some, while wearing more popular shoes, thought that donning the name brands isn't very important and that shoe styles don't have a direct effect on the outfit a person chooses.

Alexis Schierman, a UA accounting and finance junior wearing platform slides, said "smelling good is more important than shoes are."

In addition, other students felt that sacrificing name brands for generic styles wasn't that bad. Some said that as long as the generic footwear was comfortable, there wasn't any sacrifice involved.

Claire Wheatcroft, a UA microbiology junior wearing Adidas, said "generic styles look the same as the other brands."

Other students disagree with Wheatcroft and Schierman, saying they believe that shoes are an important facet of fashion sense. Wearing quality footwear that is in good condition reflects that the bearer not only has good taste but also that money is not an object for the individual.

These students considered name-brand shoes to be a necessity, and said that there could be no substitute for pricey fashion.

Ronell Johnson, a communication junior wearing Nikes, said "shoes are the most important part of fashion, mainly because they're the first thing women look at."

As far as substituting generic styles for name brands, Johnson said "you get what you pay for. If you buy cheap shoes they won't last as long as say, a pair of Jordans, and they're ugly."

Some of the more popular styles on campus are: Adidas, Nike, Reef, New Balance, DC, K Swiss, Timberland, Sauconys and Doc Martens. Ranging in price anywhere from $25 to $120, these can be found at most major shoe retailers or outlet stores.

UA-area retailers Landmark and Divaz, both on East University Boulevard near North Euclid Avenue, gave their insight on the shoe issue based on product sales and professional opinion.

Mort Edberg, an owner of Landmark, agreed that shoes are a critical component of style. The best selling brands for his store were popular names like Doc Martens, Timberland and Havana Joe's. These brands sell for $80 to $150 a pair, depending on the style.

"If a generic brand has good quality then buy them. But they never do. For instance, Skechers, even though they may be a popular brand, can't compare to Doc Martens. They are just not as good in quality," Edberg said.

Divaz owners Robert Castle and Kristie Burke both considered shoes to be a very significant part of looking good, and agreed that the wrong shoes can be detrimental to a given outfit.

"There is nothing worse than seeing a girl wearing a black skirt with white shoes," Burke said.

Divaz biggest sellers in shoes are brands like Steve Madden ($42-$100 including boots), Flojos (around $25), and Nine West & Co ($30-$70 including boots).

"Name brand only in shoes. It's better to carry quality name brands and have no returns, then to carry generic brands and have unhappy customers," Castle said.

Never underestimate the power of shoes. They make a massive impact on the success of an outfit, and even define particular styles.

Buying cheaper shoes may conserve money, but may also sacrifice true quality and taste. And there is no substitute for good taste.

Creativity in conserving money with clothes can be a good thing, but in the immortal words generated by the Nike commercials: "It's gotta be the shoes."