Information and commentary from people who care about chucks.
Information and commentary from people who care about chucks.
Converse has just announced some additions to its seasonal color line up of chucks for this spring. New arrivals in both high top and low cut models include Apricot Agate, Ceramic Teal, Champagne, and Ghost. They are all pastel colors with apricot Agate a light orange, Ceramic Teal a light blue-green, Champagne a light pink, and Ghost a light purple. These are in additional to Coast Blue, Laser Orange, Peony Pink, Snorkel Blue, and Wolf Grey announced in January. Their current practice in manufacturing seasonal colors now means that every high top pair comes a black and white ankle patch, and black racing stripes. The low top pairs have license plate logo squares in black and white sewn on their tongues.
Apricot Agate and Ceramic Teal seasonal high top chucks.
Also announced are high tops in Amazon Green, a bright green shade, and Japanese Eggplant, which is a dark purple color. Last season Amazon Green low tops were in the seasonal mix, but not the high top model, most likely due to manufacturing issues. Converse has reissued several low cut models, Coastal Pink. Desrt Khaki, Light Redwordd, Stellar Indigo, and Storm Pink. If you see a particular seasonal color you like, we suggest you buy it right away if you can. Most likely you can get them on sale due to our current economic situation, but do remember that these colors and models are usually one time only issues. That’s why some of the earlier seasonal models, especially the returning ones, are no longer available. You can see the other new models on our Shoe Outlook page, one of our About Chucks features.
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We are living in scary times. With Coronavirus Covid 19 sending the world into a global pandemic, many must stay at home to help flatten the curve and keep the disease from spreading. This has led to a lot of people having a vast amount of down time while they practice social distancing. You may be asking yourself what is there to do once you’ve binge watched those shows you’ve put off, and caught up on your housekeeping? Well if you’ve got on your favorite pair of chucks, there’s still plenty to do while also making sure you’re staying safe.
Social distancing can take its toll but it’s what is needed right now.
Social distancing does not necessarily mean you have to stay indoors. You can still go outside to exercise, walk your dog, and get vital services, etc. So as long as you keep a safe distance from others, lace up those chucks and go for a run or walk around your local park. Chucks are also the perfect shoe for weightlifting and aerobic exercises, so you can also get a sweat indoors. This is the perfect time to work on yourself physically and mentally. The days are getting longer and with the isolation of quarantine, it’s important to make sure you’re staying mentally fit by continuing to engage with friends over the phone and online. So wear your chucks proudly as you help flatten the Coronavirus curve. Remember to wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick, and to practice social distancing. Together, we’ll get through this pandemic, and back to wearing our chucks together out in the world.
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In collaboration with SiKK Magazine, a student-founded collective out of Washington D.C., Converse has produced the “I Stand For” Chuck Taylor All Star high top. The shoe design came out of a two day seminar held with magazine staff and Converse shoe designers. SiKK Magazine’s mission is “to highlight Black creativity freshly and positively, to inspire other Black artists to believe in and follow their creative passions, and to educate about and advocate for the expansion of Black people in all fields of art.”
Students wearing I Stand For high top chucks that they have customized; shoe closeup.
The sneaker has a white bottom half and a black upper half, with the words “I Stand For” printed in white lettering. The shoe also has other black and white features, including the racing stripes, outer foxing, and ankle patch. Each shoe is completed with a yellow interior, heel patch star, and outer sole. Included with your purchase is a black marking pen, so you can print the causes dear to you on the bottom half of each sneaker. You also get a SiKK sticker. “I Stand For” Chuck Taylor All Star high tops retail for $60. This is a great idea, but not a new one. People have been scribbling on their chucks ever since they came out with white rubber foxing and toe caps.
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Converse is encouraging you to show off your favorite basketball team’s colors with a pair of customized high top chucks. These customized pairs allow you to choose the color for the canvas upper, both inside and out, the color of the binding at their top and on the tongues, the heel stripes, the inside lining, the ankle patch design, the color of the rubber sidewalls, their shoelace color, the color of their eyelets, and the name of your team embroidered onto the outside canvas. You even get a keychain with your name on it. The picture shows an example of one of these Rep Your Team pairs, made in red, blue, and green. These pairs cost $75.
Angled side and top views of one Rep Your Team high top design.
You do have another option that is less expensive. Depending on your team’s colors, get a core or seasonal high top in one of your team’s colors, and a pair of shoelaces in the second color. This is something that has been done for decades by people who like wearing chucks. No matter what you decide to do and despite all the cancellations due to the pandemic, you can still show your support for your favorite team by staying laced in a pair of customized chucks this year.
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The US Converse Company has recently offered a line of chucks for sale designed and made for the Italian Converse Company. There are 39 different models of Chuck Taylors and Chuck 70s for sale. While fourteen of the models are meant for women only, the other 25 are unisex, meant for everyone to wear. Women’s models include platform high tops and low tops, sherpa upper, leopard and metallic rainbow print high tops.
Red reconstructed and obsidian floral print high tops.
Unisex models include three reconstructed chucks issues in red, black, and white. These feature a normal looking high top back that is cut off midway and fused onto an altered front. There are a number of printed canvas upper models like the obsidian blue floral print high top shown above and a culture weave Chuck 70. Other models include plaids and artistic prints. A popular embroidered model is now sold out.
White and aqua double upper high top with black trim.
This line of Italian designed chucks also includes the return of the double upper high top. There are three models in the series, the white and aqua shown above, a black, gold, and red model, and a black, grey, and white model. If you want a new look for the spring, check these chucks out.
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The two most popular models of classic high top chucks are now available in a wider width. Chucks have always been made in just one width, D, which is meant for a medium width foot, which most people have. But now you can purchase a black or optical white high top pair of chucks in a wider (E) width. Both models look the same as their standard width counterparts and the price differential is only five dollars, currently $55 for standard width chucks and $60 for wide width chucks.
Black and Optical White high top chucks are now available in wide widths.
You can also purchase black or optical white low top chucks in wide widths. The price for those pairs is $55.
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Who do you love? A boyfriend? Girlfriend? Maybe a family member? What about yourself? As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is in the air. However, while many find this time of year intoxicating and a chance to express your love for others, many struggle with loneliness and with self-love. With hearts and flowers everywhere you look, it can be hard to find love for yourself while being alone. With that in mind, Converse has created their “Love Fearlessly” Collection because “in a world where finding validation and love externally is the standard, Converse will celebrate the power of loving yourself first”.
(L) The Love Fearlessly line of Chuck Taylors and Chuck 70’s features a wide variety of designs and colors.
(R) The details on these chucks remind us all to love ourselves this Valentine’s season.
The Love Fearlessly Collection features a wide array of different styles of Chuck Taylors and Chuck 70s, coming in both unisex, women’s, and kid’s sizes. The colorways included range from classic black to bold pinks. Each different pair of chucks has unique details, such as mini hearts and positive messages both on the inside and outside of the shoe. These shoes vary in price, with the kids’ chucks coming between $25-$40, the Chuck Taylors between $40-$70, and the Chuck 70s between $80-$95. The collection also features four different hoodies, coming in red, black, and pink designs. The hoodies all cost $65, but only come in women’s sizes. This whole collection is an outward way to express your self confidence and belief in yourself this season, and can help instill confidence if you’re lacking it. So love fearlessly this Valentine’s season, love those around you, and most importantly, love yourself because you deserve it.
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Cargo chucks were a special model of the high top Chuck Taylor released in the 1990s. Now with Converse re-releasing a lot of their older designs, these sneakers are back in two new models. These high tops have a small side pocket with a buttoned flap, actually a metal snap, on the outside upper of each shoe. The side pockets are great if you are hiking or walking around and don’t want to have loaded pants pockets. They are just the right size for some folded bills or a few coins, or a house or car key. The inside uppers have a black and white Chuck Taylor ankle patch. The outer soles are black and the inner lining features a camouflage print. The new models are called Side Pocket chucks.
Cypress green and khaki side pocket chucks.
One other difference is that side pocket chucks no longer have the words “All Star” on the pocket flaps, relying on the heel and ankle patches to display those words. The new models come in cypress green or khaki uppers with white shoelaces, black racing stripes, and bright white foxing and toe caps. They retail for $65.00. Click here to view a photo gallery of cypress green and khaki side pocket chucks.
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For 2020, Converse has reintroduced a line of dinosaur themed chucks for kids. Called “dinoverse”, there are fifteen models that you can chose from, in toddler and youth sizes. The sneakers have a number of distinct features, some of which are the same as their previous issues a number of year ago. They feature plaid print uppers, a special Dinoverse ankle patch on the outside of the high top models, in addition to the regular Chuck Taylor ankle patch, a dinoverse print insole, and dinosaur footprints on the outer soles. The grey plaid model feature neon yellow, red, and blue dinosaurs with white shoelaces and black racing stripes. The white plaid model has red, green, gold, and blue dinosaurs with red shoelaces and racing stripes. These come in low top top models in a hook and loop or velcro strap design. Addionally, there is an interstellar print design on close out.
Inside patch view of a grey Dinoverse high top, and outside view of a white Dinoverse high top.
For kids who want a more conventional upper, there is a black high top model that has yellow spikes on the ankle support and a hook and loop design (an upper strap at the top and a loop on the rear of each shoe). This design is also available in a low top design.
Inside patch view of a black Dinoverse high top.
There is also the optional to make a custom designed dinoverse shoe from a choice of six different background colors: black, pink, white print, plain white, aqua, and green.
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Couples have been getting married in pairs of chucks for a long time now. Back when this site first opened over two decades ago, it was considered a big deal to wear sneakers at what has always been a tradionally formal occasion. We have posted several articles on about this (you can see them in our Articles section). Over the years, wedding parties wearing chucks has become more and more common as young couples discard uncomfortable formal footwear for their favorite pairs of chucks. Now finally Converse has recognized this trend by releasing three low models in white, black and red meant for weddings. Perhaps the right idea, but rather limiting considering what is available in the complete world of chucks.
A bride wearing optical white high tops with a groom in black high top chucks.
If wearing low top chucks is your thing, then go ahead and wear them, although there is no special need to buy a wedding pair, when any new standard pair will do. And many couples prefer to sport their favorite pairs of high tops, like the couple in the photo above. And you shouldn’t necessarily limit yourself to a few core colors when there are all kinds of seasonal models in a wide variety of colors that will match or complement the dress of your wedding party. A new pair of chucks for each member of your wedding party makes a great gift that can be worn for a long time afterwards.
This wedding party is wearing blue flames high tops.
There is a third alternative if you want to maintain a formal look, but still wear chucks. Choose either black or white monochrome pairs for your wedding party. You can get them in either leather or canvas uppers, and they look great with tuxedos and wedding dresses. You can polish the leather chucks to a bright sheen just like any dress shoe. And your feet will be comfortable all through the service and the partying afterwords.
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Converse has come out with a new seasonal line of chucks that takes the traditional high and low models and twists their design to come up with what they call Converse Twisted. The line of sneakers features the work of six young designers, called the Changemakers, who are “using art—and activism—to inspire progress.” One of the models is called Logo Play CPX70 and comes in two color combinations, black and white, with a little patch of jaguar pattern on the outside upper, and Egret/White/University Red with brief touches of light blue on the ankle patch and middle racing stripe. The main twists in this model have to do with redesign of the ankle area of the shoe, and the separation of the foxing into three distinct sections. Other features of the CPX70 include rubber cupsoled made from classic chucks and other Converse model outsole designs, spliced ankle patches with mixed archival brand designs, and an injected molded nylon shank for added support.
The Changemakers modeling their Converse Twisted designs.
Another model set in the twisted series is the Logo Play Chuck Taylor All Star, which comes in red, black, or white high tops, and in a white low top. The high tops feature stacked ankle patches and a doubled up toe bumper indicated by red, blue, or black trim. In the case of the low top model, the Converse All Star license plate logos that you normally see at the top of the tongues and stacked up on the ankle support just above the heel patch, and a red trim to show off the double toe bumper. Other models in the twisted line include a platform low top, a twisted prep chuck 70, a varsity remix, and a cut-and-sew remix of classic chucks.
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Converse has announced Chuck Taylor seasonal color models for 2020. The new chucks come in high top, low top, and platform low models. New colors available in all three models include Peony Pink and Wolf Grey. Snorkel Blue, Laser orange, and Coast Blue are available in high and low tops. Ocean Mist is available in high top and platform low, while Cypress Green is only available in low top.
Coast Blue and Laser Orange high tops.
Returning high top seasonal colors for 2020 include Bright Crimson, Polar Blue, Midnight Turq, Golden Poppy, Hyper Royal, Barely Rose, Bold Citron, Aphid Green, Light Zitron, Lemon Chrome, and Maroon. Returning low top seasonal colors are Particle Beige, Golden Poppy, Orange Rind, Turbo Green, Lilac Mist, Mineral Teal, Pink foam, Violet Ash, Barkroot Brown, Ridgerock Brown, Strawberry Jam, Bleached Aqua, and Maroon.
Midnight Turq high top chuck, Obsidian Chuck 70 high top.
All of these Chuck 70 colors are returning in both high and low top: Black, Magic Flamingo (pink), Mason (Grey), Parchment, White, and Sunflower. Added to the collection is Obsidian, a black/green shade also available in high and low top. There all also three leather models, Rose Maroon and White high tops, and Black low tops. You can see photos of all these models on the Chucks Outlook page.
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PrimaLoft is a brand of patented synthetic microfiber thermal insulation material that was developed for the United States Army in the 1980s. Converse has combined a thin layer of primaloft with netted ripstop nylon to create a thermal upper for two winter models of their Chuck 70 line. The sneakers feature a gradient coloring on the uppers: Quartz rose blends into yellow and rich maroon hues; royal blue fades to capri turquoise and white. They also have additional cushioning for comfort.
Royal Blue Primaloft Chuck 70s showing a closeup of the netted upper and an angled side view.
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As we move into a new decade, the third for The ChucksConnection, we will continue to keep you informed about the latest releases of chucks, along with the presence of chucks in films, television shows, the news media, and in music videos. We will continue to make photo galleries of chucks and people wearing chucks, and provide you with tips and information about their care and wear. Whenever possible, we will try to answer your questions about chucks, and appreciated any tips about their presence in visual and print media.
What new models and colors will come out in 2020?
Happy New Year from The ChucksConnection.
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This past year, Converse has issued a record number of new models, some new designs and patterns from Converse, and others in partnership with fashion designers. We have reported on a number of these new Chck 70 issues on this page and will continue to do so. As a result, sales of the Chuck 70 line in the past year have surged enough to affect the bottom line for its parent company Nike in a very positive way. We have posted an article from Yahoo Finance editor Brian Sozzi on this topic.
Some of the original Chuck 70 issues.
The Converse company continues to push the Chuck 70 line, as they retail $15 to $30 more than the standard Chuck Taylor. As long as they continue to make authentic core and seasonal color chucks this is okay. It would be nice to see a Chuck 70 that is a reproduction of the Chuck Taylor of the 1970s in all ways. There are differences in the stitching on the ankle support and the coloration of the outer foxing that could be easily fixed. It would also be nice to see the toe cap size a little larger, like chucks in the eighties and on. Regardless of these fine points, it is nice to see that chucks are still an important part of modern day fashion.
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If you live in a cold and wet climate during the winter months, but still want to wear chucks, the Chuck Taylor PC Boot may be the cold weather shoe for you. Converse describes the PC Boot as “a weather-ready reimagination of classic chucks, designed to take on the elements. Leather-trimmed, water-resistant sudede is paired with hiking-inspired hardware, a weatherized outsole and a padded collar for support.” The boots are custom made, with choices of color, leather trim, patches, and narrow round or flat laces. The Chuck Taylor PC Boot costs $110.00.
A wheat Chuck Taylor PC Boot.
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Converse has just announced four additional high top and four additional low top seasonal colors for the fall, 2019. The new high top colors are Bright Crimson, Barely Rose, Midnight Turq, and Polar Blue. The new low top colors are Blended Aqua, Lilac Mist, Ridgerock, and Turbo Green. They have also brought back or continued an additional seven seasonal colors in high top, and eleven in low top models. These chucks are priced at $55 for high tops and $50 for low tops.
Bright Crimson and Midnight Turq seasonal high top chucks.
The continuing and returning seasonal colors in high top models for fall are Gold Dart, Jade Stone, Hyper Royal, Golden Poppy, Bold Citron, Aphid Green, and Lt Zitron. The low top models are Strawberry Jam, Barkroot Brown, Coastal Pink, Orange Rind, Golden Poppy, Desert Khaki, Light Redwood, Stellar Indigo, Mineral Teal, Pink Foam, and Violet Ash. You can view photos of all these new seasonal models and colors on our Shoe Outlook page.
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Now that fall is here and the weather is starting to change, if you live in an area of the country that gets a lot of cold or wet weather, you might want to get yourself a pair of chucks designed to do well in inclement weather. If you must deal with a lot of rain or snow, the Chuck Taylor All Star Winter Water Repellant high top might be the perfect shoe for you. These chucks are made with water repellent leather, have sturdy gusseted tongues, and warm lining inside. They feature traction outsole, narrow round shoelaces, and bootlike hardware on the upper two eyelet pairs. Winter Water Repellant high tops come in four color combinations, black and white with obsidian flecks, monochrome black, and olive green or carbon grey with black and white details. They retail at $80. Another option is the Wale Cord high top in either wheat or dark obsidian with black and white trim. The sneakers, priced at $65, are made with vintage inspired corduroy, which will keep you warm and comfortable.
Black and white water repellent and wheat wale cord high tops.
Other options for the wet and cold are Chuck 70 Gore Tex high tops that use the Gore Tex waterproofing technology. These chucks come in wheat or black, with a Gore Tex graphic on the uppers. These shoes also have woven ankle patches, OrthoLite insoles, narrow round laces and retail at $110. And finally there is a line of suede leather high tops that come in three colors, Hummus, Almost Black, and Burnt Umber. These chucks have colored toe caps, heel loop ankle straps, and a speed hook on the top eyelets. They cost $70.
Wheat Gore-Tex and Almost Black Suede high tops.
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Here’s one correspondent’s views about chucks: “There is an awesome culture surrounding your chucks, but that’s not the most important thing when finding new footwear. What matters most is how they benefit the single person investing in them. This is how they worked for me:
“I originally encountered chucks shortly after I turned thirteen. Several years earlier, my mom bought my older brother a pair of white low tops which didn’t fit him properly. Realizing that my shoe size had finally reached that of the shoes in question, my mom pulled them out of storage and offered them to me. Finally being offered my first fashionable shoe, I quickly slipped them on and wore them nigh exclusively for a whole month. After changing what I wore on my feet, my entire image of my own fashion changed and I became more confident in my style and presentation.
A pair of chucks can change your sense of fashion.
“This one pair of chucks is with me even to this day, nearly a decade later. They have been a foothold (pun intended) in keeping my look up to date every single one of those years. I will always be grateful to these shoes for introducing a just beginning to be fashion-conscious boy to the idea that I could be proud of what I put on my feet. Now, when I look at the family of chucks, I can say confidently that the shoe fits.”
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Finding the right gift at the right price is often difficult, especially if you are on a budget. If you know (or are) someone who is an enthusiatic fan and wearer of chucks, what do you get that person besides a new pair of chucks? These days a new pair is a big gift, with the prices ranging between $50 to $100 for most new pairs. Luckily The ChucksConnection is here to assist you with a short list of credible gifts that range in price from $2 to $20 and appropriate for people of all ages. Go to our Gifts Page to see the complete list of our recommendations.
We have started a new feature on The ChucksConnection that addresses videos and short films where actors wear chucks. These films are normally seen on websites like YouTube and Vimeo and made by amateur or aspiring filmmakers. Too short to be included on our Chuck Taylor in Films page and not released to the public through paid streaming, DVD or BlueRay, these videos and films are free for viewing, and we provide links to them on our new Videos and Short Films with Chucks page.
Check these out on our new page.
Like our other media pages, Videos and Short Films with Chucks is a work in progress. If you know of a video or short film that qualifies for this new page, send us the information and link to films@chucksconnection.com.
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Do you have some things to say about Chuck Taylors? If you have an article or other interesting information about chucks to submit to this website, please contact us at mail@chucksconnection.com.
Chuck Talk ArchivesChuckTalk articles from previous years |
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ChuckTalk Archive 8 |
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ChuckTalk Archive 9 |
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ChuckTalk Archive 11 |
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