# bowling shoes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 13, 1999, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087 "1999-06-13T03:21:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/1 "1999-06-13T03:21:00Z")
Why are bowling shoes made in those awful colors? * * * MaryAnn Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/2 "1999-06-13T03:25:00Z")
So that nobody will steal them? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/3 "1999-06-13T03:27:00Z")
First, bowlers have never been renowned for their taste in fashion. Second, it discourages theft of rental shoes. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/4 "1999-06-13T05:10:00Z")
I dunno, I stole some and wore them to my prom. Worked good on the dance floor too ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/5 "1999-06-13T14:14:00Z")
I always wondered about that theft thing… since nearly everyone else in the alley has the same color scheme, why would the stolen ones attract attention? (Unless they actually saw you taking them out of your bag). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/6 "1999-06-13T15:17:00Z")
I would have thought the mere fact that they are _rental_ shoes would be deterrent enough. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 1999, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/7 "1999-06-17T13:16:00Z")
I think they were fashionable when they first came out, probably in the 1950’s when bowling was fashionable and popular. They have stayed around at some alleys as remembrance of bowlings glory days. However, some alleys have new shoes that look better. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 1999, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-shoes/1087/8 "1999-06-17T13:48:00Z")
Bowling shoes are like _the_ thing to wear now. They sell them in all the trendy-ass little shoe stores all over the East Village. I know some people who wear bowling shoes, but they look unscuffed so I assume they were bought and not pilfered. Of course I know people who wear boas in broad daylight, too. One man’s tacky is another man’s hip. Alphagene