# Was David Letterman the first to wear sneakers with a suit?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 18, 2020, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654 "2020-07-18T11:40:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654/25 "2022-03-03T16:08:33Z")

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LOL! Yeah. Not sure about the link. And it’s only $88.95! Buy now!

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**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654/26 "2022-03-03T16:54:35Z")

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Peter Schickele (a self-styled “professor” à la Irwin Corey) has been pairing work boots with a tux since at least the mid-60s.

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**Author:** ![billy-jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654/27 "2022-03-03T20:49:35Z")

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> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#):
>
> Tucked into the top, like Roy Rogers, right?

Never.

The first time I saw anyone do that was when my cousins came up from the big city and had their levis tucked into the boots. I thought that was hilarious.

I can see doing that in mud and everything, but even then, it seems rather counterproductive. After all, the levis are easily washed.

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**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654/28 "2022-03-03T21:05:56Z")

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AKA P.D.Q. Bach

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**Author:** ![joanjazzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@joanjazzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joanjazzz)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654/29 "2023-04-07T20:27:54Z")

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My first memory of people wearing sneakers with business suits was during the NYC transit strike of 1980 when people were walking to work.

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-david-letterman-the-first-to-wear-sneakers-with-a-suit/915654/30 "2023-04-07T21:09:34Z")

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I remember working temp jobs in downtown Minneapolis back in the '80s. All of the female office workers would spend their lunch hours doing “power walks” through the so-called “Skyway” system in sneakers with colored gym socks rolled down around their ankles.

They all looked so _cute_ in their blow-dried hairdos and business suits with Cristal Carrington-style shoulder pads! 🥰

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