What were slip on sneakers called during the Boomers childhood?

Cafe Society
1

The recent Skechers commercials have triggered my childhood memories.

There’s nothing new or special about Skechers. Leather penny loafers were extremely common in the 1950’s and 60’s. I wore them and had the put a penny in the top.

I also had slip on blue sneakers. I wore out several pairs throughout my childhood. IIRC navy blue was the most popular color.

WTH did we call them? I know there was a common slang term. I can’t remember it.

Have to laugh at Skechers bs approach. You did not invent slip on sneakers.

2

I know there are grammar errors in my post.

I can’t edit with a youtube link. The dreaded embedded link error prevents saving edits

3

I was born in 1955. I don’t recall ever seeing sneakers like that when I was growing up. All I ever had were Keds cloth high-tops.

4

I found this photo. I remember the plastic band on the side. It helped fit the shoe to my foot.

5

I’d just call them slip-ons. They’re the kind of thing one might wear at the beach or around a swimming pool.

6

I wouldn’t call that a sneaker.

I was going to say that I’ve never seen a slip-on sneaker before, but i have seen those. My mother used to wear them.

7

Deck shoes.

That’s what we called them anyway.

Later, when they came in more colors and designs, they were Vans, and sometimes Keds.

8

Deck shoes. That sounds very familiar. Thanks!

They were primarily for the beach or pool. Maybe hanging out at the park. You couldn’t play basketball in them. They’d fall off.

I loved penny loafers. The tassle was classy. :smile:
My mom wouldn’t let me wear them to church or school. They were fine for eating at a restaurant or shopping. I wore them on dates.

Now I want to buy a pair of penny loafers.

9

I mean, except for the falling off issue, they were about equally suitable for athletics as converse or the Adidas or Pumas of the day. It was Nike that started really changing the shape of athletic shoes.

10

I agree. It was easy to roll an ankle in sneakers. I remember lacing up my high tops very tight to protect myself.

Nike changed sports.

11

I was trying to verify what I remembered, and I’m having trouble. I remember Nike shoes as being different from what else was around at the time, anyway. But maybe other brands were also changing around that time?

My preferred retro sneaker is the Jack Purcell, which has generally the same look as Converse, but were the state of the art badminton shoe in their day.

12

I found this history. I played high school basketball in the mid 70’s. I can’t remember if our team wore converse or Adidas. There was sports before Nike. :wink:

Link Adidas - Wikipedia

13

Boomer here, I honestly don’t think they existed

14

I don’t know because sneakers without shoelaces have always been a nonstarter for me. Skinny feets. I need laces to constrict the overly-loose shoe to make it fit around my foot. Hence can’t help you here.

15

This Boomer would’ve called them “those sneakers without laces”…

BUT the real “athletic shoe” in 1958? P.F. Flyers.

We really believed the commercial that promised you could Run Faster, Jump Higher… with P.F. Flyers! And back in those summer days of running out before your parents were awake, and not being home til the streetlights came on, there was SO much running and jumping to do!

16

I remember, and had, leather slip-ons. I don’t recall fabric ones.

17

The difference with these Skechers – I know because I have a pair (they call them “slip-ins” to distinguish them from slip-ons, including their own slip-ons) is that you really can put them all the way on without using your hands in any way. The back is high and stiffened to give the front of your foot leverage (maybe not a great explanation, you really have to try them to understand it). Other sneaker-type slip-ons require you to pull up the back or run your finger around the back or use a shoe-horn. Maybe some people could put leather loafers on without touching them with their hands, if the back was stiff enough not to fold in.

18

I missed that this was directed at Boomers. I’m a gen-Xer myself, so I’m not sure about the time frame matching up.

Also, the shoes in question might be similar to shoes called sand shoes or plimsolls in the UK? I’m not sure how similar though.

19

Deck shoes were introduced by Sperry and were called Topsiders. You could get thrown out of Hyannis Port for wearing imitations.

20

I had forgotten about the back folding. It often caught on thick socks.

A lot of childhood details are coming back as I read the posts.