In Which I Attempt to Not Fail At Casual Shoes

My brother was making fun of me. We were walking through the woods of a property my family's considering purchasing when he started chastising me for my shoes. "I see you wore your sensible hiking kitten heel." Truth: those shoes are hella comfy. Even so, they're not the best summer activity shoe. Summer always means there will be some sort of outdoorsy event wherein I'm expected to play frisbee, wash cars, or maybe even *shudder* run somewhere. These occasions befuddle me, the bookish, nerdy, indoors person. What is this sun and why does it burn?

If I have to be outside, there are only two types of shoes I like for woods traipsing, boating, and chasing the ice cream truck -- Keds and Sperry Top-Sider.

Lots of people like Converse, but I've always preferred Keds. It's either because even Converse look too sporty for me, I have an affinity for Keds because I wore them as a child, or I prefer to associate myself with cults rather than hipsters. We may never know the answer. Still, they're such a simple, classic design unchanged for nearly 100 years. In breathable canvas and available in a range of colors, it's hard to not like them.

Sperry Top-Siders are even more preppy. Being a boating shoe, preppy's in the grain. But you guys should know by know that I love a leather shoe. A casual leather shoe that's meant to be worn sockless and and stand up to flash thunderstorms (or waterpark rides)? Sold.