Ellen DeGeneres & my sneaker obsession

Nikes & Reeboks & Vans, oh my …

I’ve always been a Tomboy. Still am, if that means staying active, playing sports, shunning makeup for the most part, and running around in sneakers and casual clothes.

Back in the ’70s as a teen, when male teen idols like my first crush, David Cassidy,* wore ‘long shag’ haircuts, and a lot of us wore unisex flannel shirts, people sometimes called me a boy :(. But for five decades and counting, I’ve always been an extreme fan of sneakers, or what I like to call ‘kicks’ (partially just to bug my kids). If that’s ‘boyish,’ so be it.

Sneakers and watches and glasses and other accessories are my things. But sneakers top the bill because they give me the freedom and motivation to move, run, play.

I tend to do things fast … walk, talk, eat, write. In high school, I was a sprinter and that’s pretty much my style – go all out, rest up, go all out again. Kind of a Long Island, NY thing but  also kind of a ‘me’ thing. A multi-tasker by nature and nurture, I also never understood girls at summer camp or gym class sitting on the sidelines and missing out on the fun because they were wearing sandals or heals.

About a year ago, I had an epiphany of sorts, thinking, “If I was super-rich, my obsession would be to have a massive sneaker collection [after helping others, saving the environment and more lofty goals!].” I thought about my favorite stand-up comedian, a role model in her kindness and compassion, a heroine of mine for years. My namesake (well, first name, anyway), Ellen DeGeneres.

I’ve always loved Ellen’s style – gay, straight or otherwise. And I thought, I am fortunate enough to afford a somewhat over-the-top collection of sneakers – a rainbow of comfortable, fun footwear that keeps me feeling young and happy as I match up the colors and move more easily through my day. Sneakers I could disguise as appropriate for work even.

Meet my sneaker collection, one that’s growing on impulse buys and also as my own birthday gifts to myself. I picked up BOGO half-price cranberry and green Sketchers at the new outlet near me last month, in fact. And Reebok Skyscapes – discovered unexpectedly on a trip to Raleigh, North Carolina – are lighter than air with some of the coolest unique patterns. I’m still on the hunt for Adidas that don’t slip in the back and maybe high tops, though they look kind of big with my size 10s. Bottom line is my sneakers are here to stay, even if I do try to slow down once in awhile!

Check out my next blog: A tale of North Carolina

*Fun fact: I once heard David Cassidy’s ‘double’ as Keith Partridge on the ’70s Partridge Family sitcom was a young woman (when shown from the back, anyway)