Adidas Gazelle, a Special Saturday & Friendship

Vignette #2

 I’m so excited! They finally arrived! I’ve been waiting for years. The last time I had a pair was 1974 when Phyllis and I made a Saturday trip to an athletic shoe store in Long Beach, CA so I could buy red suede Adidas Gazelle’s.  They were a boys size 5 (equivalent to ladies size 7) as athletic shoe companies weren’t yet marketing to women. Phyl and I palled around together most Saturdays, so when my ever faithful friend said we’d drive to Long Beach for the shoes,  I wanted to give her a big hug! I don’t recall how we knew the shoes were there, maybe from a newspaper or magazine add. Remember, no searching the internet or cell phones then. I just knew I wanted those shoes, and Phyl knew I wanted them, and was going to help me get them! 

The shoes were just so cool! That red suede with three white stripes on each side.  The Adidas logo on the back, and word Gazelle angled under the stripe. 

Adidas had been around since the 1960’s, but I never owned any, or  did anyone I knew. We grew up wearing Keds and PF Flyers. And the cost of Adidas Gazelle in 1974 was $25. It seemed an exorbitant price when most tennis shoes were $5. to $8.  But I was smitten with their color and sleek look so was swayed, and gladly handed over my money to the sales clerk.                                        

Another reason I wanted them so badly right then is because I would be leaving for Europe soon  on a three month camping tour with another friend, Mary Kay. I planned on taking them with me. We slept in tents every night. After  two months of daily wearing  my red adidas without socks,  they started to have an odor.  One night Mary Kay said the shoes had to go outside, she and our other tent mate couldn’t take the stench any longer. So outside the tent they went.  The next morning when I went to retrieve my best shoes they were gone, disappeared. Vanished. We searched everywhere. To my great dismay, we never found them and concluded some wild critter grabbed them during the night.  I was able to buy another pair of Adidas in Austria, but not red suede Adidas Gazelle. I felt as though I had lost some of my stride, a bounce in my step. Mary Kay said how sorry she was about my shoes being lost, I say stolen. But secretly I think Mary Kay was relieved not having to deal with the smelliness of the sweaty suede at night - ha!

After I got home I was determined to find another pair of my favored Adidas Gazelle’s . I think Phyl and I even checked the shoe store in Long Beach again. But it was like they had withdrawn  from the marketplace. Other athletic shoes were on the rise. Nike, Puma, K-Swiss. But for me, I missed Adidas Gazelle. Through  the years I tried others; Reebok, Oasics, Sketchers. They were okay, but always lacked the comfortable, reliable, familiar fit of my red suede Adidas Gazelle’s.

 So you can imagine my delight when a few weeks ago I came across a picture of red suede Adidas Gazelle shoes on line. 

 After all this time! I thought I was seeing things. But no. There they were! My long missed Gazelle’s. I checked sizes and availability. Still no ladies size 7, so once again I bought a boys size 5. The cost has gone up considerably since 1974. But now, just like then I gladly paid. Eager to have the shoes.

If one thinks about it, there’s always been a lot written about shoes. The childhood story about the old woman who lived in a shoe . Wynken, Blynken, and Nod who sailed away in a wooden shoe. And the most famous shoes of all, Dorothy’s red Ruby shoes in The Wizard of Oz. I bet most folks have a favorite pair of shoes, and story that goes with them.  Pravda, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo. Loafers, brogue’s, slingback or stiletto.  

                                                     

 When my all time favorite shoes got here, I couldn’t open the box fast enough. Then I saw them, and smiled. Those awesome red suede Adidas Gazelle!  But as I  held them in my hand, and studied the cool look of them, I was surprised to find  something more than just having a pair of Adidas Gazelle again. It was the sweet, bright memory of that long ago Saturday when Phyllis and I spent the day together in search of the shoes I wanted so badly. And how our being together gave real meaning to the value of those shoes; what might be considered an ordinary day, was really a very special Saturday shared with my friend.

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• * The Gazelle's history includes many notable events: 

  • 1965 

    The oldest known Gazelle, a red prototype, showcased early design elements. 
  • 1968 

    The Gazelle was first introduced, and its appearance has remained mostly unchanged since then. 
  • 1971 

    The Gazelle's outsole received a hexagonal traction pattern for better grip. 
  • 1970s 

    Celebrities like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones wore the Gazelle. 
  • 1980s and 1990s 

    The Gazelle continued to gain popularity with celebrities like Kate Moss, Oasis, and the Beastie Boys. 
  • Today 

    The Gazelle has been re-released as part of the Adidas Originals line and has seen a comeback due to celebrity wearers like Harry Styles, Kendall Jenner, and Prince Harry. 

  1965 

  The oldest known Gazelle, a red prototype, showcased early design elements. 
• 1968 

  The Gazelle was first introduced, and its appearance has remained mostly unchanged since then. 
• 1971 

  The Gazelle's outsole received a hexagonal traction pattern for better grip. 
• 1970s 

  Celebrities like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones wore the Gazelle. 
• 1980s and 1990s 

  The Gazelle continued to gain popularity with celebrities like Kate Moss, Oasis, and the Beastie Boys. 
• Today 

  The Gazelle has been re-released as part of the Adidas Originals line and has seen a comeback due to celebrity wearers like Harry Styles, Kendall Jenner, and Prince Harry.