Speaking of Sperry Topsiders

Hey gals and the occasional guy! Busy day around Casa di Tar Heels.  Journey Boy's having a few extra friends over for dinner.  JB's college buddy/housemate and housemate's girlfriend are coming later today to spend the night with us en route to driving out to Colorado where they'll be living for two years and working, I think, with Americorps.  (Could be Teach America or the Peace Corps -- I'm not 100% sure which organization, but you get the idea.)

But of course, even in the midst of a busy day I have to make time for a cup of coffee and pop by my Blogger Dashboard.   Something always catches my eye amongst your wonderful writings.  Today's eye-catcher was the chatter over at the mothership about Sperry Topsiders.

What a jolt of nostalgia THIS product reappearance has given me!  I lived in Topsiders for four years of college, honest to goodness.  At both of my colleges (I switched mid-sophomore year), Topsiders were a part of the unisex uniform, and life simply could not go on if yours wore out.  We all had plain old brown ones with cream-colored soles and caramel rawhide laces, just like these:

I don't think Sperry even made this shoe in another color, and if they did, my crowd didn't buy 'em.  In downtown Athens, Georgia (home of my beloved UGA -- go Dawgs!) there was a fantastic clothing and shoe store called Heery's Clothes Closet that had student-priced stuff AND chic mom-and-dad-priced stuff.  Heery's is still there and still fabulous, and boy, back in the day it was THE place to shop.  They did a brisk lil' biz in Topsiders -- I'll bet I bought 5 or 6 identical pair in my 2.5 years at UGA.  I wore them with Army green fatigues or canvas painter's pants from the Army/Navy store, plus an Izod shirt and a clear vinyl belt.  Voila, uniform completed.

So I will mos' def get myself some Topsiders for this spring, and I'll grin every time I put them on, I'm sure.  Which ones to get, though?  The color and fabric choices now are mind-boggling.

Here are a few of my favorites from Zappos, in the Topsider classic "A/O 2 Eye" style and in a sister style called the "Bluefish 2 Eye".  Be forewarned, kids -- I am a sucker for brightly colored shoes.  If you prefer neutrals, click on the Zappos links because lots of cute neutral combos are available.  

Here's the A/O 2 Eye in Raspberry. Cute as a pink bug, and available for you to invite into your closet RIGHT HERE.  I'm picturing cropped pants or shorts, a fun tee with ruffles or a graphic, and a Jackie in a contrasting bright color.

 

Meet Miss Orange, the cheerful sistuh of Miss Raspberry.

Oh please, STOP it.  How can anybody NOT love Topsiders in navy denim with navy patent accents??  What could I NOT wear these with, from my khaki/grey/army green/honey glaze/rosy pink basic palette?  Welcome to my closet, cuties.  Heidi, are ya seeing these? ;-)

These are the "Bluefish" style (which also is available in a couple of colors with a shearling lining -- oh SNAP!)  Check them out along with FIFTEEN other color combos RIGHT HERE.  This color is so luscious in the suede, and although it's hard to see here, there's patent on the accents here, too. 

Same shoe.  Had to show you this rich forest green.

Last one of the "Bluefish" for ya.  I love this combination of a creamy vanilla, springtime-y base color with the fun plaid accents.  Come to Mama.

So whatcha think, glaydies?

That's it for me for now -- off to make lasagna for a crowd.  For which, by the way, I'll post the recipe later if you like.  This variation is vegetarian (in honor of JB's vegetarian buddy/housemate) and uses roasted veggies of all sorts, black beans and a spicy sauce.  Yum-O!