Latest in sneaker style is going retro

SCRIPPS HOWARD
Maybe sneaker technology has gone about as far as it can.
The bells and whistles designers dreamt up over the past decade -- pump-ups, roll bars, Velcro -- have revolutionized athletic footwear.
But fashion is about evolution, the survival of the hippest. So what comes next?
The answer is: that which came before. This fall, men's sneakers are going retro.
"The only fresh look is a simple look," says Jack Herschlag, executive director of the National Association of Men's Sportswear Buyers. "(Designers) just don't know which way to turn anymore. They've gone with every hip-hop trend and every athletic trend."
So, the sneaker big guns -- Adidas, Nike, Puma, K-Swiss and Reebok -- are all offering vintage styles.
Adidas is offering several models, among them the Rekord, a circa 1959 look. Sleek and suede with traditional lace-ups, they look like today's bowling or climbing shoes.
Sneakers are just one retro trend in footwear this fall, according to Herschlag.
Boots are also dipping into the past in a big way, from dress versions to basketball-inspired high-tops to military knockoffs.
Trendy fashion labels such as Via Spiga and GBX are reviving the harness and engineer styles that defined 1960s biker boots.
"It's mostly men's (shoes) because the retro styles tend to be high-tops, and women don't seem to go for high-tops," Herschlag said.