Jelly Shoes

Since the preceding announcement two Springs ago, Urban Outfitters has stopped carrying the jelly shoes, and they are no longer part of their Spring shoe collection.  But, before you get too crestfallen, we've scouted out other bitchin' places online that offer these great 80s summer fashion accessories.  Skechers is now making a line of jelly shoes with a slightly updated design, but jellies nonetheless.  We found them here.

However, if you want to go with the real thing, you can't do better than the original maker of the jelly shoe, Grendha.  Their web site features new designs for the 21st century.  We like the Pop Flocked style, but you'll have to decide which is right for you.

A Little History Lesson

We found a link to a March 1985 story on the history of the rise in popularity of jelly shoes.    Read the story here.  They were introduced at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN and then again a year later at a shoe exposition in Chicago by Grendha Shoes.  It was there that a buyer for New York's Bloomingdale's saw their display and ordered 2,400 pairs in nine different styles.  They went into the catalog and on the main floor of the story, and the trend took off from there.  In order to stay ahead of the cheap knock-offs (and they were cheap - you could buy them anywhere for between $1-2), Grendha released new styles every 6 months.  The designers of these new styles included none other than fashion great Jean-Paul Gaultier.  Pretty cool back story for a shoe made out of PVC, huh?

So, slide on into some plastic, and you will feel so bitchin' you will have people telling you to "get over yourself!"