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Reebok Freestyle

In 1982, Reebok introduced the Reebok “Freestyleâ€, a woman’s athletic shoe designed for aerobic exercise.  This new shoe marked a shift in the athletic shoes market towards athletic shoes designed for sports other than jogging (aerobics, basketball, etc.) and towards the female market for sports shoes (before the 1980’s jogging was primarily a “man’s†hobby).  With a price tag of 60 dollars, the Reebok was shockingly expensive at the time.  Some people called it the most expensive sports shoe in the world.  

The original Freestyle was an Oxford-style (lace-up) shoe made out of white leather.  It was adorned simply with the word “Reebok†in light blue lettering and a picture of the British Union Jack flag on the side of the shoe.  The original Freestyle was a low top with a yellow gum sole.  In the mid 1980’s Reebok released the distinctive high-top Freestyles.  In addition to laces, these shoes closed with two Velcro straps around the ankle.  They were available in bright, funky colors such as pink, orange, green and yellow.  Most of the high-top Reeboks were made out of leather but some canvas and mesh versions of the shoe were also released on the market.  

Reeboks were a hit among the new female athletic market.  The shoe sponsored the Los Angeles Lakers Girls in the 1980s, and the shoes soon became a hit with cheerleading squads and dance teams across the nation.  In addition to athletics, the Freestyle quickly became something of a fashion must-have.  Cybill Shepherd complemented her black strapless gown with a bright orange pair of Freestyles at the 1985 Emmy’s.  Punky Brewster started the trend of wearing two different colors of Freestyle (an orange on the left foot and a purple on the right foot, for example) at the same time.  

On the 25th anniversary of the release of the Freestyle, Reebok decided to launch a campaign it called “Freestyles Foreverâ€.  This campaign selected six celebrity women (actors, singers, models, etc.) from six major cities in the world.  Ali Yasuda, the first Japanese NFL cheerleader, represented Tokyo; Nikki Beatnik, a popular British DJ, represented London; Yelle, the French singer, represented Paris; Sagarika Chatghe, a Bollywood star from India, represented New Dehli; Bimba Bose, a internationally acclaimed model from Spain, represented Madrid; and actress Sheetal Sheth was the face of Freestyle for New York.  The event was designed to look back and celebrate the culturally pertinent history of the Reebok Freestyle shoe.

About the Author

Jane Barron works for OddShoeFinder.com,a free online website that helps people find mismatched footwear.Get more information on deformed feet, corrective shoes or foot length difference.

Post-Op knee brace and skin issues??

i had arthoscopic knee surgery 3 weeks ago. since then, ive been confined to a knee brace that is made of two thick foam pads (one on lower leg, other on thigh) w/ metal rods and hinges on the sides and held on w/ velcro straps. i cant take it apart to wash it, so is there any way i can get it clean? i wear the thing 24/7, so it gets nasty fast. also, since i wear it all the time, and can take it off only for a short time, my skin has gotten really dry and is flaking off. i cant shower w/ the brace ( i still DO shower tho, ive devised a way) so i can only wipe my leg down. what can i use as a good moisturizer for my skin that doesnt have a greasy residue. id like to kno, cause the brace is sticking around for a long time. i had a lateral release, which means they put my kneecap back in place. any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

I have had two lateral releases and two TTT fulkerson surgeries in the past. I had to wear the same brace as you currently are for 6 weeks for each surgery. It really sucks! I feel for you. Unfortunately, I just lived with the itchy skin. I used Olay skin lotion, but it didn't help that much and made the brace smell bad. When the brace became too gross/dirty to wear I went to the doctor/physical therapist and asked for a new one to replace it. They always complied. Maybe they will do the same for you. I also got a back scrubber (with a long handle) to scratch the inside of the brace. The skin problems are a pain, but once you suffer through that and the recover from the surgery think how much better your knee will be! I'm sorry if this isn't helpful, but basically I just had to live with it. If you find a solution I would like to know! Good luck!

'Shooting Beauty'
2010-02-25

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