I was only a little new wave by the end of the '80s and found most of my shoes at the mall. Specifically at The Wild Pair (owned by Bakers). But if you wanted some truly dark wave styles you either knew some really cool stores in the vintage part of town or ordered them from the back of a magazine.
Creepers
Remember those white creepers Duckie wore in Pretty in Pink? I'm not certain if Fleuvog made the originals in the film, but they reproduced the iconic shoes a few years ago which sometimes still show up on eBay (and other sites). A few other shoe lines have reproduced these shoes, too.T.U.K.s is another major brand of creepers and they are still going strong today making many of the same classic styles they did in the '80s (and a good bit cheaper than Fluevog).
Pikes
Popular with the new wavers these tall ankle boots were typically flat-heeled with an excessively long, pointed toe. They could zip, buckle, lace up, or have some combination of closure. Bogey's and NaNa's were big names.Docs
Doc Martens originated during WWII from a Nazi medical doctor (Klaus Märtens) looking to engineer a more comfortable military boot. With Herbert Funck the company grew over the decades and the '1460' (iconic 8-eye model) was born in 1960, followed soon after with the 1461 (3-eye model). Initially the boots were popular with workers like postmen, police, and factory workers, but by the '70s they were a staple among the punks that lasted well throughout the '80s and beyond.
I'd love to do another blog entry about '80s tennis shoes, but it's way beyond my scope. If anyone else feels so inclined, please contact me! seweccentric@yahoo.com
