Reebok Classics

"Classics" are a brand of training shoe made by Reebok.

The Reebok Classic trainer was launched originally in 1987. They were usually made with a leather upper and have a clean, simple and straight forward design and are closely related to the Reebok Freestyle. They also feature a distinctive "combat boot-style" outsole.

Popular colourways include the pictured white leather upper with black stripe and the "all-over black version" (black leather uppers with black stripes).

Reebok Classics popularity

The Reebok Classic has been extremely popular brand especially in the UK with young people ("s" and "Chavs").

[http://thefly.org.uk The Fly] humourously states on his blog:

"Reebok Classics - You cannot claim any Geezer status without these, must be gleaming white, gold stripes are best down to yellow or orange which are considered a bit pikey by the Geezer hierarchy"

A comment on the Ryan's Bar (Stoke Newington, London) website refers to the Reebok Classic and the people who wear them in degrogratory terms.

"craphole of a pub old stokey geezers stay upstairs with cheap elasticated jeans and cheap reebok classics" - Keirah [http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/44/4424/Ryans_Bar/Stoke_Newington]

British rapper Mike Skinner aka The Streets is a spokesperson for the Classics line, as he favors white Reebok Workout Plus trainers. [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-20175989-details/Streets+star+is+new+face+of+Reebok/article.do;jsessionid=7jnnGjxb8T3xNnfc9LtC8l2sbh7x121LQvYwnDWnDS1Y68nhnNHJ!823374612!-1407319225!7001!-1.] On his song "Let's Push Things Forward" one of his lyrics refers to the shoes:

" "Let's put on our Classics and have a little dance, shall we?"

Arctic Monkeys also highlight the popularity of Reebok Classics amongst the common British 'chav' in the opening line to their song, "A Certain Romance":

"Well oh they might wear classic Reeboks, or knackered Converse, or trackie-bottoms tucked in socks."

Pete Doherty refers to Reebok Classics in the Babyshambles song, "Albion".

UK rappers The Mitchell Bros. argued that while Adidas Superstars and Nike Air Force 1s dominate the American hip-hop scene, Reebok Classic is the preferred brand of Brit-Hoppers for its "Britishness"." Also in their video Solemate they are driving around London in pimped out Reebok Classic-Mobiles.

The shoes are also quite popular in the USA, especially in hip hop circles, preferably the white-coloured versions. They were particularly favored by the rapper, Juvenile, who referred to the shoes colloquially as "Soljas" or "icy whites".

External links

* [http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Reebok+Classic&m=text Reebok Classics on Flickr]
* [http://thefly.org.uk/2007/02/20/checklist-for-the-road-to-geezerdom/ Checklist for the road to Geezerdom - The Fly] Lil Wyte sings about Reebok Classics in his song Icy White Soljas from Phinnaly Phamous