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K-Swiss’s Clueless Shoes Are The Apex of Our Cultural 90s Moment

Marilyn Drew Necci | June 3, 2019

Topics: 90s nostalgia, Alicia Silverstone, Cher Horowitz, Clueless, cultural nostalgia cycles, Igloo Coolers, K-Swiss shoes

With the release of K-Swiss’s new Clueless collection, it’s no longer possible to deny our cultural obsession with 90s nostalgia.

K-Swiss Shoes have released a line of sneakers based on the fashions of classic 1995 teen movie Clueless. And if you don’t know by now that the 90s are back in a big way, this should certainly make it clear to you.

Cultural nostalgia cycles go in waves, and typically operate on a 20 year timespan. In the 70s, cultural nostalgia was all about the 50s. In the 80s, the focus was the 60s. In the 90s, it was the 70s. And then the cultural nostalgia wheel landed on the 80s, and seemed to get stuck there. We were obsessed with the 80s in the years after 9/11, when five out of seven dance nights per week at the long-departed Richmond club Mars Bar were 80s-themed. And we were still obsessed with the 80s when Stranger Things premiered on Netflix two years ago.

But now the wheel seems finally to be turning again. Maybe it’s the coming of age of Generation Z, or the fact that a great deal of Millennials have children of their own these days, but one thing’s for sure: 90s nostalgia is the new hip thing. Look at the MCU’s Captain Marvel, from earlier this year — everyone flipped over the 90s period-piece details contained within the film. Last month, Igloo Coolers got some traction in the world of retro car nerds with their limited “90s retro editions” featuring an obviously dated pastel color palette.

And now, K-Swiss has launched a sneaker line based on the style sported by Clueless’s teenage protagonist, Cher Horowitz. The two available designs both feature the pattern from that distinctive yellow plaid skirt suit Alicia Silverstone wore in one of her most memorable scenes in the film. One shoe is a more subdued white, with the plaid design only on the heel and tongue, while the other is plaid all over, complete with offsetting stripes.

Of course, all of this is based on an extremely idealized version of 90s teen culture. After all, Cher’s yellow plaid skirt suit was designed especially for the film by Jean Paul Gaultier, a French designer whose clothes weren’t exactly within the typical 1995 teen’s school-shopping budget. But then, it seems that 90s nostalgia is currently most appealing to people who were quite young in that actual decade — people who first saw Clueless on a Blockbuster videotape rented by someone’s mom for a middle school sleepover. As she was in 1995, Cher Horowitz is more aspirational than relatable.

Still, these shoes do have a certain panache. That said, Alicia Silverstone herself — who grew up to be an animal-rights activist — responded to the announcement on Twitter with a sincere wish that the shoes were cruelty-free, i.e. free of leather.

So in 2019, Cher Horowitz can’t get down with dead meat on her feet. But if you have no such objections to the materials with which your shoes are made, you might want to check out K-Swiss’s Clueless collection. While they last, a pair will set you back a cool $80.

Even in 2019, I gotta tell you, that feels a little too rich for my blood.

Photos via KSwiss.com

RVA Mag Comics X-Change: Issue 7

Ash Griffith | November 27, 2018

Topics: Avengers, Black Panther, Clueless, Comics X-Change, Deadpool, Infinity War, Invader Zim, Spider Girls, Stranger Things

Good afternoon and happy holidays, comic fans of the RVA! Welcome to yet another riveting issue of your RVA Comics X-Change — your biweekly go-to stop for what is new and good in the land of comics and pop culture! I hope you filled up on turkey and stuffing over the weekend because while this week is slim pickings for your recommendations, there is still a damn delicious surprise for you at the end.

In the form of a wonderful Infinity War Sequel Trailer that is allegedly coming out this week. Oh, yes. Let’s do this.

Stranger Things #3 by Jody Houser, Stefano Martino, Keith Champagne, Lauren Affe, Aleksi Briclot

It is absolutely no secret that I will go hard for any and everything to do with Stranger Things (I see you, Hopper). It makes me so happy in my tiny, dark little heart that this mini-series exploring just what the frick Will Byers went through in the Upside Down absolutely did not disappoint. The only thing that bites is the fact that we’re in the home stretch for this series, as issue #3 of 4 drops tomorrow. Sigh.

Black Panther vs. Deadpool #2 by Daniel Kibblesmith, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Ryan Benjamin

It’s another open secret that I love Deadpool and anything his red latex hand touches. Much like the other 98% of America, I was obsessed with Black Panther this year, so to see these two cross paths this week? So. Here. For. It. Clapping. Hand. Emoji.

Clueless Volume 2: One Last Summer by Amber Benson, Siobhan Keenan, Natacha Bustos, Sarah Kuhn

There are few things that I love more in this world than tacky, smarter-than-they-were-ever-given-credit-for romantic comedies of the 90s. Clueless, with Alicia Silverstone and resident immortal Paul Rudd, is pretty high up on that list. And now there is a graphic novel series about the film? AND it’s written by Amber Benson aka Tara from Buffy? Oh, let’s go, y’all.

Spider-Girls #2 by Jody Houser, Andres Genolet, Yasmine Putri

No matter how far I stray, I always find myself crawling back to the Spidey universe, where it all started for me. This three part series is not only a Spider-Geddon tie in, but focuses on the three most prominent Spider-Girls — May Parker, Anya Corazon, and Annie May Parker — as they go up against The Inheritors. And naturally hijinks ensue, as they do.

Invader Zim #37 by Sam Logan, Kate Sherron, Warren Wucinich, Fred Stresing

Did anyone know that Invader Zim is still a thing, and that it isn’t written by Jhonen Vasquez anymore, I guess? Who knew! Relive your mall goth days of hanging around Hot Topic with a venti frappuccino from Starbucks with this long-running series that continues on Wednesday.

Alright, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. The new Infinity War (2? Electric Boogaloo?) trailer was originally supposed to drop this past weekend for Thanksgiving. Obviously that didn’t happen, so theories started circulating about when and how it may drop. A popular one for a day or two was that it would drop on December 13th, due to a combined theory having to do with the countdown on the official website and the fact that allegedly there is a huge football game that night (unless it’s hockey. Then I don’t know, y’all. As Lestrade would say, “Not my division”).

Now it is being heavily pushed that we will get it this week, specifically on Wednesday. But will it happen? While some are doubtful, many signs are pointing to yes, especially since The Russo Brothers, who directed the film, are doing a panel in Hollywood for Marvel tomorrow. So if we do get the trailer (and ideally the title of the film), it will be then.

What are your predictions, for either the film itself or when we will get the film? Where are you with this?

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