It seems that when it rains, it pours! Yesterday I was able to attend two interesting events and walk away with quite the haul!

It was really nice to get out & about and be appreciated in a material way! I know I have written before about the parties and swag that come with my career path–but since the recession it has been terrible! Our salaries are frozen and vendor budgets are being cut, which means that parties, gifts and 4-hour “lunches” are scarce. It’s particularly bad for me because what I work on is kind of boring, and for some reason I get overlooked for a lot of freebies 🙁 Sadness.

Anyway, yesterday the planets aligned: I went to an exclusive preview of the new Converse Spring 2010 footwear lineup (thanks to my blogging efforts), had a half-day vacation and was miraculously gifted (thanks to my job) with a ticket to one of the most-anticipated (and exclusive!) events of the year: Flare Magazine’s 30th anniversary party. There’s a lot to write about so I’m going to split this into two posts so you don’t get bored!

Let’s start with the Converse event.

Converse Spring 2010 Preview

I’ve had the luck of being discovered by a great PR professional. She invited me to an exclusive media preview of the new Converse lines for the spring. I’m pretty sure everyone knows the famous Chuck Taylor All Stars: classic chunky

white rims, the original high-tops, grommet lacing… if you don’t know what I’m talking about, check it out here!

Well, Converse is famous for the Chucks, but that’s not all they do! They’re quite innovative and plugged-in to the fashion and music scenes, and it is reflected in the designs and styles of their footwear. Everything is easily identifiable as a Converse shoe… but there are some pretty new & modern designs now, too.

I was introduced to some really sleek & clean modernized styles that played on the original design as well as other choices that paid homage to classic rock & punk bands of the ’70’s & ’80’s, pop-art culture, and even a revival of 80’s neon! (Should I be scared?)

I’ve got to say I never realized that Converse sneakers could be so fashionably diverse. The rep that was taking me around was trying to sell me on a new version for the ladies: a boot. It just looks like a giant hi-top that goes up to below your knee. Personally I think they’re ugly, but maybe you won’t? They’re available in the US already, but won’t make it to Canada until January.

The collection I personally liked the most were probably what some would consider the most boring. They’re kind of a slim, feminine style in muted colours. They have an ultra-low profile and sport clean lines and just look flirty and fun.

Suitably, they’re called Chuck Taylor “Lights”.

Anyway, enough about the shoes!

It was really fun to check out all the shoes. Obviously I love shoes. I have a bit of a problem with them (they’re taking over my bedroom!) and occasionally indulge in shoe porn. While I prefer the look of the sleek & sophisticated pump, there’s something to be said about having a good, comfy stylish casual shoe. I think the All Stars fit the bill pretty well.

Right right… I was going to stop talking about shoes, wasn’t I? Oops.

So I had my little tour around the “shoe gallery” and learned all kinds of things about Converse that I never would have known. For  me, personally I like the feeling that I was somebody “important”, I got a rep all to myself and had a great conversation about blogging, media in general and what I thought about the shoes. You all know I love sharing my opinion! Otherwise why would I be a blogger? LOL

I feel as though I may have finally “arrived” and like I am now REAL media. Like a newspaper! This feeling was reinforced when I noticed that there was a camera crew from CityTV covering the event as well. Very cool! I’m totally confident in who I am as a blogger, but I really felt like I was validated and legitimized by this event.

Anyway, I know you all want to see what I got! And of course I got photos 🙂 The lovely people at Converse were kind enough to provide me with my very own (and first!) pair of Chuck Taylor Lights!

…the best part? They ended up being the colour & style I liked the most! AND they matched my dress! w00t!

They threw in a few other goodies too, like a t-shirt, USB stick and a nifty pair of headphones. Check it out:

So that was my experience in a nut shell! It certainly reminded me of when I was a kid and all the cool kids had a pair of these…

Did you ever have a pair of Chucks? What kind of memories of them do you have?

PS. All the shoes featured will be available in-store around February 2010. If you want a pair for yourself & you’re in the GTA, be sure to check out Get Outside on Queen. They have the most awesomesauce collection. (Or, give me your support by commenting and maybe I can wrangle a pair for a giveaway!)