The New Balance effect
“Newb’s” making a comeback
Byrne taking a stroll in his slick black “New’s”
Over the past couple of years, New Balance has really made strides to become the top trending shoe in the business.
With a unique, old-fashion design, people have been all over the new style. The most popular model, the 547, is seemingly the most liked among high school and college students.
Several Elder students rock the J’s on a daily basis, now that gym shoes are part of the school dress code. I caught up with frequent supporter of the brand, senior Aidan Byrne.
“These J’s are very reliable. They have been through thick and thin with me, and are still surviving. I highly recommend if you want to be one of the boys”, Byrne exclaimed as I asked him why he enjoys them so much.
Not only do the “new’s” look fly, but they also come at a relatively cheap cost. Byrne stated, “They are not too expensive so its a deal.”
To go along with Byrne, I wanted to get the opinion of some former Elder students especially known for bringing the New Balances back to life. 2018 grad and current Ohio bobcat Trevor Estep has been pulling off the New Balance look for quite some time now. Not only did he rock the “newbs” back in high school, but continues the trend nowadays in college.
“They’re comfortable and stylish… just an all around great quality sneaker. My favorite is the grey 574’s,” stated Estep.
One of Trev’s best friends and current member of the Hanover basketball team, Zach Harp also enjoys the shoes. I can remember freshman and sophomore year when both these guys would walk into the gym with their New Balance shoes on. It was almost a guarantee Harp and Trev were going to have them on everyday before practice.
Trevor told me that he believes both himself and Harp started a trend in their grade that got passed down to others.
According to Trevor and Byrne, Harp is more of an air monarch type of guy… also know as the “pawpaw 11’s.” With a sleek white finish and a tough traction base, the monarchs are hard to beat as far as style points. “They are super comfortable and I always run around in them,” Harp explained.
When I asked who looks better in the shoes, they all had a word to say.
Byrne stated: “That’s a tough question, but we all look pretty fresh in the New’s. On the other hand, Harp can rock the air monarchs better than anyone I’ve seen. Trev and I are strictly New Balance boys and look fly.”
Trevor and Harp both argued their case saying they undoubtedly look the best.
Despite New Balance’s blitz in the fashion world, they have also made a push once again in athletics and sports branding. In the past couple of years, they have started becoming a top seller in the game of baseball with their cleats and gear. Most recently, NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard signed an over $5 million deal with New Balance.
So as you can see, New Balance has made a name for themselves in the past couple of years appealing to almost all people, whether young or old. With a variety of different colorways and designs, it’s hard not to like the shoe considering it’s level of comfort.
The real question is: “Are New Balances here to stay for awhile?”
Second year on the Quill, with much more left in the tank. Honored to accept the Editor in Chief role alongside my brother, Mason "Cheddar Chunk" Berger....
