With Father’s Day just around the corner and Prince William and Prince George looking extra cozy in photos over the weekend, FN’s staff has started reminiscing about some of our fondest moments with our fathers.
Of course, at Footwear News, our best moments somehow always involve shoes.
In true FN fashion, join us for a stroll down memory lane as our editorial team shares our best daddy footwear memories.
“My dad was an airline executive, and he always dressed the part in meticulous suits and well-shined shoes. But on the weekends, he was a farmer and outdoorsmen, and he lived in one single pair of seriously distressed Bass boat shoes. He went everywhere in those shoes: to the movies, to lunch, to go fishing, to fix the roof, to drive a tractor. Talk about performance footwear!” — Jennie Bell, features editor
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“My favorite shoe moment with my dad (a firefighter) was watching him scrupulously brush and shine his heavy-duty black workman’s boots every morning before he went to work. I was always really excited when I had a special event at school because he’d shine my black Mary Jane sandals the same way he did his boots —making them look brand-new and making me feel super special!” — Sheena Butler-Young, senior associate business editor
“My dad has always been a loyal New Balance customer when it comes to his running shoes. He likes the fact that they have the Made in the USA connection, and he always tells me when he buys a new pair.” — Katie Abel, global news director
“My dad wasn’t a big shoe person and he didn’t like to go shopping, but he was a huge baseball fan and always brought me to get cleats for Little League. He liked to support local businesses, so our first stop before each season was Mastic Family Shoe Store. I never hit the field in anything less than the best because of him.” — Peter Verry, athletic and outdoor editor
“The first day I started at Footwear News (it was also my first 24 hours in New York), a package arrived at the office. Inside was a book called “Shoes A to Z.” The little encyclopedia included every designer label I had never heard of and styles I needed to know to hit the ground running (in a new pair of heels, too!). It was the perfect kick-off for the new job and a reminder that dads always have your back.” — Margaret Sutherlin, associate editor
“My favorite shoe moments with my dad were before every soccer game as a young girl. I wasn’t strong enough to tie my own laces tight enough to make sure my shoes wouldn’t fall off, so before each game, I would sit on our kitchen counter and my dad would lace up my cleats really tight, making sure I was ready to go!” — Nikara Johns, editorial assistant
