When I first spotted these in a thrift store last month, I was hoping I’d scored a pair of vintage Sperry Top-siders. Well that was not to be, because these are made within the past few years as evidenced by the hateful Made in China tag. Still, I’ve always loved these shoes, and at $5 and never worn, I knew a good deal when I saw it. Even the cashier was impressed. “Real Top-Siders?!” she gasped.
Yes, real Top-siders. Sperry is one of the many companies that is making hay while the Heritage sun shines, and has even released the original canvas design at $75 a pair. (Maybe that is because this is their 75th anniversary.) My new pair is very similar, with the addition of the metal eyelets at the sides, and a modified version of the original tread.
When I got my first job in 1970 one of the first things I bought with my hard earned cash ($1.60 an hour!) was a pair of navy leather Sperry Top-siders. I wore them for years, and eventually had to admit they were worn beyond repair, but I dearly loved these shoes. Here’s hoping I have nearly as much fun in my new pair.
I’ve noticed an increase of discussion about “heritage” lines, and the fact that so many of the products that recall the heyday of American design are now made in China and other countries. Can a classic “American” product be considered American if it is made in Thailand? Or is it the original design that is important, and the place of manufacture is secondary? And all this is before one even considers the working conditions in some factories. Thank goodness for second-hand and vintage stores, where these issues do not fill the consumer with guilt!
And a bit about Sperry before I show off the new shoes: They were the invention of Paul Sperry in 1935, who came up with the innovative non-skid tread after observing his dog Prince’s ability to run on slippery surfaces. He studied the dog’s paws and came up with a series of wavy grooves similar to what he observed on Prince. The Sperry website has a fantastic document written by Paul Sperry in which he tells of the early years of the company. Fun reading!
The Vintage Traveler 
cute! I’m very much a Keds gal but these are sweet! And thanks for expanding my knowledge of the “Heritage” lines coming out-interesting stuff!
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I love Keds too, and have a blue pair and a white pair, and I’d love to find an early 60s pointed toe pair, size 6 please!
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As a US Navy Submarine Sailor from 1963 – 1987 I wore Sperry Topsiders underway. I have an old pair that went to the North Pole. You are correct, Sperry lives on it’s heritage when they were made in the USA. The prices have gone up but the quality has not followed. Reminds me of Troy Built Tillers. When Troy Built was an independent company their tillers were nearly indestructable. When they became part of the MTD grouyp a few years ago the proces went down but so did the ruggedness and durability of the product (I.E. going from metal to plastic bearings, etc.) Those old leather sperry I wore at sea would last forever.
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Great hearing from you, Old Sub Sailor. I’d never thought about the shoes worn on a submarine, but Sperry’s make great sense to me!
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