Find Your Heritage with Brooks

Find Your Heritage with Brooks

By Toni Carey (@toni_carey)

I'm a sucker for classic sneakers. You name it and I will rock classic shoes with it. My favorites are as follows:

1.  New Balance 501
2. Asics' Onitsuka Tiger (yes, all of them)

Last summer, while visiting Brooks' temporary HQ in Seattle, I spied what I now know as the Brooks Heritage Collection. The wearer of said shoes was pretty secretive about what I saw, but assured me that it was something awesome and I was sure to hear more. Fast forward a year, and allow me to introduce to the Brooks Heritage Collection. Rewind to 1982. The cost of a gallon of gas? $0.91 Michael Jackson released his second solo album, Thriller. And Runner's World calls Brooks' Chariot, "Possibly the best running shoe ever made" and becomes one of the most worn running shoes by runners in the 80s. Prepared to be taken back to 1982 with the re-introduction of the Brooks Chariot (retail: $90)  (precursor to the Beast and Aerial) which existed for about 20 years before making it's exit. In 82' it boasted a broad platform and a stability shoe wedge that changed the way the industry thought about stability shoes. (My how stability shoes have changed.) The reintroduced version features pigskin, a two-toned suede logo, reflective trim on the heel and tongue and boasts coolness rather than stability. The color selections are even more impressive. My favorite? The red/white which offers a more classic look than the other 4 color combinations. And if none of the current color combinations for the Chariot tickle your fancy, just wait. The Chariot Holiday collection is set to debut next month (October 2014) featuring some of my favorite Fall colors and the introduction of the Ascension Chariot. But there's more..... The Chariot, is just a first of the re-releases for Brooks. It plans to release the Vantage (released in 1976 and was THE first shoe to ever receive a five star rating from Runner's World) and the Vanguard (also debuted in 1976) starting this Fall through Spring 2015. You can already check out some of the first color combinations now on BrooksRunning.com. But don't expect to find them in your local running store. These beauties are only available in specialty retailers and lifestyle boutiques like Nordstrom, Athleta (Fall) and Anthropologie (actually Brooks is the only athletic brand found in Anthropologie....as if I needed another reason to love Anthro). And there's even more...... Let's talk collaborations. First up, Concepts x Brooks = Chariot "Merlot".....unfortunately for men only, but I like the direction this is heading, nonetheless. You can also expect to see something pink for Valentine's Day for the women AND men in an another collab that remains top secret. I hope hubster is ready for a matching set of Brooks Chariots for V-Day!  Yes, I'm going there. [caption id="attachment_69124" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Concepts x Brooks[/caption]   Bottom Line: You need these in your life. They are cute, chic and comfy! Perfect for running errands post run, hanging loose on the weekends OR dare I say it, rocking them to work DURING the week. Let's face it. It's time to give up the ballet flats for something a little more funky fresh! Go on, try it! Disclaimer: The Brooks Hertiage Collection is for fashion only! Don't try to run in these or you will regret it. Just saying!  BONUS: For all of you fashionistas, here's a little something new I'll be doing each month. Check out what I'm running in, lounging in and living in with my "What I'm Wearing Now" series. Enjoy!

Also in Black Girls RUN!