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In the ‘80’s, rubber wasn’t just for bracelets. It was also the material used in jelly shoes, the oddly futuristic, yet so uncomfortable shoe of the future.

 

Plastic shoes has long been popular for the beach as flip-flops and sandals, due to their water-resistant quality. In the ‘80’s athletic shoemakers tried to invigorate slow business using liquid plastic. They utilized the equipment that made the molded soles for running shoes and injected the liquid plastic into molds that were shaped like complete, wearable shoes. Voila – out of the mold came a finished, plastic shoe, and the public was hooked.

 

However cool the shoes looked, you could never forget that you were wearing non-breathable plastic on your feet.  Even the lattice weaved huarache designs couldn’t get enough air to your skin. Kids suffered for fashion in hard, sweat-inducing shoes that looked cool, but made your feet feel pretty miserable.

 

Jellies came back in the mid-90’s with a little more comfort. The plastic was softer, and injected with sparkles for aesthetic effect. Unfortunately, until science discovers a breathable plastic, jellies and sweaty feet will go hand in hand.