to many the style #45 looks remarkably like a modern style 'era' however both God & the Devil are in the details remember! such deck shoes were the popular option in the 1960's & 70s whereby appealing to sailors for the non-slip sole. the classic feature of the vans style #45 boat shoe was the bright blue siped sole. a siping pattern was cut into the sole most commonly by most manufacturers in a ripple design to provide grip on a wet deck. now the evolution of vans into more subversive cultures began with surfers & skateboarders sporting their deck shoe, but this relied heavily on the trademark gum waffle sole. as such, the style #45 faded into obscurity & quickly went out of favour, only re-surfacing at times on rare customade orders. they were produced both with & without the padded collar, the former of which incorporated a plastic heel tab at the back. vans re-released a 40th anniversary vanosaur style #45 back in 2006 however if you can get your hands on a pair of usa made original #45's they do offer a seminal nautical-inspired look with a smooth & flat feel & all the trimmings that drive the vintage vans sub(marine)culture to ever greater depths.
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