Jelly Shoes are back!!
Remember when you were a kid and were made to wear those uncomfortable jelly shoes, or plastic sandals as we used to call them then?
Well, like the balaclava, you might have though that they had gone out of fashion, but you would be wrong. Jelly shoes are back with a vengeance!
To be fair, the jelly shoes of today are made of softer material, unlike the old plastic shoes which would cut into our tender young feet, and Jelly shoes also come in a wide variety of styles and colours (I seem to remember a choice of purple although that may be childhood memories).
They also come in a wide variety of styles, unlike the originals which were sandals or sandals! They do still, of course, come in the sandal style but now you can also buy ‘normal’ shoes style jelly shoes and also flip flops.
Who stocks Jelly Shoes?
Nowadays many leading retailers such as Marks & Spencer and John Lewis stock these, along with newer and more funky companies such as Jujujellies.
As well as the material being softer and more pliable and with a wider range of colours to attract the younger generation, the shape of the jelly shoes are much better and mould around the feet much better than the 80’s versions did.
They also appeal to young children as they are seen as fun. My granddaughter finds the big white daisy on hers, very appealing.
To add to the appeal to the younger generation, who are the main purchasers of jelly shoes, glitter is often added to the plastic material ..let’s be honest, kids love glitter don’t they!
It is thought, though not proven, that jelly shoes first originated post war in France when there was a shortage of leather.
So now Summer is here, why not kick off those boots and buy some jelly shoes for your kids .. and yourself too while you are at it, and relive those youthful days in a much more comfortable way.
I’ll have to tell my sister about this.
She owned several pairs of jelly shoes and loved them dearly. :)