SNEAKERS IN THE 1950'S AND 1960'S:
After you read this research post, the scroll down to the next post will depict some bondage pictures in Retro 1960's Keds High Top Sneakers and PF Flyer High Top Sneakers.
WHERE DID GUYS' WEAR SNEAKERS IN THE 1950'S AND 1960'S
In the 1950's and 1960s, sneakers (often called tennis shoes, gym shoes, or "keds") were primarily worn for athletic, casual, and specific school settings, rather than as everyday fashion staples. They were generally considered utilitarian footwear for sport or play.
- Gym Class (Physical Education): This was the primary, often mandatory, place for sneakers, with many schools requiring "non-marking" shoes (like Keds, PF Flyers, Red Ball Jets or Converse. Vans made the scene on the west coast in the late 1960's with Nike, Puma and Adidas making the scene in the 1970s).
- Active Sports: Converse All-Stars, PF Flyers, and early Keds as well as Red Ball Jets were standard for playing basketball, tennis, and track-and-field.
- Playing Outside/Casual Recreation: Kids and teenagers wore sneakers for after-school, neighborhood play, or casual weekend activities.
- Summer Activities: Casual, lightweight sneakers were frequently worn during the summer, particularly for casual outings and, among some, "hippie" fashion trends.
- Commuting/Practical Travel: Some, particularly in cities like New York, wore sneakers for walking or taking the subway, changing into dress shoes at their destination.
Contextual Notes:
- Brands: The most common brands were PF Flyers, Keds, Red Ball Jets and with Converse All Stars starting to make it big in the 1960's, as well as generic "skip" shoes.
- Appearance: Sneakers in the 50"s and 60s were usually canvas with white rubber soles, available in high or low tops, with colors starting to become more varied towards the end of the 1960's, however the color for Guys were primarily white or black.
- Not for Formal Wear: Generally, sneakers were not considered acceptable for school, work, church or formal social occasions during this period, with exceptions emerging in the late 60s as casual styles grew. Today, you can wear your sneakers almost anywhere.
SNEAKER SUB CULTURE IN THE 1960's
Evidence suggests that sneakers were integrated into gay male fashion and subculture in the 1960s, rather than being a widespread, overt, or documented "fetish" in the modern, mainstream sense. Sneakers were associated with a more casual, youthful, or sometimes "not-quite-butch" style for gay men during this era.
- Subcultural Symbolism: Research on gay masculinity between 1964 and 2008 indicates that sneakers were already identified as part of gay dress in earlier decades, and by the mid-1960s, they appeared in the styling of, for example, "sweater queens," often seen in photographs from San Francisco Tavern Guild events.
- Fashion and Identity: Sneakers were worn by gay men as part of a look that sometimes signaled a "somewhat effeminate air" or a casual, relaxed aesthetic, as described in literature about gay life in 1968.
- Context of the Era: While specific "fetish" (as a primary sexual arousal mechanism) focus on sneakers is not widely documented in 1960s gay literature, the era saw a general shift in fashion, including the rise of sneakers in American culture.
Although niche, specific shoe fetishisms existed in the 1950's and 1960's they were not widely documented in the context of gay men's sneaker choices during those decades. Were there sneaker and bondage fiends back then? I am sure there were.
WHERE DID GUYS FIND FRIENDS AND FUN
IN THE 1950's AND 1960'S
- Gay Bars: These were the central hub, providing a sanctuary despite risks of raids. Examples include the Stonewall Inn in NYC, the Punch Bowl and Jacques Cabaret in Boston, and Town Bar in Ann Arbor.
- Cruising Locations: Public areas, such as Griffith Park in Los Angeles, served as spots for meeting, despite the high risk of entrapment by police.
- House Parties: Private gatherings were essential for socializing, offering a safer alternative to bars.
- Coastal Havens: Fire Island, specifically Cherry Grove in New York, and Laguna Beach in California were popular, more open, and safe destinations for the LGBTQ+ community.
- Urban Spots: Specific city locations, known as "the Run" in Los Angeles, included areas near the Biltmore Hotel and Pershing Square.
Despite the "police harassment" and the fact that "homosexual acts remained illegal in almost every state," these spaces provided a vital sense of community and freedom.
Gay men had, practiced, and developed distinct fetishes in the 1960s. While homosexuality was heavily stigmatized, pathologized, and often illegal during this era, specialized subcultures—most notably the leather scene—thrived in secret or semi-private spaces.
FETISHES OF THE 1950's and 1960's
Key details regarding gay fetishes in the 1960s include:
- The Leather Subculture: The gay leather scene, with its focus on leather jackets, boots, and, in some cases, dominance and submission, was well-established by the 1950s and 1960s.
- Leather Bars and Gathering Spaces: During the 1960s, specific bars (often in cities like New York, San Francisco, and London) acted as central,, and sometimes dangerous, hubs for gay men, including those in the leather community.
- Media and Imagery: While "physique" magazines in the early 1960s featured muscular men in safe, non-sexual poses, this period also saw the rise of more explicit, underground, or "skin" magazines that catered to specific tastes and helped form, what some researchers call, "communities of print".
- Influence of Post-War Culture: The leather fetish in particular was influenced by the post-WWII era, as some gay men incorporated military gear or adopted a hyper-masculine aesthetic in contrast to the era's stereotypes.
- Safety and Secrecy: Due to high risks of arrest and blackmail, these interests were usually kept hidden, with sexual activity occurring in private homes, bathhouses, or specific "cruising" spots.
FETISHES OF THE 1950's AND 1960's
Although the "sexual revolution" and more visible queer liberation occurred in the late 1960s and 1970s, the roots of modern gay fetish, kink, and leather communities were more deeply embedded in the 1960's.
AS TIME MOVED ON
Into the 1970's and 1980's, society began to loosen up. What helped? The Internet! As early as 1991, the Internet was born. I remember being on America On Line back then, and believe it or not, there were rooms where you could chat with other on a variety of topics. Yes, there was also a Gay Room, where you could talk to other Gay and Bi Guys. Believe it or not, I found out I was not the only sneaker and bondage fiend out there. Some were local who wanted to be tied up and played with wearing Jeans and Sneakers and do the same to me. After chatting on line, most local guys then were ready to talk on the phone and hook up. (I would admit, it was not really safe doing this, but like me, most guys were horny, and wanted to act on their fetish, though I don't recommend it). With AOL, you could talk to people all over who had the same interests that I did.
As time went on over the past thirty to thirty five years, the Internet vastly improved. If your fetish is Bondage, with bondage is being tied up in Streetware with Sneakers, Sportsgear, Rubber, Pup Play, Leather or any other fetish, you can find information and other Folks on the Internet who have the same interests that you do. There are guys who post to sites like Twitter. There are fetish sites like Recon. The possibilities are endless.
So, I you have read this far, you have a particular fetish, and want to find Guys who share their same kinky interests, the Internet is here to help you out, unlike yesteryear.
SAFETY WHEN MEETING SOMEONE NEW
Meet in a public place first. A coffee date or whatever. Talk about your limits and scenes and what not in person. Get to know each other. When you actually go to his place, tell someone where you’re going and what time you’ll be home so they can check up on you.
Being compatible via text versus in real life are completely different. I agree with those who have said do not do bondage upon your first meeting and gave advice on stranger safety, so it doesn’t need to be reiterated, but try to take a realistic approach to the difference between text or even video chat versus reality.
People say and do things over the phone they wouldn’t say to your face, or they can easily put on a persona and tell you what you want to hear. Meeting irl is a chance to see more of his true personality and behavior, and he might be more shy, awkward, less good-looking, have trouble getting it up, bust a nut in 30 seconds, suck at aftercare, not wash his hands after going to the bathroom…you never know until you’re physically there with him.
Has he been tested for STDs recently/do you know anything about his recent sexual history? Is he single for similar reasons as you, or does he say things like “my exes are crazy” or “I don’t date because of the drama”? When you talk, is it mostly about sex or do you discuss other things with sex on the side? Are you looking for something serious, or just wanting sex yourself? These could be good questions to have in mind if you do end up meeting up.
You need to get to know him just as much as you would need to get to know another partner, and possibly MORE because he wants to put you in physically dangerous or stressful situations. Life is not a movie, unfortunately, and meeting up at a date after a lot of good sexting and conversation doesn’t automatically lead to great sex and a flourishing relationship.
Take it slow, get to know him, and don’t force the compatibility if it isn’t there face to face. Don’t feel obligated to plan a D/s session until you know you like hanging out with him, would be able to survive an embarrassing or awkward moment with him, and enjoy having regular shmegular sex with him without all the accessories. I’m not saying you have to do missionary with no name calling, but restraints and an inability to talk can get messy even with long term couples.
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