What were we thinking? In the early 1970s, lots of Baby Boomers traded in their old shows for something called Earth Shoes. These orthopedic marvels featured something called a “negative heel.” Instead of a raised heel, the toes in Earth Shoes were higher and the heels lower. According to the manufacturer, this would lead to a better posture and overall health benefits.
Earth Shoes were actually created in 1957 in Denmark by Anne Kalsø. She called them Minus Heel Shoes. In 1970, Americans Raymond and Eleanor Jacobs contracted to bring them to the States. But the Jacobs thought the name was too clunky, especially for clunky-looking shoes. So, opening their first store in NYC on the very first Earth Day, they capitalized on the media buzz and renamed them Earth Shoes.
That ignited a fad for the footwear that quickly went coast to coast. Many people claimed the shoes made their feet feel better. Others said it always felt like they were walking uphill. And still others said that it added to their back pain. For whatever reason, the fad fizzled after a few years, and the company the Jacobs founded filed for bankruptcy in 1976.
Somehow, Earth Shoes have kept on walking. While nowhere near the popularity they enjoyed in our youth, Earth Shoes can still be found from dozens of online retailers. And that’s no mean “feet.”
