Alright I’m finally doing it, behold my list of the top 15 shoes of 2009. I’ll be breaking it down over three days, five shoes a day, in reverse chronological order, making it a proper countdown. A few notes: my focus on this site is Nikes, so these are all Nikes and Jordans. Also, I realize that some of us have connections and some of us don’t, so I tried to pick shoes that were acquirable for anyone who lives in the States, not just the connected elite, meaning no Non-US releases (sorry True Blues) and nothing limited to like 100 pairs, although many shoes on this list are definitely limited. Tier Zero releases are fair game, but I won’t include 1World Air Force 1′s because several were crazy limited and/or Asia/Euro exclusives. Ok, it’s Go Time. Let’s get it cracking with number 15.
NUMBER 15: Nike Air Trainer SC Total Orange (OG Colorway)
The fact that this is for all intents and purposes THE Bo Jackson shoe in the original colorway is probably enough to merit inclusion on this list, but the fact of the matter is that the shoe has a beautiful design to boot, incorporating a largely perf white upper with unique orange, blue and grey overlays to pay tribute to Bo’s alma mater, Auburn.
NUMBER 14: Nike Blazer Mid Supreme Rustic
This is the honorary selection, as I had to pick at least one Nike Blazer Lux or quasi-Lux. While this isn’t technically a Lux model, the aesthetic is simple and eye-catching, featuring a smooth leather upper covered in a rustic brown, subtle perf Swooshes and a white midsole to contrast the whole thing.
NUMBER 13: Nike Dunk High Supreme Spark “Gucci”
Loving the colorway, I opted for this DJ Clark Kent-designed Dunk High “Gucci” rather than the similarly-styled Dunk High from Nike SB primarily due to the prevalence of leather—the SB offering mixed in denim—and the ostrich-style dimples on the black panels. How do you know it’s a great shoe? I went to the Employee Store a couple of months back and didn’t grab these; Every time I grab the Dunks I picked instead I rue the day. Any non-purchase that can trigger buyer’s remorse belongs on the list.
NUMBER 12: Nike Air Force 1 Livestrong “Busy P”
This was actually one of my most difficult selections which I realize sounds strange because it’s not number 15 and it’s not in the top five. But I could only justify putting one Livestrong Air Force 1 on this list and there are at least two that are worthy. While I’m pretty confident ranking the Busy P Livestrong AF1 over the similar but inferior Livestrong x Mister Cartoon AF1, picking this over and subsequently bumping off the list the recent Livestrong x UNDFTD AF1 fills me with much more trepidation. I love the unique nature of the Busy P though, with various phrases scrawled all over the exterior, and this was inspired by a very similar, non-Livestrong shoe, so Busy P gets it by a hair.
NUMBER 11: Air Jordan 12 White/Black-Varsity Red
Yes, you could very easily make a case for getting these in the top seven or 10, but the list was getting a bit Jordan-heavy in that area (hope that doesn’t ruin the surprise. It’s not that Jordan-heavy) so they find themselves just outside the top 10 looking in. Nicest Air Jordan 12 colorway of the year—besting the Rising Suns and the Flu Games—and the last of the original AJ12 colorways to get a retro.
And those are the 11th through 15th best Nikes of 2009. Better stuff coming tomorrow, including the sole SB release on the list as well as the return of a classic. As far as today’s selections go, feel free to rip them to shreds in the comments section if you’re so inclined.
UPDATE: Numbers 10 through 6 are now up. Enjoy responsibly.