How Sneaker Culture Was More Fun Before Social Media

There used to be a time before Twitter and Instagram, when sneaker culture was actually more enjoyable without social media.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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If you're reading this, there's a good chance you found your way here through social media. Either a link popped up on your Twitter or Facebook timeline and it enticed you enough to click on it. You probably like sneakers and are involved in some sort of daily interaction that revolves around them. The Internet has, in turn, made it much easier to be a "sneakerhead," and you wouldn't have it any other way.

But what if I told you that there was a sneaker world before bots, Instagram, and retweets? Believe it or not, people did purchase sneakers before then and they were fanatic about them, too, it was just a different time and place. I'm not here to wax poetic about how sneaker culture sucks nowadays and I wish it was 1998 again, because that would be pointless.

There are, however, a few things that have changed for the worse and several reasons behind the shift going on nowadays. If we're going to move forward, we need to take a look back. For all the old heads out there or the new ones who just want to learn how things have become different, here's How Sneaker Culture Was More Fun Before Social Media.

The best way to stunt sneakers was to actually wear them.

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The art of the hunt was very real.

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People were influencers for a reason, not because of their following.

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The point of being into sneakers was because you liked them, not to be "Insta-famous."

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Remember Eastbay catalogues?

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Getting discounts required knowing people.

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The only people trying to sell sneakers were retail employees.

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