The Sneakers That Got Away.

Every sneakerhead will always have a pair (or more) that's managed to elude their collection. Some people actively seek them out, while folks like me choose to wallow in regret, hoping for miracle to come in the form of a re-release. Out of all the kicks I've wanted to cop over the years, there's only one pair that I've been hating myself for not picking up despite having a golden opportunity to get them. So if you're interested, now's the time for a little story.

The year was 2008, and I was in my junior year in college. Me and my buddy Justin had stumbled on this sporting goods store near Eastwood that sold branded shoes and apparel at marked down prices. Back then, sneaker collecting hadn't evolved into the monster it is today, so it was still pretty commonplace to see boxes of premium release Nikes and Air Jordans stacked up in stores like those. After walking around to check the selection, I ended up trying to decide between two Air Jordan retros - "Green Bean" 5s and Aqua 8s.

At the time, all I wanted sneakers that were really loud, so the 5s and their all-3M build fit the bill more than the Aquas did. So I ended up getting them, and prided myself on how I was able to pick them up for way under retail. But in the days after my purchase, I couldn't stop thinking about the Aquas and their ugly-beautiful appearance. After some time when I had saved up money to get them, they were all gone and I haven't found them ever since. I also ended up selling the Green Bean 5s to my cousin (also named Justin) after only wearing them once.

The easy moral of the story here would be to never squander a golden opportunity to pick up some shoes. But in truth, I think the real lesson to be learned here is that tastes change, so when you're looking to pick up some shoes, think long term. Can you see yourself wearing them long after the hype for a certain shoe or style disappears? Then by all means, go and pick them up.

Anybody out there with a story to share on a pair they missed out on and regret everyday? Let me know. I'll just be here, waiting on the Aqua 8s to re-release.