So I didn't know buying fake shoes was still a "thing", but apparently it is after seeing at least a dozen people in Soho rocking fake renditions of the coveted Yeezy 350 Boost. I first noticed this when I was shooting weekly street style for the website (which I post every Monday). When I zoomed in to take a picture of a group of #coolteens in their Yeezys, something was just wrong. The print on the sneaker was off, the sole looked like it was made by a shitty 3D printer, and the heel tab looked like it was super glued on (which all of these are probably facts). I immediately backed off of my camera and shook my head with disappointment. Here is some advice I have when it comes to fake kicks... 

1. The hype and resell prices are not a valid excuse to buy fake sneakers.

I know the desire for a pair of Yeezys is really high, and I cannot deny that they are a dope sneaker. However if you cannot get your hands on a real pair on release day, I would say you should stop there. Do not pay resell prices, because they are over inflated and you could buy SO much other dope jawnz with your $800 Yeezy fund. I will admit, I did buy my Yeezys for $500 (thanks to a plug), but after getting my first pair of Yeezys, I kinda regretted it. They are just mesh tennis shoes and nothing more. They don't have exotic leathers or anything else that you would get with paying $500 or more for a shoe. However now that I have learned from that, I advise you to look elsewhere if you can't scoop a Yeezy for retail .

2. Don't try to stunt with fakes.

If you own a fake pair now, have no shame. But please dear God do not go out in public and try to stunt like you have the real thing. If you own fakes I would recommend using them to workout in (if you deem them sturdy enough to handle the treadmill lmao), use them to skateboard in, and or wear them to that shitty bar you go to, where your shoes get trashed because the floor hasn't been cleaned in months. The last thing we want to see is you trying to flex on social media with your Feezy Boosts.

3. Buy something else.

You just spent 50-100 on fake ass Yeezys that will get shredded up from literally walking up a flight of stairs. You might as well just light that money on fire. OR here is an idea- buy some Vans, Stan Smiths, or save up for some lightly used designer sneakers from Grailed.com. I promise you, there are WAY more items out there that you could be purchasing that are better than buying fake sneakers, or paying resell prices. 

If you don't believe me, read this article by Pete Forester (via @solecollector). He wore fake Yeezys for a month and literally felt like shit. 

So next time you miss out on copping Yeezys on release date, don't you dare considering copping a fake pair, or spending resale (unless you got it like that). Invest in something of higher quality that is timeless, and something that won't get you roasted by your entire squad.

Best, Jackson Ray