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Before I get into this very sensitive subject, let me first break down what it means to “un ds”.
DS means Dead stock – which means the shoe has yet to be worn and 9 times out of 10 it is no longer in stock at any physical stores. So to “un ds” would be to wear a fresh pair of kicks for the first time making them no longer dead stock and in most cases driving the value down. Like when you drive a car off the lot it depreciates in value; once a shoe is worn it depreciates in value.
Now that we’ve covered that let’s get into “un dsing” kicks…..There is nothing like throwing on a dope pair of kicks for the first time and stepping out into the world fresh as a new born baby. The smell, feel and look of a brand new pair of kicks is a thing of beauty… truly poetry in motion. Now what non SneakerHeads might not know or understand is the process and pep talk that happens before you “un ds” a pair of shoes and wear them for the first time.
Most would say it’s just a new pair of shoes, wrong! These kicks were bought with special meaning or for a specific purpose. A lot of times SneakerHeads buy kicks with no true intent to wear them (please don’t question SneakerHead logic). But when we do decide to “un ds” a sneaker it is definitely a special occasion. We have to be headed somewhere worth going where the kicks can be seen by all. Weather conditions have to be ideal, there can’t be a lot of dust/dirt/grass wherever we’re headed and then we have to convince ourselves to actually wear the kicks. There are a lot of SneakerHeads who have no intentions of wearing certain kicks, which is understandable. I myself have a pair, possibly two that may never touch the earth. But once we get the itch to “un ds” a fresh pair of kicks we must build up the strength to actually do so.
Might sound crazy to most but every SneakerHead feels what I’m talking about right now. I personally try to wear all my kicks, but it still has to be the right time. I’m not pulling out a 10 year old shoe to stunt to go buy groceries. Absolutely not, with a shoe like that anything short of a wedding or a funeral they’re staying in the box. There’s a saying in the SneakerHead community it’s “Rock Don’t Stock” which means to wear your kicks instead of letting them collect dust. I’m all for this saying. Just make sure that you “un ds” the right shoe at the right time. Don’t be out here making the rest of us SneakerHeads look bad.
Alright my fellow SneakerHeads….as always cop heavy, keep em fresh and the soles icy. #Salute
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