Can't Kick The Habit

I shoot you out your Chukkas/
Pusha hear the whispers of all you motherfuckers

Despite the Warped Tour, checkerboard slip-ons, NOFX, and ugly-ass 90s skate shoe bullshit, the hottest thing this spring is Vans. Chalk it up to smooth connections with designers like Marc Jacobs and W)Taps, and a ton of artists including Josh Petherick, Neckface, Miira Angel, and Greg "Pnut" Galinsky. Vans takes simple shapes, like the slip-on, the Chukka, and the hightop, and applies more colourways/limited runs/limited material/artist series than Air Force, Dunks, and retro Adidas combined.

There was a time when Marc Jacob's Vans were limited and only available through his own store, but now you can pick up the 07s just about anywhere. This year's line is modest. His tartan designs seemed uninspired, but the foresight's paid off, since plaid hass recently reached near-1990s levels of saturation.

Greg Galinsky is easily the best of the Vault artist series. His designs are subtle and his colours fresh: not quite ice cream, more like snowcone. The best place to spot his flavours are at Headquarters(1232 Burrard St.), though due to poor taste or narrowmindedness, the shop only carries his colourful shoes in "girl sizes".

Your best bet instead is Livestock(239 Abbott St.) and Goodfoot(36 Powell St.). Both carry a good selection of the Vault series, Jacobs and Galinsky, plus house styles and Beach Boys-inspired Pendleton plaids. You can also try out Gravity Pope(2205 W. 4th Ave.) for a more reserved cross-section of the line.