If you grew up in the 90's you probably remember jelly shoes. I never had a pair myself but I remember coveting the candy bright colors and soft plastic on display in department stores. What I was interested to learn (this knowledge is based off of Wikipedia so don't quote me) is that jelly shoes were actually invented in Europe just after World War II in response to a leather shortage. They were originally manufactured in black or brown to reproduce the look of leather. In the 1950's jellies took off in Australia as a shoe for school students to wear and it wasn't until the early 1980's that companies began producing jelly shoes in multicolor. At this point, they exploded in popularity in the United States. Today we view them with nostalgia but jellies are also seen as pioneers in eco-friendly shoes because they are completely recyclable unlike rubber or leather. For more pictures (or to buy your own pair) you can visit the SunJellies website here. Their photos are cute and fun with a flashy mix of modern, retro, and vintage.
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