We chat to Offspring Community member @elliebethwears
Tell us about yourself
I’m Ellie, 28 years old and live in the seaside town of Hastings in East Sussex. I’ve worked in many different roles in the last few years, mainly working with young people and in mental health services. I currently work within the criminal justice and social care sector; I’ve just started this role but its something I really enjoy!
How long have you been into sneakers and how did you get into them?
I started getting into sneakers when I was about 16, so that’s around 12 years ago now. I’m not quite sure how I got into sneakers, but I remember always being in love with Air Max 90s! I took a break from buying myself sneakers but got back into it when I got together with my partner who is a big Nike SB dunk collector. He really pushed me to get back out there and dress how I want to dress, I’m forever grateful for this as this started my love for sneakers again!
Do you have any early sneaker memory?
An early sneaker memory for me would definitely be the sneaker and big dress style. I remember seeing Lily Allen in her early career and being in awe of her style. This early memory has always stuck with me and, as you can see from my photos, this is the style I have kept throughout my life.
Do you have any sneaker regrets and what is your sneaker grail?
I have some big regrets! My main regret is when I went through a stage of selling ALL of my Air Max 1s and 90s when I was about 18. I sold them for like £20 each, the buyers got themselves a proper bargain! My sneaker grail would definitely be the Air Max 90 Dizzee Rascal “Tongue N Cheek”, I know for a fact I will never ever find them in my size (I’m only a 3.5) but I can always hope...
What sneakers are in your rotation currently?
My rotation changes from week to week, I grow attached to pairs easily! My current rotation includes Air Max 90 Illusion Green, the Brixton TNs and the Air Max 1 Duck Honey Dew.
As a woman in the sneaker industry can you tell us how you’ve been able to navigate yourself in a predominately male space and your experience so far?
It’s been a great experience! I started out by communicating with female based sneaker Instagram accounts such as Sneaker Sisterhood, this gave me a chance to chat to other women who have similar interests to me, this really helped me to feel comfortable in the community.
Since then, I’ve put myself out there by wearing bright sneakers and matching these with my outfits and surroundings, this was something I was initially scared of at first, but I have had the loveliest support from everyone in the community, I’ve even had people tell me I’ve inspired them!
The only negative I have experienced is that some sneakers I have liked don’t always come in female sizing, but I believe this is starting to change as I’ve definitely seen the female sizing on the rise, which is great, but it would be nice for sneakers to be inclusive of all sizing.
Aside from sneakers what else are you into?
I love fashion, I can’t really describe what my style is but if I had to it would be dopamine dressing. I’ve taken my love for fashion to a new level recently and have started being a stylist for friends who are singers, choosing their outfits for gigs and music videos. I hope that I can continue this as this is something I have wanted to do my whole life.
What does community mean to you?
Community means a lot. I come from a small, deprived town in the South East so it’s always been comforting having a close community who you know will always have your back and support you. Similar to this, having the online sneaker community is really great as you know you are always supported and can feel comfortable being who you really are. I’ve met so many great people in the sneaker community who constantly support me, and I really appreciate everything that they have done for me and for my confidence. If I didn’t have this community behind me, I probably wouldn’t be writing this interview as I wouldn’t be out there posting what I want to!
Check out more from Ellie on Instagram @elliebethwears
