Move over, Uggs! TOMS are taking the University of Oregon campus by storm – and for good reason!
Next time you’re walking around campus, focus your attention towards the ground. Instead of looking at the faces of students walking past, look at their shoes. It will only be a matter of minutes before you come into contact with a pair of TOMS. Available in a large variety of prints and colors, these little canvas shoes are quickly becoming popular among U of O collegiettes™.
Made out of a thin canvas material with a rubber bottom, TOMS are hard to miss. However, as you start noticing these shoes around campus, you may also notice how difficult it is to find two people with the same pair. There are hundreds of different styles available, ranging from Vegan and Wedding styles to classics and glitters, making it easy to uniquely follow the TOMS trend.
While TOMS are not advertised to be waterproof or weather resistant, many students wear them to class on a daily basis – rain or shine. Maybe I’ve been living under a rock, but when I saw these shoes rapidly appearing around campus, I wanted to know why so many students in Eugene, Oregon (a city that gets as much rain as sun) would own shoes that offers about as much protection as flip flops. With a little research, I got my answer.
Though initially it may seem that TOMS are a little on the expensive side (prices range from about $44 to $60 on average), it is money well spent. All TOMS customers are also benefactors of the ”One For One” movement: for every pair purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.
It all started in 2006 when TOMS CEO Blake Mycoskie visited Argentina and noticed that the children he befriended had no shoes to protect their feet. Determined to help, Mycoskie created TOMS shoes, and the one for one concept was born. Later that year, Mycoskie returned to Argentina with family, friends, staff, and 10,000 pairs of shoes.
As of September 2010, TOMS has given over one million pairs of shoes to children in need.
Therefore, TOMS is more than just a trend – it’s a movement, and those who partake in it are more than just consumers, they’re humanitarians. Now that’s guilt-free shopping!
So whether it’s the guilt-free aspect, trend spotters trying to save the world, the huge variety of prints and colors, or simply its popularity, one thing is certain: TOMS are definitely a trendy style here at the University of Oregon and at campuses across America.