Last month ESPN released 'This Magic Moment' a 30 for 30 documentary about the 95/96 Orlando Magic. This was when I first got into basketball so I have a real love for the era. My very first basketball was a Magic graphic ball, and my first NBA jersey was the classic Shaq black pin-stripe Orlando jersey.
Of course I also loved the shoes of that time, especially the Nike Penny line. The Penny II is my all time favourite shoe, and over the last few weeks I've been wearing a bunch of different Penny shoes. However 90's basketball shoes aren't always the easiest shoe to wear to the office (they're not exactly subtle), which got me thinking about a shoe I slept on when it was released back in 2014, The Nike Penny Air Force 1.
Originally made as an exclusive just for Penny Hardaway, the shoe takes elements from the classic Orlando colorway of the Air Max Penny and uses them to make a really unique Air Force shoe.
It features the royal blue wave pattern swoosh in a high gloss plastic, and the pin-stripe tongue (that mirrors the pinstripes on the Orlando jerseys), both details that really stand out on the original shoe. It also has the awesome 1 Cent Penny logo on the heel, and then repeated in a big version on the icey clear outer-sole.
All these details are combined with some great pebbled leather and the royal blue lining making for a great combination of subtle and striking.
For some reason I passed on these when they release in 2014, but I was able to find a pair on ebay and got them for a really good price including shipping from the States. The white Air Force is a classic Summer shoe and these will definitely get a lot of wear over the coming months.
