Price Tags Were The Only Status That Mattered

Since sneakers didn't sell out and there were no "Hyperstrikes" (heck, everything was a hyperstrike), the only way to differentiate between sneakers was the price tag. So people naturally gravitated towards the flash, the high-end basketball and tennis sneakers in neon colors with all the amenities. Only those who really knew (and had access to running specialty stores) rocked the $200 grey New Balance.