A Brief History of "St. Patrick's Day" Nike Air Force 1s

Some holidays call for a special sneaker colorway. One of those days is St. Patrick's Day, and one of those sneakers that tends to get a commemorative makeover is the Nike Air Force 1. The shoe's simple silhouette has made the perfect canvas for the holiday's celebration of Irish tradition, liquid diets, and the color green. There have been a few Nike Air Force 1s that've encompassed the spirit and tradition of St. Paddy’s Day, and they're known to have Irish eyes smiling all around. If you're not celebrating the day by blacking out before 3 p.m. and in need of a good read, here's A Brief History of St. Patrick’s Day Nike Air Force 1s

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Year: 2005

Setting the table for a formidable series was the release of the 2005 "St. Patty's Day" Nike WMNS Air Force 1. Although made for the ladies, this edition of the AF1 had men wishing it came a half size bigger. Its all white patent leather upper sat beautifully atop a gum bottom giving it a perfect spring feel. Solidifying the theme was green branding and a four-leaf clover on the heel of the shoe. Trying to cop a pristine pair now is like seeing Bigfoot riding an unicorn in a Chicago Cubs World Series parade. Not happening.

Year: 2006

The St. Patrick’s Day AF1 line quickly caught traction with its 2006 release. With a patent leather upper, the Pine Green shoe incorporated a translucent outsole and white Nike swoosh. The sneaker was complemented with a three-leaf clover leprechaun hat on the heel tab. The "St. Patrick's Day" AF1 hit the market in limited editions as a quickstrike but is still available on eBay. Imagine seeing these on a box of Lucky Charms.

Year: 2010

Nike decided to take a yin and yang approach to its 2010 "St. Patrick's Day" Air Force 1 pack. Released alongside an all-green canvas option, this Air Force 1 kept it simple. All white leather ran throughout the shoe helping the lucky green Nike Swoosh stand out. Although there were no shamrocks or pots of gold plastered anywhere, this Air Force 1 was the more practical of the two sneakers.

Year: 2010

As mentioned before, the two colorways contrasted each other in a bold way. This model featured a full-blown lucky green upper that was adorned with a simple white Swoosh. Canvas and leather meshed together perfectly to run alongside the side panel and toe box. This St. Patty's Day tribute really brought to life the AF1's versatility with various textures.

Year: 2010

This GS model also made its debut to the world in 2010. This Nike Air Force 1 featured a four-leaf clover and green Nike Swoosh. The typical white leather gave the shoe a clean look. A green outsole and inner sock lining completed the sneaker's composition. Kudos to Nike for keeping it simple and not overdoing this one.

Year: 2011

Nike took a very subtle approach for 2011's St. Patrick's Day Air Force 1 Low. The simple ode to St. Paddy's Day featured the Green “Microstripe" AF1 Low that released exclusively at various retailers like 21 Mercer in New York City. It's rare to see Microstripe leather used this perfectly. A white midsole and dark green translucent outsole gave this exclusive its finishing touches. Although less flashy than some of its predecessors, this sneaker stayed true to St. Paddy's Day, and might actually be rocked by real Irishmen—you know, in Ireland.

Year: 2012

One of the cleanest "St. Patty's Day" Air Force 1s debuted in 2012. Although fans initially did not appreciate the shamrock-less shoe, it served to be a dope sneaker for more than just the holidays. Green outlined the Nike Swoosh and was also featured on the heel tab. Unlike quickstrike drops of years past, people had the opportunity of copping these at a $90 box-price online, and at major retailers like Foot Locker.