Puma Disc Blaze Tetris sneakers are gorgeously awful

Blogs around the Internet are vocally reviling these Tetris-patterned Puma Disc Blaze sneakers. Charlie Sorrel over at Gadget Lab takes a jolt of Substance D to the alliteration gland and calls them "foul, fluorescent footwear." But my first thought when looking at them was that these were exactly the sort of sneakers Joel would like. And man, Joel's penchant for loud, technicolor sneakers must be rubbing off on me (we cuddle) because I have to admit... I kinda sorta like them too.

Puma Disc Blaze 1992 Tetris Pack [Kicks on Fire]

[#1 posted by Joel Johnson , May 21, 2008 7:22 AM]

I would wear these.

[#2 posted by mistercharlie , May 21, 2008 8:06 AM]

I would totally buy them in a different color. But these look like a 1980s hair gel pack.

Charlie Sorrel

[#3 posted by Timefishblue , May 21, 2008 8:35 AM]

I went to an M.I.A. concert a couple weeks ago, and, if these had been for sale a little earlier, everyone in that terrible audience would have been wearing them.

[#4 posted by lectroid , May 21, 2008 8:43 AM]

I am sorely tempted to buy these for the sole purpose of wearing them in public in the presence of my teenage daughter and her friends.

I am a horrible, horrible father.

[#5 posted by Fnarf , May 21, 2008 11:08 AM]

Can I wear them with my pink and orange and black Jams?

[#6 posted by Halloween Jack , May 21, 2008 1:00 PM]

Don't forget a Flock of Seagulls style wig and some Human League on the stereo.

[#7 posted by zuzu , May 21, 2008 1:11 PM]

I went to an M.I.A. concert a couple weeks ago, and, if these had been for sale a little earlier, everyone in that terrible audience would have been wearing them.

Terrible, eh?

Are you referring to the whole fluo (neon) phenomenon in bloghouse / nu-rave music?

For example:
* Yelle - Je Veux Te Voir
* Teki Latex - Les Matins de Paris

I think it's quite the opposite of terrible, but maybe you got the annoying hipster follow-on version of it.

[#8 posted by Timefishblue , May 21, 2008 2:21 PM]

I definitely got the annoying hipster follow-on version
It's depressing to see how many people will wear their mothers' old windbreakers to a concert

some of these people were even singing the tetris theme while we were waiting in line, as a bonus
(because it's ironic to like tetris I guess)

[#9 posted by Trevour , May 21, 2008 4:02 PM]

I have an actual pair of Puma Discs from 1992 that look way cooler than these. Neon green and aqua blue. The shoes are a half-size too small for me now, since I bought them at the tail end of my junior high growth spurt. I totally recommend 'em if you can pick up a pair! Comfy AND stylin'.

[#10 posted by License Farm , May 21, 2008 4:40 PM]

I've been observing the slow creep of late '80's aesthetics back into hipster culture. I have yet to decide whether the screaming color clashes of my adolescence brings me more comfort as nostalgia, or because it will make my usual odd fashion choices seem more tame in comparison.

Still, could we get a new idiom already? Late '80's was mostly a throwback to late '60's fashion with an infusion of hip hop culture and upgraded production values. What exactly is it that's new about it this time around? Will I get back my pre-web cyberculture?

[#11 posted by historyman68 , May 22, 2008 12:12 AM]

License Farm:

Late '00's are mostly a throwback to late '80's fashion with an(other) infusion of hip hop culture and upgraded production values.

how's that?

[#12 posted by devophill , May 22, 2008 3:05 AM]

Man, I hope these come in 13 wide.