2004 Nike Air Jordan IV Retro in White, Chrome, Classic Green

Here is another Air Jordan IV retro that came out in 2004. This was was nearly all white, with some green and chrome highlights. I bought a few pairs of these and only wore one but I was never really into them either. I don't think they were ever as popular as the originals. Below are photos of the pair I never wore and kept stored in its box. As you can see, the mesh 'net' areas turned yellow.

These also were fillers for me until I would be able to get one of the original colorways I wanted so bad. Having a pair of AJ4's that I could wear was better than not having any even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted.

Nike Air Jordan IV Retro (1999) in White / Black / Cement

One of my all time favorite sneakers--I'm talking top 3 here--is the Nike Air Jordan IV. I first saw these in 9th grade and fell instantly in love. They were to be seen everywhere--school, church, stores, the streets. I had no idea what they were but they looked really cool to me. On my way home from school one day I happened to encounter one of my grade school friends who ended up at another high school and he was wearing a pair of these. His were really beat up and worn but looked great. I don't know if by that point I knew what they were called but I do remember asking him how much they cost. He told me $100. I was like 'holy crap!' There was no way I was going to get $100 sneakers. The most expensive sneakers I had up to that point were like $45 and those were considered pretty expensive. Anyway, I'm sure this dude ended up throwing his away after that school year and I do regret not asking him to let me have them. He probably would have given them to me as no one at that time was anticipating that these would have been worth plenty of money nowadays.

I didn't get my own pair of AJ IV's until many years later and they happened to be from an online place called Vintage USA. That may have been the first online sneaker auction website and I was able to get a pair that was a bit worn down but looked really good. I really wanted to wear them eventually and I ended up destroying the foam midsoles which had broken down due to their age and condition.

Finally in 1999 I got my chance to get a brand new pair of these when they were being retro'ed. I ordered directly from Nike and the price surprisingly was still $100. This time money was not an issue. The issue was that they mistakenly sent me a size smaller than I had ordered. I tried to return it but they no longer had the size I had ordered. So I kept them and wore them not too many times since they were smaller than I needed and they hurt my feet. Afterwards I put them permanently away in their box and eventually sold them for over $400. This is how they looked before I sold them:

I had no idea that these were ever going to be reissued again. When they came out in 2012 I tried to get a pair but totally missed out. Then earlier this year my dream came true. Finally I had a chance once again to have them and I don't know how I managed but I was able to get through the Nike website on the Saturday they debuted and ordered the size I needed. Of course there is a huge difference in price as these cost $220, the most any AJ IV retro has ever cost. But now I am the happy owner of a sneaker that I have wanted ever since high school. And every time I go out wearing these shoes there is always someone who compliments them.

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Nike Cortez Nylon in White & Obsidian

So currently I'm really into Nike Cortez Nylon sneakers. I have had so many pairs of these shoes. For whatever reason I never wore any of them very much and ended up selling all but one. And to be honest, I regret having sold many of them right now. The one I still do have is a grey/white pair from 2002 that I have revived from my wardrobe. They are great, comfortable, lightweight sneakers for warmer weather. I think I had a grand total of 3 pairs of this particular shoe but I ended up selling the other 2, brand new, over the years. Yes, I do regret it.

Another pair I regret having sold is a white/obsidian Nike Cortez Nylon. Here are photos of the pair I had:

There have been many variations of Nike Cortez Nylon over the years. This particular pair features Nike written in all caps on the back and on the tongue and a shiny metal lace tag that says "Cortez 72".

That was a great pair of shoes! I miss these a lot. I have no idea why I sold them. As I mentioned in my intro, I am pretty fickle with sneakers, so while one day I may be in love with a certain pair, the next day I may be trying to get rid of it. Unfortunately, these Cortez nylon are no longer available in white. Can't even find them used on ebay. I love the simple design of the Cortez and am a big fan of the nylon and suede combination. I have owned a few of the leather & nubuck versions, which I will eventually post photos of, but I was never a huge fan of theirs. Nylon Cortez all the way!


NEXT POST: More Nike Cortez

NOTE: ALL PHOTOS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE AUTHOR OF THIS BLOG & ARE NOT ALLOWED FOR REPRODUCTION OR USE ON OTHER WEBSITES WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED CONSENT OF THE OWNER.