Back in the early 90s, during my fashion sense-less middle school years, the IN thing to do with your shoes was to use the bar method of shoe lacing and then twist the ends into a curly-Q. My boat shoes were pretty hip. While there are many trends from the 90s I hope never return (velvet chokers, baggy cords, oversized flannels), I think the laces system we had was a genius time management strategy rather than a passing fad. I’m glad to see it’s back again with a modern upgrade. Check out the elastic lacing system called Hickies and watch below to see how they work.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfrW2kKAk2E&version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0]

Pretty cool right? I thought so. Since my Fancy Girls are not wearing laced shoes yet, I polled a few kids of varying ages, all of whom though the Hickies looked pretty cool. But what I really wanted to know was: how easy was it for kids to use, and did they hold up to the promise that you’ll “never tie or untie your shoes again.” I enlisted the help of tween sisters from the neighborhood, aged 10 and 13. As luck would have it, they had different opinions and provided very thoughtful feedback for me.

Ellie (age 13): I like the Hickies!

I feel that they are a useful and stylish product. My first reaction was “OMG! These are so cool!” The only thing I don’t like about them is the name. I don’t think it fits their purpose. When I wore them to school everybody said, “What are those? They are so cool!” They were very interested in the product. Also, when I first put them in my sneakers, it was hard to slip them onto my feet. I had to unlace one or two of them to get them on my feet, but I think that is a matter of stretching them out and getting used to them. When I finally put them on, they felt like regular shoelaces and they are really comfortable. I also like all of the color choices and how with these, you can add color to your shoelaces. In conclusion, I like them a lot (with just a few suggestions).

Zoe (age 10): I like shoelaces better

I think that the Hickies would be great for younger kids that don’t know how to tie their shoes yet, but when they learn how to tie their shoes they should use laces. I had trouble getting my shoe on when the Hickies were on my shoe. I needed to unhook one or two of them so I could get my shoe on. I would prefer shoelaces over the Hickies because I think that shoelaces have a more natural feel. Overall, I would prefer shoelaces over Hickies.

Are you still curious about Hickies? Visit their website for more technical video, colorful images and an Instagram voting page. And wouldn’t you know: there’s an app for that too!  Colors range from all white to contrasting colors like pink and blue or aqua and orange. At $19.99 or 2 for $30,  you can also pick up a rainbow pack with one of each wacky color duo.