Roller skating has been a beloved pastime enjoyed by generations of kids and adults alike. It’s hard to believe that the first use of roller skates was in a London stage performance way back in 1743!
John Joseph Merlin, a London resident in 1760, deserves the credit for inventing the first skates. Roller skates have certainly come a long way since then!
In the United States, roller skating gained popularity as a pastime in 1935. But it wasn’t until the introduction of skating rinks playing disco music in the 1970s that roller skating became a huge trend. It seemed like everyone wanted to hit the rinks and groove to the music!
Speaking of roller skating, let’s take a trip down memory lane. Do you remember those heavy metal skates that you could attach to your shoes? They were quite the fashion statement back in the day. But there’s something else that you might remember if you were a skater before the 1970s – the iconic skate key.
This copper-colored object was an essential accessory for anyone with roller skates. At first glance, it may look like a bottle opener or some kind of tool, but it is actually a skate key. With the skate key, you could adjust the size of your skates by fitting it into the back of the pair. And to make sure they didn’t get lost while skating, most people wore the key around their necks. It was a small but significant part of the roller skating experience.
Skate keys were such an integral part of roller skating that there have even been songs written about them! They symbolize a time when roller skating was a cherished activity, filled with fun and memories.
So, do you remember skate keys? We’d love to hear your skating stories on our Facebook page. Let’s share this delightful blast from the past with others who may have fond memories of roller skating and skate keys too!
15 Fashion Moments That Are Truly Hard to Understand
Oh, the world of fashion. It’s where creativity knows no bounds and anything goes — as long as it’s bizarre and difficult to comprehend. It’s where wearing clothes made out of raw meat is considered a bold statement, and 2 people that were meant to be paired together are considered high fashion. It is truly a mystery. Take, for example, today’s finds.
1. A model walking the runway during the Rick Owens show
2. A model walks the runway during a show as part of the Paris Fashion Week on October 1, 2015, in Paris, France.
3. Loud and clear
4. A bit straight forward, but we love it.
5. A model walks the runway during the Giambattista Valli Ready to Wear fashion show.
6. A model walks the runway at the Moschino Ready to Wear fashion show on February 23, 2017, in Milan, Italy.
7. Not everyone can become a model, and most importantly, not everyone can walk like this model.
8. When your dress runs faster than you
9. Little Red Riding Hoodis here.
10. It says, “Sorry I’m late. I didn’t want to come.”
11. “No photos, please.”
12. A model wearing a garbage can lid on her head
13. A model walks the runway at the Gucci show.
14. A dress with wings? Yes, perfect.
15. A model walks the runway…
Preview photo credit Gil-Gonzalez Alain/ABACA/EAST NEWS, Gil-Gonzalez Alain/ABACA/EAST NEWS
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