If the shoe fits ...

Be unique down to your toes by designing custom footwear online.

JAMES ZISK
The Orange County (CA) Register

The newest story in sneakers is the development of design-your-own-shoes features on Web sites by Nike, Converse, Vans and the like.

Vans pioneered the idea in 1966 when it was a small Orange County company. Customers could bring in fabrics and have a pair of shoes made. Spokesman Chris Overholzer recalls a favorite company story about the divorced woman who made shoes from a fur coat her husband had given her.

As the company grew, that kind of customization became unwieldy. Now, on the Internet, it's easy. Click-and-paint features give you myriad ways to customize Old Skools or Slip-Ons.

Nike and Converse offer similar options.

And while you're at it, create your own T-shirt, too. Type "design your own T-shirt" into Google and see what pops up.

One person's story
I was excited to read about how Converse had set up a Web application where anyone could design his or her own Chucks. Intrigued by the possibility, I decided to give it a try.

The first dilemma was figuring out which unisex size was right for me. There were simple instructions on the site, but that did not calm my fear of having a personally designed wall ornament if the shoes did not fit.

I found the experience to be downright fun. I had a flood of ideas, but also a nagging feeling that I might come up with nothing more than expensive power-line fodder.

My design was inspired by rockabilly music, so the final touch was a personalized monogram for the heel that reads I IV V - the basic musical structure for most rock 'n' roll. It seemed to be more appropriate than my name or initials. I figured those who know will understand.

I placed the order, and roughly 4-1/2 weeks later I received my designer Chucks. They fit and look great ... to me. I will definitely do it again for myself or as a gift.