Rolling Back Into Fashion

There was a time when roller skates and inline skates were confined to the dimly lit surroundings of the local roller disco. Here, guilty pleasures could be indulged in, in what ultimately seemed a passing fad.

Today though, roller skates have made a comeback, and they’re no longer just hidden in the murk of sweaty leisure centre halls. Like with all things, fashions come and go, but the resurgence in popularity of skating or �blading’ is a little more interesting. For years, it was a more alternative sport, an aggressive skating popular with the same groups who would be out skateboarding, and was more heavily focussed on tricks than exercise. A few years back, the popularity in this area declined, but it wasn’t long before they started going mainstream. Now, everyone from young kids to mums and dads can be seen out on roller skates.

There are numerous reasons for this. Firstly, there are the health benefits. Skating can burn as many calories as running while being much more fun and kind to the joints. As exercise goes, it is one of the easiest and most fun ways to find yourself shedding pounds and toning muscles. Heel skates may have brought them to the attention of a younger audience again, then skates and inline skates picked up the interest as the heel gimmick wore thin. The re-emergence of sports such as the roller derby in America, and the accompanying pop culture attention in films such as Whip It have also contributed heavily to new generations discovering the craze and old ones rediscovering it.

Ultimately, it is a fun, rewarding pastime whatever your age, whether you want to grind down railings or simply just escape from the hustle and bustle of life and relax while taking in the world outside. So get your skates on and join in.