Roller Blades have replaced the old Roller Skates in modern culture. But back in the day, there was no cooler way to hit the boardwalk or the local roller rink than with four wheels and a skate key. And if you had Mickey Mouse smiling on the fronts, you were doubly cool!

Let’s have a look back to the Disco era:

Disney is good at capitalizing on trends. So when roller skating became popular, they licensed Mickey and friends to a skate manufacturer. Eventually, that trend passed. The license lapsed. And the product ended up in a yard sale, at a charity shop, or years later… in an antique market, as these did.

Roller skating originated in the performing arts in the 18th century. Yup, that far back! It became very popular in North America from the 1930s to 1950s, but really came into its own in the 1970s when it was associated with disco music and roller rinks. But all good things (?) must come to an end, and so during the 1990s, inline skating became the next popular thing.

But all is not lost, Roller Skating fans! You can still buy these shoes on wheels today. If you’d like to see what styles are available, check out RollerGirl.ca for all of the latest and greatest offerings.