In 1935 – 80 years ago – Paul Sperry invented the first boat shoe in the world. Navigator and passionate inventor Paul Sperry has long worked to design the perfect shoe to slip sole. One day, after watching his dog dart effortlessly across the ice on a cold Connecticut day, he was inspired to carved grooves – like those on his dog’s paws – into the bottom of a rubber sole. In that moment of inspiration, the world’s first boat shoe was born. Every single member of the Cruising Club of America wrote to Mr. Sperry to request a pair of these remarkable new boat shoes. Nothing else kept sailors safe on deck. During World War II, the US War Department named Sperry Top-Sider as one of the official shoes of the US Navy. The Kennedy family is photographed while on vacation, triggering a love affair with the active nautical life and classic American style. Sperry Top-Sider boat shoes and sneakers become established as an integral element of this iconic look. Sperry Top-Sider became an integral part of this iconic look. Sperry now offers several models designed specifically for all occasions in, on and around water: an invitation to adventure and exploration.