The early part of the 20th century was the beginning of the sneaker explosion. Sneakers were worn only for athletic purposes until Hollywood picked up on the fashion, first in the 1930's and then again in the 1950's when teenager, James Dean, was photographed wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. From then on, sneakers became part of the official uniform of kids around the world. The following timeline will illustrate the history of sneakers: