Don’t call it a comeback, they’ve been here for years. But Lexington-based Sperry has enjoyed a resurgence that would have been hard to predict in the 1990s.

The Top-Siders, created in the 1930s, saw popularity peak in the 1980s, but fell out of fashion favor the following decade, when marketing was a struggle and Sperry buyers were mainly older men, according to a Globe story posted to Boston.com today, April 5.

The Globe story puts the turning point somewhere in the 2000s, when Craig Reingold came on board as president, preppy styles started coming back and Sperry Top-Siders were seen on the feet of hip Band of Outsiders models at New York’s Fashion Week.

Says the Globe:

“The once-floundering Sperry Top-Sider is having a high-fashion moment, with everyone from Kanye West to Blake Lively slipping on a pair. In-house designers at Sperry began playing with the look of the shoe, introducing new silhouettes and materials. But the real renaissance began in the late 2000s, when high-profile designers, looking for classic heritage brands, put Top-Siders on the New York runways, playfully transforming a stodgy staple into an edgy fashion statement.

Today, Sperry designs go well beyond the standard brown boat shoe to include bright colors, bold patterns and even heels. The apparel collection for 2012 includes shirts, swimsuits, bags, outerwear and replacement laces. 

Sperry is a part of Collective Brands, which also owns Saucony, Stride Rite, and Keds. They are based on Spring Street in Lexington.

So, with that in mind, we want to know, What do you think about Sperry Top-Siders? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Never wore 'em? Let us know in the comment section below.