Sneaker culture

L

Also called Ls, take an L, taking an L

An L is a loss. Borrowed from sport, it is used across sneaker culture for any release that did not go your way: an entry that was not selected, a checkout that timed out, a size that sold out while you were looking at it. It is the everyday word for a Missed 'Em.

In use: The Draw closed, the notification said Missed 'Em, and the group chat got one letter back: L.

A loss, said quickly

L is short for loss. It came out of sport, it is used everywhere online, and in sneaker conversation it covers any release that did not go your way. An entry that was not selected is an L. So is a checkout that timed out, or a size that sold out while you were deciding. People take an L, catch an L, or just post the letter on its own.

Why it is used so lightly

Because on limited releases the L is the default result. A Draw has far more entries than pairs, so most people who enter do not get the shoe, and the word absorbs that without any drama attached. Reading each one as a personal failure misunderstands what a Draw is.

That is also why the word is worth keeping honest. An L on a random selection is arithmetic and there is nothing in it to learn. An L caused by a card that expired in March is a different thing wearing the same letter, and only one of the two is worth doing anything about. Sorting your own Ls into those two piles is more useful than any advice about technique.

W is the opposite. Missed ‘Em is the message SNKRS actually sends; L is what people say instead.

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