Sneakers are more popular than ever. It's like that Nike slogan: "If you have a body, you're an athlete," has evolved into "If you like sneakers, you're a sneakerhead." There have never been so many subcultures and lifestyles intersecting with the admittedly niche world of trainer enthusiasts. Perhaps that's why the time was right for a recently opened Brooklyn Museum exhibit specifically dedicated to "The Rise of Sneaker Culture," which is a milestone for athletic shoe nerds, but is already drawing some criticism for focusing too much on the shoes and not enough on the culture itself.

The participants in sneaker culture have never been more varied than they are today. From the early incarnations of uptown New York 'heads who wanted to get the freshest kicks, to the fashion nerds eager to cop the latest and greatest designer sneakers from the likes of Margiela and Saint Laurent, to the young teens keeping core sneaker culture alive by fueling the demand for "Cork" LeBrons and retro Jordans, the market is more stratified than ever. And because of that, it's never been more ripe for self-parody. Whether you see yourself in these classifications, or you're just wondering what the hell modern "sneaker culture" is all about, we hope you laugh with us as we break down today's shoe nerds. Here's A Field Guide to the Modern Day Sneakerhead.

Illustrations by Oli Holmes