Even before “cool sneakers” were a thing, we still saw them every once in a while on the streets of fashion weeks worldwide. Clearly worn by the “early adapters” (they don’t follow trends, they start them) and now everyone has gotten on board. Today we’re going back to basics with one of the most popular types of footwear right now –white sneakers.
I’ve noticed the influx of white sneakers for a year or so now (regardless of the season…remember, you can wear white WHENEVER YOU WANT), but I really started to see more of a pattern once fashion week hit Copenhagen. Since then, it seems that more than half the sneakers I see worn by women (and even sometimes men) are plain white sneakers. With “kicks” being the current shoe of choice for fashion week goers (thank goodness for comfortable trends, right?) it looks like people are keeping it simple when it comes to their footwear.
Now I realize white sneakers are hardly a trend, but it’s the easiest way to get that effortless style by literally putting in no effort (unless you count putting on shoes effort…which it actually is at times, but you get the picture). You can go full-on normcore (which actually is a trend, in this not-so-trendy way) and wear jeans, a sweater and white sneakers (remember, normcore is different from basic). However, if you wear this while ordering a vodka water lime and carry a Longchamp tote while doing so, then your normcoreness will immediately become basic..and you don’t want that.
You can also pair those white sneakers with a skirt, a dress, a two-fer pants/skirt hybrid…really you can wear white sneakers with anything. Just make sure you’re not wearing those sneakers with something like an outdated suit…because then you’ll look like every woman during her commute to work circa 1984 (unless that’s what you’re going for of course, but I can’t recommend it). Here’s the right way to do sneaker suiting…
You can also go extra fashiony with this one and do the whole jacket-draped-over-your-shoulders thing…
Nothing says “I’m a badass” like being too cool to put your arms through the sleeves, right?
Although I currently don’t own any white sneakers, I’m thinking after writing this post I should probably get myself a pair. If you would’ve asked me three years ago if I wanted in on this I’d say “why would I want to look like I’m wearing orthopedics?” If you asked me twelve years ago, I’d be like “yeah, I have every version of the Steve Madden lace up platforms you can ever imagine…so of course I love white sneakers.” It’s funny because a lot of these current white sneaker styles do sort of resemble those Steve Madden platforms from back in the day (you can’t deny it). But with pretty much every single 90s trend making a comeback in the last couple of years (hopefully over-plucked eyebrows will never be one of them, but with Cara brow envy being a clinical diagnosis, I think we’re in the clear) this really should be no surprise.
Although you can go so many ways with this (whether it be embellishments like studs or spikes or styles like high-tops and slip-ons), low-top lace up white sneakers are what we’re seeing a lot of right now and it really is as simple as you can get. Plus, they’re the perfect way to look “on trend” without being trendy whatsoever (see how fashion just makes total sense?)
Whether you want to spend $45 or $450, there’s a white sneaker for you. I’m currently team Adidas, although I haven’t sported those three stripes since ’01. But like I’ve mentioned here several times on CCF, designers and brands who have lost their edge in recent years are putting in an extra effort to get their cool factor back (Gap, J. Crew and Coach are all great examples of this)…even with something that seems as uncool as white sneakers. And I’m pretty happy about that.
Images via Vogue, The Cut & Tumblr
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