UNPRETENTIOUS SNEAKERS
The footwear trends touch on novelty

ENJOYMENT FOOTWEAR

Buying sneakers is a thing most of us enjoy. However, as soon as you buy one pair, you can’t help but immediately start looking for the next one that would complement your shoe rack.

Sneakers are the workhorses in most people’s wardrobes. They can take a beating, are appropriate for almost all occasions, and require little effort to style. Since they’re a must-have shoe staple, the question then is how do brands keep the style feeling fresh season after season? An easy answer: Designers and retailers release new offerings in the latest colors and silhouettes each season or by periodic drops.

TREND OF SNEAKERS

it’s about time that sneakers are being recognized for what they are: The focal point of footwear. What was once a shoe only worn by athletes and sports enthusiasts has turned into a full-blown fashion zeitgeist. And while platform heels, clogs and loafers are all must-haves this season, there’s just something about wearing and styling sneakers that makes them stand out from every other shoe. Perhaps it’s the fact that each trend is cute and comfortable, or maybe it’s knowing that they add up to endless street style possibilities.

Some lace them up for weekly grocery runs; others, for actual running. And while we can’t imagine a better pairing for floaty culottes and midi skirts, you might prefer them as the finishing touch to all things structured denim. Whatever your approach, this year’s crop of newcomers—which range from techy to trend-forward—sets you up nicely for the year ahead.

The Best of Cushioning

Sports and outdoor gear blend into everyday fashion, which is causing a recent spike in demand for athletic sneakers. Performance shoes are no longer relegated to activities like running or hiking and have now become a staple on the street style scene. We’re seeing styles from Salomon, Asics, and Hoka One One rising in popularity.

There are some brands that deserve to be in the spotlight always and forever. Among them: Converse and Nike. Nobody does shoes quite like these brands, and there are good reasons why they are never not relevant. They’re constantly making over their classic styles and raising the bar for what sneakers can—and should—be.

Color-blocked styles are massive right now because they instantly refresh even your most basic OOTD in one simple step. Shop options that come in classic primary colors or ones that take a more subdued approach. Anything you can possibly think of will become fashionable the natural evolution of one of last year’s biggest sneaker trends and something we’re going to be seeing a lot more.

Exquisite of A Sneakers

Luxury sneakers, from Gucci to Tom Ford and Balenciaga, have become an integral part of any human’s casual wardrobe. You may now go from the gym to the office in a pair of designer sneakers. Dress them down with a pair of jeans for an exquisite casual look, or up with a suit for a business casual look. Sneakers provide a level of flair, mobility, and comfort that other casual shoes simply cannot compete with. Premium fabrics and materials from high-end designers and luxury companies are used in luxury sneakers. Traditional sports and athletic wear businesses have expanded out to design classic streetwear shoes that may also appear exquisite, offering a degree of attention to detail and craftsmanship that mass-market brands cannot match.

SNEAKERS INVESTMENT

HOW TO MAKE MORE MONEY

Rattle off a list of the largest sneaker brands by sales per square foot or some other arbitrary metric of commercial success, but bigger isn’t always better. In the sneaker game, cult-loved boutique labels routinely go toe to toe with billion-dollar sportswear behemoths in a cutthroat competition for sneakerhead attention—that’s what makes keeping track of it all such a blast. So what truly separates the companies making waves in the sneaker space from the names that could drop a new silhouette overnight without the internet making a peep? A longstanding history of innovation always helps. A deep roster of beloved retro styles to fall back on never hurts. Above all else, though, a reputation for consistently providing a high-quality product tends to do the trick, whether you’re hawking running shoes available at every Foot Locker in the world or high-end, limited-edition kicks that resell for quadruple their asking price.