Shelve your boots and chunky brogues; the season for churched-up casual sneakers is nigh. Crisp. Comfortable. All summer-like. The kinda’ shoes you — back in the dead of winter — said you couldn’t wait to wear. Make good on your word. These five are a step ahead of the pack.
The Churched-Up Slip-on
A collab with menswear guru Nick Wooster, the Wooster Lardini by Greats is an eye-catching slip-on. And we do mean eye-catching. The black and white wool houndstooth and veg-tan calf lining comes with a near-hidden touch: left and right shoes are oh-so-subtly mismatched.
The Toned-Down Athletic Shoe
One of our go-to style pubs, Mr. Porter, just launched its Sport vertical, an expertly curated performance gear shop featuring 25 brands across nine athletic categories (tennis, golf, etc.). For running, they’re pimping the Joyride Sneakers by Athletic Propulsion Labs, an extremely lightweight blue mesh sneaker with not-overtly-loud neon-green trim.
The Casual Summer White
Long-standing tennis brand K-Swiss and American designer Billy Reid are five seasons in on their sneaker collaborations, and they just keep getting better. Their updated Arlington line fuses Billy Reid staples onto a K-Swiss Classic, such as copper eyelets taken from their denim line, leather skins from their seasonal apparel and Heritage ribbon accents. Equally adept for walking, country club or rooftop bar. (Their new surf blue slip-on is great, too).
The Formal Option
A reimagining of a West German athletic staple, the new Epaulet Sport Trainers are slim, minimalist and constructed out of supple cowhide. The dark green’s a looker, as are the white calfskin/grey suedes and seven-eye white tennis trainers. A sneaker for more serious times, and one that’ll look better with age.
The Conversation Piece
There are times to break out of the monochrome vibe. Like this: the inventive colorways of the revamped Colorado Eighty-Five suede sneaker, an update on a classic Japanese trail runner from J.Crew. Available just this week, these limited-edition kicks look best paired with joggers and sans socks.
Related:
Stay Fit. Stay Comfy.
Bringing fitness back to its roots: Outdoor Voices, a refreshingly uncomplicated wardrobe for your active time, now available. Everything from OV is super-comfy, eminently breathable and good-looking from the go. Without a lot of flash.
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