The age of the sneaker is truly here. No matter your age or stage of life it seems that women are over uncomfortable shoes and want to be able to walk with ease.
This was totally confirmed to me when one of Australia’s media queens, Amanda Keller, wore a pair of glitzy sneakers on the red carpet to the Logie awards (it’s Australia’s version of the Emmy’s), under her formal gown and another
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Showing off the comfiest tootsies to walk the @tvweekmag red carpet!! #amandakellerforgold #tvweeklogies
Another celeb, Georgie Gardner shared her post-red-carpet-stroll sneakers as well.
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Red carpet done – bring out the comfy footwear @georgiegardner9!! #tvweeklogies
Sneakers, once the footwear of teenagers are now everywhere in the fashion world. Now even 97 year old Iris Apfel is wearing them (so don’t tell me that you’re too old!).
Seriously, Sneakers are the New Black
Since my foot operation last year, I’ve been wearing sneakers, not the chunky running shoe style, but the more refined Keds/Chucks/Vans kind of thing as the last thing I want is to ever have to have another bunion operation and for some time, they were the only kinds of shoes that fit on my feet with the swelling post-operation.
I’m sure that many of you feel the same as far as wanting your feet to be comfortably shod, so you can get about your daily business in comfort, not pain.
So given that sneakers are by nature a lower level of refinement shoe option, how do you look stylish while wearing them?
What’s the Construction?
The more a sneaker looks like sports shoe, something you’d do real activity in – a thicker sole, a chunky tread etc, then the more casual it will look.
A finer sole and slimmer construction will always make your sneaker easier to dress up. Even things like laces, having shoes with no laces is dressier than shoes with laces.
What’s the Finish
A sparkly sneaker (a la Amanda Keller) is a much dressier option than one that’s made from a matte fabric. That her dress was long enough to cover them meant that they weren’t a feature of her outfit, and the sparkle went with her dress, so should you have caught a flash, you may not have even noticed as the fabric of the dress and sneaker were similar.
Thinking about the finish – shiny is more dressy than sheen, and sheen dressier than matte. Leather is dressier than canvas. So when you think about what they’re made of then you can see which are easier to dress up and which will always look more casual.
My silver sneakers from FitFlops are super comfy and that element of metallic makes them look dressier. These come in gold as well as silver!
Colour Blend Your Sneakers
If you don’t want to draw attention to your feet, think about colour blending your shoes to whatever is next to them. Jeans, go with a similar shade of blue or black.
Skirt, dress or shorts, choose a colour that blends with your skin so as not to draw too much attention to them (unless you are wearing a statement version and that’s your aim!). My DKNY slip-on sneakers are a close enough in colour to qualify for a version of nude and so are truly versatile.
Mix Your Levels of Refinement
To make a sneaker really work well with a skirt or dress, think about adding a denim jacket or something similar so that the level of refinement doesn’t have the sneaker look out of place.
Top and Tail
Finding a sneaker that is in a similar colour to your hair is another all-purpose option. By bookending your outfit in a shoe that resembles your hair colour you use the art principle of visual grouping (or looping) which makes for a harmonious appearance.
Statement Pattern Sneakers
Why not have some fun, a statement pattern is another way to go. Turn them into a feature or hero element of your outfit rather than just a totally practical, dull part.
My DKNY Butterfly sneakers are a good example of this (last season and no longer available, but Ted Baker also makes some similar kinds of designs).
Leopard print sneakers are another option for a pattern – and they are everywhere at the moment – here are just a few options!
Wear them With Another ActiveWear Garment
If you add another activewear garment to your outfit, this will tie your sneaker shoe to the whole outfit really easily. Here I’m wearing an athletic style bomber jacket which makes sneakers the perfect shoe choice.
Which Socks to Wear with Your Sneakers
The ideal socks to wear with your sneakers are the no-show variety that sit below the top of the shoe. This is particularly important if wearing your sneakers with a dress or cropped pant (unless of course you’re going for that 1950s bobby sock look!).
Linking Up to: Not Dressed as Lamb, Style with a Smile, Thursday Fashion Files, Ageless Style, Visible Monday
Oprah did it too: https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/television/review-oprah-shares-lifes-light-and-painful-shoes-with-rogers-place-crowd
I am one to have a difficult time styling them! However I make the effort, just on today’s blog post it finally worked: i pulled it off!
It can be tricky when it’s not your natural style!
Thank you for addressing this topic. So often, comfortable shoes are just not attractive to me. That leaves me ever on the search for versatile, comfortable, and affordable shoes. I wish the clothing and shoe industries would work together on this problem! They act as if they don’t share a customer base, leaving us to do the hard work.
I think we have more options now than we used to – but it’s a slow process!
Amen to BeeeBeee. Sneakers are heading in a great direction, and I look forward to seeing better and better options come along.
I really hate ‘no show socks’ they always seem to end up under my foot. Do you have a recommendation of make or way of keeping them in place please? I have 2 pairs of sneakers – a white pair of Keds and grey Converse – but end up wearing something else because I cannot find socks that work for me.
I’ve found that some are better than others! They need to have a lot of elastic through the body of the sock plus a decent amount of the silicone stuff at the heel to make them stay up.