1 Tretorn | on sale for $45 at Shopbop
2 MM6 | $368 at Forzieri
3 Everlane Street Shoe | $135
4 CdG Play X Converse Chuck Taylor | $125 at Barney’s
5 Veja Esplar sneakers | (The only true sustainable/eco-friendly option) about $120
6 Golden Goose | $555 at Nordstrom
I have been obsessed (for lack of a better word, and honestly, it describes what I feel) with white sneakers lately. They’re still a “thing,” even a year or so after the fashion set began bringing back their pristine white Stan Smiths and superstars; there’s just something about a clean white shoe. But I remember when I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to dirty up my K Swiss sneakers, although I wanted white, I wanted them to look “used” – a lot like the way you buy Golden Goose sneakers today; “perfectly” broken in.
Now, even though I have sneakers I love, I think I need a WHITE white pair. I’ve come to realize that while I love gray sneakers, and have three pairs (Vince, Veja & Everlane) I don’t wear them very often because I don’t like to wear them when I am WEARING gray. I know…first world problems. But that has helped me to realize that going forward, when I choose to add new shoes, I should NOT ever buy anything that is not black. Or, perhaps, white.
Of course, I do have my HG (holy grail) pair of white sneakers by CdG Play x Converse, although to be honest, I don’t find converse to be comfortable AT ALL. They’re great for just wearing around casually, but I wore them once to San Francisco and wanted to cut my feet off.
So, I’m not buying a pair of white sneakers anytime soon, but I also LOVE the thrill of the hunt for a great pair – I do so love to shop…and have found oodles of white sneakers for your shopping pleasure. IF I do decide to get a pair, it will be either the Everlane street shoe (although those fit me sort of strangely, they slip up in the heel a little and when I add a heel pad they’re too tight) or the Veja velcro closure sneakers, which are truly sustainable.
What are your thoughts on white sneakers? Do you have a pair? Or do you stick with black….
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I haven’t tried them yet – but converse now has Nike insides. Like real sneakers. No more of that flat inside padding.
Hi Gretchen– Happy Monday! I have a pair of white Supergas that I got last summer when they were so trendy. I like them but very rarely find myself reaching for them. In the summer, I want something lighter and there’s no way I’m wearing white sneakers in the winter in Cleveland! I think they will probably go in the give away pile in the Spring but we shall see. Beth
Great finds, Grechen. I’m actually in the market myself, and of course, here you are with a full feature. Love the Acne and Vega pairs! What’s your take on the Vega sizing? I’m a 9.5, wondering if I should get the 9 or 10 (I’m a wee wide in the foot.)
As for white sneaks, I have a bunch of Converse in all colors and includes white but they are so tremendously dirty despite efforts to keep them clean. I only wear Converse with my inserts in them, there’s no other way! I also own Supergas (not in white, but in black) and I actually wear them a ton in warmer weather. They look so sporty-Euro-chic with all my outfits and go well again spring/summer wear. I also have Bensimons and they don’t offer ANY infrastructure, so they’re great for short jaunts. I also find they run big, so size down.
The Golden Goose sneakers are the highest on my personal wish list but are so dang expensive, and I’m not sure why? I’m betting the quality of leather makes them superior…
Thanks for this post!
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I have worn a pair of those, as well as the first version of Jack Purcell reissues. Infinitely more comfortable then the classics.
I feel like with each passing year the soles of Converse classic styles hold up for a shorter length of time. Is it just me?
I have the standard white Converse and I wash them with bleach periodically. I’d love to get a pair of white Adidas Stan Smith’s but with the black label, not the green. But I really don’t need more sneaks, since I’ve got the Converse, a pair of black suede Adidas Superstars, and my chic black lightweight “Blogger Nike’s,” as I call them.
When my “regulars” wear out, I want those!
I love my Superga’s! The big difference for me is that Superga’s are ‘deeper” than Converse, which allows you to get an orthotic or removable insold in for added support. Plus they magically make your feet look small. I have white, and just got black and am considering the creamy color. I find that I wear the white more than black, but its more a 3 season shoe in white. The black works better for dry, not freezing days but i tend to like them bettter with leggings than jeans for some reason. I see a lot of black New Balance or Nike’s around, and am consering that but its tricky to find an athletic shoe without any hint of neon.
i LOVE the golden goose sneakers, but man…the price! they do go on sale at james perse frequently though, i just would never be able to do final sale on those unless i’d tried them on. i’ve seen them in person and they’re pretty amazing; nice thick leather, and a soft terry lining. not sure that justifies the price, but they do have some differentiating details. and the distressing…
for veja – i only have the runner style, and i found them to be quite snug at first and without a lot of give since they’re not leather. they still don’t stretch much, but they have formed nicely to my foot and are much more comfortable than when i first got them. i don’t have a particularly wide foot, and i found them to feel just a teeny bit narrow maybe? so perhaps size up if you try them?
oh, and look at the acnes, they’re on sale at nordstrom but not sure in your size. they are in my size. i added them to my cart, but will NOT buy them LOL
i love the white supergas, but i’m with you, i hardly ever wear sneakers in the summer time. i could wear them in texas though, in winter, since we don’t have a lot of snow, and it tends to be rather isolated when it does snow, melting pretty quickly (thank goodness!!)…
yes! i forgot i read that recently…
haha…blogger nikes…i tried to like those on me, but i just didn’t.
I own a lot of Ecco shoes because they fit my fussy feet. I recently bought these (in white) and I love them.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ecco-soft-7-cap-toe-sneaker-women/4012442?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=BLACK&resultback=3698
My teenage daughter and all of her friends have the white Adidas sneaks. I looked online right now and I think they are the Superstars. They are white on white leather. They look very cute on the girls – they all wear those Lululemon leggings (which I STILL think aren’t pants, but I have lost that battle) so I think they gravitate toward the chunkier white shoes to balance out the slim profile of the pants.
We’re in San Francisco, so that’s West Coast fashion for you.
And I’ve tried but I don’t think they look cute on me. I feel like my mother getting ready to go to her seniors excercise class when I put on big white sneakers.
I have only once owned a pair of white sneakers…as a child of 8. I remember getting out of my parents’ station wagon and jumping right into a puddle…I was devastated that my new white sneakers were ruined!
Now as a woman in her 50’s I have been searching for the perfect white shoe, as I feel I can probably avoid the puddles that plagued me a girl.
I first tried the Everlane street shoe in white. I own it in grey and quite possibly the most comfortable shoe I own. But the white ? It made my size 7.5 feel look huge! Back they went.
I then tried the Frye Ivy Lace ( Frye online $340)..A more expensive shoe compared to the Everlane shoe at $135. The Frye shoe fit like a glove as soon as I put my foot in and didn’t make my feet look huge. Needless to say my search ended with the Frye. Love them.