6 Hot Sneaker Trends You Need to Know
Remember the days when sneakers were for sporty, athletic types? Those days are long gone. If you’ve been paying any attention to fashion trends over the last few seasons you've probably noticed that sneakers have made a not‑so‑subtle transition into mainstream wear, becoming a staple for both the fashion‑forward crowd and the comfort seeker.
The secret of their broad appeal? Pretty simple really – they’re comfortable kicks you can wear without wincing in pain and yet so hot, heads literally turn for a second look. That’s an unbeatable combo. This week, we’re looking at the top sneaker trends for keeping your feet stylish and happy:
1. Lux Runners - You certainly won't want to wipe your hands on your pants after handling these kicks 'cause the leathers & suedes are mad buttery
"Hmmm, buttery." You'd say that about your movie popcorn, corn on the cob or shortbread biscuits, but what about your sneakers? No? Well, that's because you haven't tried any of the new range of sneakers featuring some of the most buttery leathers, suedes, and nubucks ever. The luxuriously rich feel of the materials takes you to a whole new realm.
Add in the blocks of high-tech components featured on some of these kicks – reflective materials, techy fabrics, and lux hardware - and you've got yourself high-end footwear that can be dressed up or down to suit the occasion. So break out your suede jacket and go for a run (but not a really long one, cos nobody likes sweaty nubuck).
Men’s Leather and Suede Clae’s with Reflective accents
2. Clean Classic Lux - We all love the classics, but sometimes we want a lot MORE luxury with a little LESS logo.
Let's face it - we all get a bit nostalgic about our more youthful days. Which is why, as consumers, we often buy the sneakers we wore as kids because they transport us back to the good old days. Heck, that’s why Chuck Taylors and Superstars have been around for so long.
Now older, with a few more dollars in our pockets, we want to relive those glory days in a way that marries our sentimental attachment to those sneakers with our more refined fashion tastes.
Fortunately, it seems the design folks over at Adidas, Puma and Nike have been hit by the same wave of nostalgia; these days, they're bringing out cleaner, more refined versions of what we used to wear.
For example, Adidas Superstars - sans the three stripes - are still making waves. These days though, they come with leather shells at the toe, and you can rock them on your next VC meeting or on vacation. But probably don’t wear them to your weekly basketball game; leather shells aren’t meant to be stepped on.
Other brands are getting in on the game too. You'll find clean lux versions of classic sneakers from Puma, Nike, Converse and other classic brands like New Balance on the market, ready for you to rock on any occasion.
Adidas Originals no-stripes, leather covered Super-Star shell-toes.
Adidas Originals no-stripes, leather covered Super-Star shell-toes.
Converse Jack Purcells
3. Sparkle & Shine - Yukon Cornelius said it best, “Silver and gold, silver and gold, everyone wishes for silver and gold.”
If you like sparkly, shiny stuff, you're going to love this. One of the hottest trends right now is silver, gold and sparkly sneakers. Whether it's canvas, leather or performance fabrics, many of today's sneakers are either made in silver and gold or beautifully accessorized with silver and gold detail to bring on the shine. What's more, you don’t have to “dig” deep into your pockets to pay for them, as they're reasonably priced.
Chanel Rose Petal Hightop Sneakers
Hightop Gold Pro-Keds Sneakers
Dolce Vita Xavi Silver Sneakers
Metallic Gold Puma Clydes
4. Big Brand X Designer Collabs - Sneaker Collabs between brands and hot designers are all the rage. Think Converse by Varvatos, Puma by Alexander McQueen.
By-Products are something we all generally try to avoid. But these “by-products” are something you’ll surely want to have.
Sneaker Collabs between brands and hot designers – and wanna be‑designers – are generally recognized by the “Brand x Designer” imprint on the product. With the ‘x’ meaning ‘by’.Think Converse by Varvatos, Adidas by Missy Elliott, Puma by Alexander McQueen, Adidas by Kanye, and the list goes on.
These might not look like your typical kicks but it's a great way to take a chance and step out of your comfort zone. If you want kicks that have a solid foundation in a brand you love, but that also feature a unique outside design sensibility, then “x” kicks are definitely for you.
Alexander Mqueen X Puma Sneakers
Alexander Mqueen X Puma Sneakers
5. Classics Re-dressed - Today’s sneakers are taking full advantage of all types of awesome fabrics and patterns, from throw‑back to futuristic and everything in between. The result is some incredibly unique looks.
Fabric trends change with the times (Thankfully. No one wants to be caught with the terry cloth, velour and scratchy polyester fabrics of the 70’s). Today’s classic sneakers are taking full advantage of all types of awesome fabrics and patterns, from throw‑back to futuristic and everything in between. The result is some incredibly unique looks. And they're not stopping there.
They are incorporating seasonal elements into the use of fabrics, pairing different types with different seasons. Just think about it: you get to rock one totally hot, summer-inspired pair of kicks during the warm months of music festivals and vacations. Come fall, you put those away and pull out your fall sneakers.
Converse Chuck-Taylor foam’s
Women’s Converse Chuck Taylor – Cable-knit
Converse Chuck Taylor x Woolrich (wool Fabric)
6. Shoe Bootie - Today's Shoe Bootie (Sneaker Boots) are nothing to laugh at
Americas most lovable bigot, All In The Family’s Archie Bunker once told the story of being so poor as a kid that he once had to go to school wearing one shoe and one boot, earning him the nickname Shoe‑Bootie.
U-Lace Claims No rights to this Video
Today, sneaker brands are making Shoe-Booties a badge of honor. Sneakers look like boots, boots look like sneakers. From classic rubber construction to performance fabrics with weather-proof closures, Sneaker-Boots are all the rage and are often quite practical.
Who wants to slosh through pouring rain or winter slush in a pair of nubuck or canvas kicks? Not us.
Sam Edelman Women’s High-top Sneaker marching band style with faux spats (classic style pictured below)
Converse Rubber Hightops
Nike GAITER boot (this was the same boot issued to US athletes for the winter Olympics)
Mock Heritage Leather Converse Boot (Original heritage style shown below)
Final Thoughts
So, how much damage is getting in on these super‑hot sneaker trends going to do to your wallet? That's the best part. With minimal outlay, you could have one of the freshest sneaker closets ever. We should know: as people who buy hundreds of sneakers a year, some of our hottest kicks are often one-off pairs we find on the bottom shelf at places like Marshalls.
Sure, you could go out and spend $1200 on a pair of Balenciaga or Louboutin kicks, but hot, in‑fashion, “where’d you get those?” kicks don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. And the looks and compliment you’ll be getting all season long will be beyond compare.
Note: Where appropriate sneakers were laced with U-Lace No-Tie Sneaker Laces; which gives the sneakers a clean and fined look, sans lace-bows, while also transforming the sneakers into easy-on/easy-off slip-ons.