Over the course of my life, I’ve owned exactly 43 pairs of white sneakers. Yes, I literally went home and counted. No, I don’t want to brag about it to my father when he calls and asks me if I’ve “finally stopped buying the same damn shoes over and over.” But hey – they weren’t the same shoe! Okay, fine. Some of them were the same shoe. But I owned a lot of different white sneakers.
My first-ever white sneakers were a freshly-from-the-box pair of Stan Smiths in college. Trevor – yes, that roommate of mine with the Hugo Boss hookup gift basket – came back from NYC with two identical pairs “because the Adidas rep mixed up our order and accidentally sent us twice as many,” which was bullshit obviously, but fuck it, who was I to argue with free Adidas Stan Smiths? Those went with me from the beginning of junior year to the end of senior year. Throughout that time, they slowly graduated from wardrobe-status symbols to everyday campus sneakers. By the time I graduated college, my poor white sneakers were more museum exhibit of my collegiate adventures than actual shoes – dried-blood marker from sign painting mishaps, a perpetual damp-yellow stain from the corner booth at O’Hanlons (still don’t know how that stain got there), and that inexplicable purple club downtown stamp that never quite washed out.
When I finally tossed them, I felt compelled to document the moment with a picture. I still have it on my phone, somewhere between photos of photo-booth-ready outfits and other people’s dogs that I’m “saving for later when I need styling inspiration.”
Guys, white sneakers are hard. American men have this weird love/hate thing with them. They’re accessible – anyone can buy a pair. But they’re also intimidating as fuck. I receive more questions/prompts for shoe-related texts than literally anything else in my closet. So allow me to explain further – here’s how to shop for white sneakers based on what you ACTUALLY need them for vs. what every Style Guy at the outlet mall thinks you should buy them for.
For Basic AF Guy:
We all know the classics. But if you need a blank slate to start a wardrobe from scratch or just something off-the-rack-approved, there are really only two options: Adidas Stan Smith or Nike Air Force 1 Low. Think of them like vanilla ice cream – they’re never going to offend anyone, they go with pretty much everything, and you can find them at stores nationwide from J.Crew to Foot Locker. Stan Smiths are slim and slightly more on the dressy side; AF1s are bulkier and slightly more streetwear. (Also yes, wide-leg pants are back. Deal with it.)
I’m partial to the Stan Smith myself – that little pop of green (or navy/black if you get the other versions) on the heel tab adds just enough detail to make them stand out from your average basic white sneaker, but aren’t loud or trendy. They run at about $80-90 which I find to be the sweet spot between well-made materials and not crying when someone steps on your foot at the bar.
For Does Work/Sometimes Dressy Guy:
Common Projects Achilles Low. They’re expensive (prices are around $400 these days), but worth every penny if you have the means. Made in Italy with high-quality materials that will actually last, these are the sneaks responsible for getting an entire generation of dudes through the shift from “You MUST wear office shoes to work” to “ sneakers are totally acceptable to wear to work.” They’re slim enough to not look bulky, but still detailed enough to stand on their own. The toe box isn’t dramatically pointy like some shoes which helps your feet actually look like feet, not flippers. The leather is buttery soft but not thin, and they age insanely well if you do *minimal* shoe maintenance.
I bought mine seven years ago when I was writing a story on “investment sneakers” (AKA just an excuse to buy something I’d been coveting for years and get it fully expensed) and I still reach for them all the time. They’ve easily got the best cost-per-wear of any shoe in my rotation at this point.
If you don’t love the price as much as I do, try Greats Royale ($179) or Beckett Simonon Reid ($159). They come across as slightly less high-maintenance, but still polished enough to throw on with a linen suit or nice pants for work.
For Walking-all-day Guy:
Nike Killshot 2. Originally a squash shoe from the 80’s (random fact that I will never shut up about), they were updated with a slightly more fashion-forward twist. Adidas grabbed my attention with the quirky gum sole and subsequent visual interest, as well as the navy swoosh which helps them feel less sterile than your average white shoe. They also run around $90, putting them in the same price range as Stan Smiths but with way more cushion.
For maximum cush-factor, grab a pair of New Balance 990v5 in white/grey. They basically invented the dad shoe, and have seriously formulated their shoes around comfort instead of style. I wore these religiously one fashion week when I was nursing a stress fracture (jury’s still out on which is more iconic – fashion week or dying your mitochondria tripping down subway stairs), and got a thumbs up from my podiatrist when I showed up wearing them to my check-up. Those are words you will never hear someone say about your Balenciagas.
For Trend-Forward Guy:
Alright, guys. Listen, this is the part where I tell you that white kicks are personal. I can recommend all the brands in the world, but if you just KNOW you need that off-brand brand vibe *all* the white sneakers look the same.”
Buuuuuut there are some smaller brands that are flying under the radar. Spend a little extra time searching, and you’ll find gems.
Spalwart sources vintage shoe designs from a factory they stumbled upon in Slovakia in the ’70s. Their Marathon Trail Low in white is equal parts athletic-inspired without looking like you’re trying too hard. Stepney Workers Club is a small Brit brand with a cult following. They specialize in minimalist sneakers with a washed canvas upper similar to Van’s but with a squared-off toe that’ll have sneaker enthusiasts nodding with approval.
My personal favorite? Shoes Like Pottery. Created by a Japanese company that sells all shoes made out of – you guessed it – pottery. They’re basically canvas high-tops that look eerily similar to Converse but with wayyyy more attention to detail. They’re hard to come by in the states (stocked at only a few select retailers) which means you probably won’t see another pair walking down the street.
For Gets-Pitched-At-Guy:
Listen, unless you’re wearing socks and sunglasses 24/7, there’s a high likelihood your white sneakers are going to take some abuse. If you’re going to be schlepping through weather, puddles, kiddos, subway stairs/grass, you need a shoe that can take it. Veja V-10 ($150) or Nike Blazer Mid ‘77 ($100).
Vejas are made from textured leather that hide scuffs a lot better than sleeker shoes, and the V logo down the side is just enough of a design to make people notice the brand over any dirt they might pick up. Blazers have a higher shaft which keeps rain from sloshing on your ankles, and their vintage finish gives them a “wear-in” look from the get-go.
Ok, I stole these photos from my own shoe archives, but seriously – I’ve tested both of these sneakers through some rigorous life-testing. My Blazers have graced three music festivals, that disgusting subway puddle that every Brooklynite loves to brag about, and that time I “didn’t feel like working out so was going to garden instead” and reluctantly wore them to help my mom plant her vegetable garden. They still look amazing and I’ve definitely worn plenty of worse shoe choices than that one (looking at you, mom, when you caught me giggling at earthworms. ).
A quick note on shoe care – this is where most guys lose their shit. Buy your shoes, wear them inside for like a day while you spray them with a shoe protector (*we like Jason Markk ), then go outside and watch them get ruined. Don’t do that. First off, spray the hell out of them before you wear them outside. Yeah, Jason Markk makes a great one. But please trust me that if you just buy the cheap spray they sell at Target, it’s 100000% better than nothing. Get yourself a good sneaker cleaning kit (again, *we love Jason Markk’s) and use the wipes for on-the-go fixes. I keep a pack at my desk for unexpected coffee spills and sudden rainstorms. And please remember that white sneakers look best when they’ve experienced some life. Chalk stains, grass scuffs, and dirt are pretty easy to clean off. The sad dudes hoarding 12 pairs of identical white sneakers on Instagram? Multiple backups of the same shoe or lives so boring that they never leave their apartments.
My favorite pair of white sneakers aren’t my most expensive ones, or the newest. They’re a three-year-old pair of Reebok Club C 85 that have seen hundreds of wears. They went to Paris fashion week with me (I packed *only one pair of shoes and had to wear them with jeans and a suit ONE. ), survived multiple spins at NYC rooftop bars, and even my cousin’s semi-formal wedding after my luggage got lost. I love those shoes more than any others because they’ve got stories. It sounds so corny, but think about how many stories are lived out in our shoes.
TLDR; – Buy white sneakers that suit your lifestyle. Break them in. Keep them clean when you need to but don’t be a weirdo about trying to keep them flawless. When they finally bit the dust, take a picture beforehand. Not for sentimental reasons. Because you’ll need it when you find yourself in the store three years later staring at your overwhelmingly-white shoe shelf wondering “Were my old ones more creamy/off-white or true white?” Trust me.
