No matter how wearable we deem our favorite heels, they simply cannot compare to the ease and comfort of a good pair of sneakers. And tennies are most certainly “in the running” for best-dressed this season, all over spring runways like Marc by Marc Jacobs and Y3.
Aya Kanai is a creative consultant and fashion stylist, and former Senior Fashion Editor at Teen Vogue Magazine, and Fashion Director at Nylon. She finds “sneakers are a great way to have fun with your look” and points out spring choices like black and white options, and even label collaborations. If a sneaker is “beautifully designed, it’s just as stylish as a heel,” she says.
Celebrities, known for towering red carpet stilettos, take it down a few inches during the day. Kanai says that fashion designer Isabel Marant was recently spotted wearing a sneaker with a hidden wedge, Nicki Manaj is famous for her colorful basketball kicks, and even Kristen Stewart rocks classic, slip-on checks.
If you have some height, pair sneakers, even high tops, with a shirtdress. Regardless of how tall you are, sneakers look good with tights or leggings. But the sneaker’s main partner in crime remains the good old American blue jean. Any style of denim works with sneakers, the funkier the better, in bright hues, with espadrille soles or even old school basketball or soccer options.
“Sneakers for spring,” says Kanai, “were particularly sculptural and dramatic.” Classic versions or current runway, when comfort and style join forces, it’s a fashion relief!
