When it comes to men and sneakers, you have a few types of people. You have those who don’t particularly care for sneakers and wear them when they have to, those who like to keep a few pairs in rotation, and those who are obsessed with them.
But even the biggest “sneakerhead” will commit a few fashion mistakes from time to time. As easily as sneakers can be styled with tons of different outfits, they can also ruin perfectly good outfits as well. This is why you need to understand a few rules on how to wear them properly if you want to nail the style down. Here are a few dos and don’ts of wearing sneakers for men.
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Do: Have a Good Rotation
You need to get a good rotation going if you regularly wear sneakers. Not only will you want to have a number of different looks, wearing your sneakers every day is the best way to destroy them. So, even though we know you might be excited about those brand new Jordans you got, adding a few additional options to your closet would be great.
Ideally, you want a few casual pairs that you can wear every day; comfortable and athletic ones for running errands, and some luxury sneakers as well for a night on the town or a day at the office. If you’re looking for something simple and stylish that will look great in a business casual attire, then you should check out designer sneakers. Or, if you’re looking for something edgy, you can check out the Urban Street sneakers from Givenchy through this link.
SSENSE has all sorts of different styles of Givenchy sneakers, from athletic and stylish, to downright futuristic. You can check out their Red Patent Urban Knots if you’re looking for something that is classy but still makes a statement, or their Black and Blue WIng Highs if you want to turn heads.
Don’t: Combine Good Sneakers with Bad Jeans
If you’ve been around the boards, you’ve probably heard about the “NTDenim” (NT for NikeTalk) denim meme. Simply put, this originated from the popular sneaker forum NikeTalk, where posters would routinely show off pairs of great sneakers with horrible jeans. However, this also happens in real life.
You often see people wearing perfectly good sneakers with jeans that are either too large, heavy, or skinny. Ideally, you want to go with something straight, but not too skinny, with a slight taper. You don’t want them to scrunch up or pool at the bottom. You should also try to stick with solid colors, especially if you’re pairing your jeans with sneakers that stand out. Let the shoes do the talking or else the outfit will look too busy. You can find amazing new releases of Air Jordan shoes like the Air Jordan 13 Retro Red Flint that can compliment any outfit at Flight Club.
Do: Experiment with Your Style
You may have been turned off by a certain type of sneaker because the owner did not style them properly. For instance, some people swear by low tops and would never consider a pair of high tops.
However, that’s often because of who they’ve seen wearing the high tops, not the high tops themselves. A nice pair of high tops can be a great addition to a black-on-black look with tapered denim, a black shirt, and a black biker vest. So, don’t be afraid to try new silhouettes, and try something out of the box once in a while.
Don’t: Forget what Skater Shoes are Made For
Skater shoes are a big trend, and we have to admit that they work sometimes. However, this statement can only be applied to a handful of brands, like Vans and Janoskis. For the most part, the puffed-up marshmallow with a puffy tongue to match is not very flattering. So, don’t try to be edgy by shopping at a skate shop unless you’re going to be buying a set of wheels to accompany them.
Do: Roll up Jeans with Low Tops if You Want a Clean Look
We’ve already talked about how jeans pooling at the bottom are a no-no. But what’s the alternative besides skinny jeans or those god awful skinny jogging pants? Pinrolling.
Pinrolling allows you to get the clean tapered look that you’re looking for when wearing a nice pair of kicks. You can choose to roll them up if that’s your style, keep them right on top of the sneakers, or show just a little bit of ankle. If you have jeans that are too long or slightly too large, you could save them from the garbage bin just by applying this technique.
Don’t: Go for the Hype
This is probably the worst thing you could do. Sure, Yeezy’s are nice, but they’re pretty much like any other pair of knit sneakers you’ll find out there. There’s nothing special about the way they’re made, and they’re manufactured in the exact same factories using the same materials as other models. So, don’t fall for the hype, and if you’re going to spend the big bucks, do so on quality and craftsmanship.
Conclusion
Now that you know a bit more about wearing sneakers as a gentleman, you can start building a respectable collection. Make sure that you follow these few tips, and always remember to not follow the herd.