Sneakers
sneak·er /ˈsnēkər/ Noun A soft shoe with a rubber sole worn for sports or casual occasions.
Low-top sneakers
Low-tops are extremely versatile, and a great replacement for ratty tennis shoes. They can easily be dressed up or down. These are often not too pricey. A few pairs, in mute colors like white or black, should cover your wardrobe and not break the bank.
Cheap-Tier
- Adidas (Samba, Adi Ease, Gazelle, Stan Smith)
- Converse (Chucks, Jack Purcell)
- Reebok (Classic)
- Nike (Air Force 1, Flyknits)
- Vans (Authentics, Era)
- New Balance (574, 578, 997, 998, 999, 1400, 1500)
- Jack Purcell Converse (doesn't have contrast stitching so it doesn't look like shit)
Couple of words about Chuck Bosey High. Vibram Crispy outsole, rubber midsole and very thin, soft suede upper. The construction of tongue won't protect you from any serious rain, but at least suede won't get wet easily. Synthetic insole will make your feet sweat. Size 8 = 265 mm and and fit regularly, maybe little narrow. They look kinda unaesthetic though. Better buy Iron rangers or Chippewa's and sno-seal the shit out of them.
Mid-Tier
- Diemme
- Svensson
- National Standard
- Raf Simons (Made in Portugal)
- Generic Man
- Y-3
- Buttero Tanino ($250-300)
Couple of words about Buttero Tanino. They do run big, size 42 EU is approximately 30 cm outsole length, so size down if you are a D width, and they are not as narrow as they seem! The heel area is very wide so heel slippage is almost inevitable unless your feet is shaped like a brick. There's a high and low top versions, as well as perforated and leather/suede models. Leather is very thick, like 3mm and don't stretch much, so don't go for the snug fit, or you'll cry later. Overall they are very simple, durable sneakers. They are a great alternative to Common Projects.
High-Tier
- Raf Simons (Made in Italy)
- Balenciaga
- Rick Owens
- Common Projects
High-top sneakers
The more versatile form of shoes, as the name suggests they come above the ankle.
Cheap-tier
- Converse (High top Chucks)
- Nike (Air Force 1, Blazers, Dunks)
- Supra (Skytop)
- Vans (sk8 Hi, Alomar)
Mid-Tier
- National Standard
- Raf Simons (Made in Portugal, new models)
High-tier
- Common Projects (Tournament High, B-ball)
- Givenchy
- Rick Owens (Geobaskets, DRK SHDW Hightops)
- Kris van assche
- Raf Simons (Made in Italy, old models)
Buying Used
Shopping used and second-hand markets like eBay, Grailed, and the Marketplace forums on forums like Superfuture and Style Forum are great ways to pick up costly items for reasonable prices. Common Projects, for example, can be had for $75-$300 (depending on condition and model) as opposed to $410 new. If you're wondering how everyone affords all of their nice gear, there's a pretty good chance it was copped on sale or used.
"Muh quality"
The argument against paying up for nice clothes, particularly shoes, is often posited on /fa/. Here's the facts:
- Expensive sneakers are expensive for a reason. This point will be brought up again in a minute, but it holds weight. Your average pair of Chucks or Vans are not well-made. They're made cheaply, with little to no attention to detail, etc. This is among the reasons why nicer sneakers generally cost more. You really do get what you pay for, and you do indeed pay for quality. If you have never had the opportunity to handle a pair of well-made sneakers for yourself, you're missing out. It's not that expensive sneakers are necessarily worth the price, it's that they're simply higher-quality products than the average sneaker, and therefore justly command a higher cost.
- Higher quality shoes do not necessarily last longer than cheaper shoes. However, they're often made with more attention to detail and with better materials than your average sneaker. Thus, when treated properly, there's no reason a pair of Common Projects can't last years.
- When you pay for a pair of expensive sneakers, you aren't merely paying for the product. You're also paying for the work the designers put into designing the shoe, the cost of sourcing the materials, the factories/artisans/workers who craft the shoes, the quality control, shipping the shoes overseas to the retail destination, the cost of housing the footwear, and of course, the promotion and hype of the shoes. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to high prices. At the end of the day, you're getting a high quality product (and yes, quality does come into play here), but you're paying for more than that.
- There are always alternatives. Common Projects are extremely popular, but most people neglect other high quality, well-made minimalist sneakers. Consult these charts for examples of the wide variety of other sneakers.
