More likely than not, you love your sneakers with all of your heart. They are easy and comfortable, they withstand wear and tear, and they perfectly reflect your laid-back attitude. Unfortunately, you just don’t know how to wear them in a fashion-forward way.
Sneakers certainly are some of the best footwear for women, comfort- and trend-wise, especially considering that many designers are now producing couture styles that meld well with high-fashion looks. If you are struggling to incorporate your favorite kicks into smart and stylish outfits, here are some tips to help you love your sneakers even more.
Dress Down Fancy Clothes
Most dresses look far too fancy to wear on the street during daylight hours. Even simple dresses look a bit inappropriate when worn shopping or to a casual lunch with friends. However, your dresses may very well be your favorite articles of clothing, and being unable to wear them out
Enter: the sneaker. Because sneakers are inherently casual footwear, they instantly dress down any and every outfit they are paired with. As long as you own a pair of sneakers that look good with your dress, you should feel confident strutting your stuff all day long. Then, if your day turns to night, you can switch out your shoes for an immediately fancier ensemble.
Go for a ‘90s Look
Perhaps it was the undying nostalgia of the now-working “90s kids,” or perhaps fashion is truly as cyclical as some believe. No matter the cause, ‘90s styles are back in a big way, which means sneaker style is definitely on-point. From hip hop to grunge, most ‘90s throwback trends are incredibly conducive to wearing sneakers. If you didn’t grow up during the ‘90s — or if you failed to grasp the trends then — you should be happy to learn that replicating ‘90s fashion is easy; just procure some of the following women’s clothing articles and wear at your leisure:
- Overalls. With a simple crop top and a rolled pant cuff, they look excellent with most sneakers.
- Baggy sweaters. Tight pants or a miniskirt will give your body more shape with such a loose top; plus, the close-fitting bottoms will bring more attention to your shoes.
- Plaid flannel shirt. Either worn or wrapped around the waist (with ripped jeans or shorts, of course) the grungy flannel shirt is a quintessential sneakers look.
- High waist pants. You can show off your curves and your kicks with high-waist jeans, long or short.
Add Personality to Classic Outfits
There are a handful of outfits that seem to stand the test of time: all black ensembles, blouses with midi skirts, jeans and T-shirts, etc. While all of these articles of clothing are classically chic, they can also be outstandingly boring. You have to add some kind of flair to make these outfits unique to you and your personal style.
Adding sneakers to these styles creates spunk where previously there was none. You can complement the chic simplicity of the outfits with sneakers of subdued hues, or you can experiment with the basic palette using sneakers of novel shape and pattern. Sneakers can contribute color and tone to any ensemble, which makes them ideal in injecting personality to tired trends.
Showcase Your Kicks
Today, sneakers tend to be much more than the ugly rubber-and-canvas sports shoes of yesteryear; they have bright colors, striking patterns, unique materials, and flattering shapes. To sum it up, sneakers can absolutely be the focal point of your outfit — if you let them be.
There are a few ways you can draw attention to your shoes. First, drawing on the previous point, you can wear unadorned, uncomplicated clothes with bright, attention-grabbing sneakers. Alternatively, you can subtly highlight your shoes by cuffing jeans slightly higher on the ankle.
Go Full Comfy
Sneakers are more comfortable than any other footwear and it seems a shame to contort the rest of your body while your feet rest in seventh heaven. As long as you aren’t dressing to impress, you can absolutely pair your sneaks with tops and bottoms that are equally comfortable.
Leggings and long T-shirts (or baggy sweatshirts, as in ‘90s style) work nicely, as do sweatpants and tank tops. However, you should remember that “comfy” won’t necessarily win you any style points, so you should be careful when and where you sport these outfits