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Project: Summer Closet [part 1]
I think I cracked a code
It’s really freeing to just stop trying so hard to make the cute thing work.
Case in point: In my closet, I have the classic “must have” pair of white sneakers. The shoe that is on every stylists’s list of “basics.” The “they go with everything” shoe. The shoe I recommended to every client I ever worked with - a cool fashion sneaker.
“fashion” sneaker: any tennis or sneaker style shoe that you wear only with cute outfits. It is not a shoe in which you do athletic things or purposefully get dirty or go trail running in. It is typically worn in white.
I’ve always proclaimed myself to be “not a sneaker gal.” Eventually though, the fashion sneaker won me over and I wore them faithfully. They served me well for that specific place and time. I have not worn them (outside of one week in Costa Rica last summer) since 2019. I kept them because they are “classic” but they are not what I have wanted to reach for. Putting them on feels like playing dress up. It’s what Sydney in a preppy alternative timeline might wear (this timeline also probably includes a lot of ruffles or off the shoulder dresses which is how I know it’s not my timeline).
And for a bit of style introspection- maybe the Nikes never really were me. Maybe I fell into a trend that worked for a time. Maybe I needed to wear them in order to understand what wasn’t me. Maybe I needed to find the line between forcing something that is cute (and gets the job done) and wearing something that is authentic.
a disclaimer:
If you have this casual “fashion sneaker” style of shoes and love them, perfect! You don’t need to change a thing. Maybe for the sake of this post, just sub out a category of clothing you do have issues with. The premise and theory will still apply. And I will still recommend a white fashion sneaker for those people who want it. And for those that don’t - let’s get exploring to figure out how to find what does work!
Since I recently made my list of things to do to prep my closet for summer, I also turned my list making skills to my husband’s closet, telling him if I could only buy one thing this summer, what I really think he needs is a cool, neutral sneaker.
Of course, without fail, every time sneaker is brought up, my stylist brain goes to the casual “fashion” sneaker vibe. It’s like a tick. I can’t help it. I was imagining him wearing Nisolo’s Go-To-Court shoe or a New Balance of some sort. He’s always been resistant to this style of shoe, but, ever the stylist, I would respond: “You need to try them on! Just humor me!”
Earlier this week we were having the same circular sneaker convo and he was saying that he just didn’t really like the vibe of this type of shoe. Which got my brain working and thinking (finally) - okay, so if this is not the sneaker, what IS? What WILL work? Instead of trying to fit this round peg into a square hole - what square shoe will actually fit the square hole?
And it finally clicked. I turned to him and said, “You know what, I don’t think you’re a sneaker guy.”
His look clearly said “duh.”
“No, hear me out - I think you’re more of an athletic shoe guy, but a pair that is kept clean that you don’t get dirty [insert wife side eye] and that you can still wear with all your regular and work clothes.”
What I was picturing for him was this shoe:
A sneaker that he loved so much he’s already on his second pair. It’s nothing special, certainly not “fashion.” They are the Brooks Casacadia 16, a brand he’s always worn for trail running shoes, just rendered in really good color way for him to wear as a casual, cool sneaker (aka: not the usual obnoxious color combos of lime green and purple that make wearing them with normal clothes in normal contexts next to impossible).
Also floating in the back of my mind while explaining this to him was the casual way Italians wore regular athletic shoes with dresses or suits/business clothes. I saw a lot of this in Italy and I really liked how much the vibes contrasted - it didn’t go, and yet in someway it worked. It was the perfect marriage of paying close attention to your clothes and wearing things you loved while also paying tribute to the practical nature of living in a walkable city.
See THE SHOES pictured below across Italy.
These shoes give:
Dad vibes (in the best way!). Like - gonna go coach soccer, capable dad vibes.
They fit his adventurous personality - is an athletic tennis shoe, so he can hike in them, they provide great function in addition to looking good.
The fashion side of this is the color way - mostly white for the uppers. Neutral soles, so there was not a lot of focusing pulling color. The colors on the shoe are a mix of salmon, peach and a touch of navy blue. They work really well, aren’t obnoxious. The blend in.
His 2nd clean pair has been demoted as they’ve acquired some stains. He’s gonna take a Magic Eraser to the soles and scrub brush to the mesh uppers and see if he can improve them a bit. But, this means we are in the market for a new (fresh) pair.
Bad news for him - they are discontinued (Brooks is now on the Cascadia 18 pair).
Good news for him - I know how to work Google Image Search and the second hand market.
Within minutes of me telling him to find a photo of the shoes and upload them to Google Image, he found a pair for $65 on Poshmark. One offer and counter offer later, his bid was accepted and they are currently on their way to us. He now has three pairs. Only THIS pair will never mow the lawn or do chicken chores. They are STRICTLY for cute outfits. :)
I’m more of a sneaker gal than I thought - but it’s a very specific, athletic type of sneaker. It’s NOT a low profile Adidas, Asics, or even the Nikes. It’s something that is more sporty. It’s what I already own and wear: my black New Balances. It’s something that is more fitting with - and flattering to - my personality.
The thing that clicked for me was to just stop trying to make the supposedly “in” thing work and wear what I already wore and like. It was about learning to read the context clues of my every day life. The New Balances make me feel sporty, capable, and give contrast to outfits.
Lesson to self: the next time I’m struggling with something in my closet, I need to ask if it’s something that is supposed to be “in” or if it’s something I truly like.
The answer to that question is already in my closet. It’s what I reach for on a daily basis. What I wear is what I like. What I don’t wear, I don’t like. It’s really this simple.
Is it time to add the white Nikes to my resell bag? I think it is. They are perfect for someone, just not me.
LINK ROUND UPs:
A few links to some items to help you out if interested!
Nike Blazer low top -women’s white
New Balance - I don’t love the “dad shoe” trend (you know, the alethic shoe but with a huge chunky sole) and I don’t love the thick Hoka style sole either). But, there are two vintage style New Balances that I do love. The 5754 is similar to the ones I own. The green color is very fun. And the 327s embrace a thicker sole in a way I don’t find as obnoxious.
Brooks Cascadia’s. I swear whoever has the job of making tennis shoe colors truly hates us all. But linking these because I do have some for trail running (the 13s I think) and the newer ones has the chunkier sole (but if you like that, go for it).
Goodr sunglasses. Sean’s classic Ray Ban style ones and my go-to aviator faves which I broke in Italy.
Sean’s Tilly hat. It’s a good hat. They look better on him than they do on me.
If you need any other links or outfit details, let me know in the comments!
NOTES
🥳 STYLE LAB COUPON CODE: use code stylelab35 to purchase Style Lab for $35 for the 6 week, self-paced program. Happy experimenting. PURCHASE HERE.
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Love this post. So simple yet can be so challenging when an item is supposed to be the one thing that fits with everything and you just can’t make it work!