Sneakers instead of dress shoes

[blue suede shoes]

Men's business dress has gone a lot further downhill than I thought.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/designer-sneakers-why-men-are-ditching-dress-shoes-for-them-1447271401

 

[JLibourel]

Oh, Lord! Too much to comment on. The mind boggles at the thought of paying $1K for a pair of these clown shoes; the egregious bad taste; the deluded notion that quality dress shoes should be appreciably less comfortable than sneakers and more. As I recall, A-E had a line called the "Casual Comfort" collection a few years back, which were sneaker-styled shoes made from good leather. The line tanked, as well it deserved to.

 

[Howard]

Men's business dress has gone a lot further downhill than I thought.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/designer-sneakers-why-men-are-ditching-dress-shoes-for-them-1447271401

I think it's more of a casual style.

 

[RogerP]

Should make the sneakers / jeans / baseball cap crowd very happy.

 

[Tiger]

The only thing more absurd and idiotic than the thought process of the people who create this garbage is the fact that some people buy it/believe in its validity.

 

[dddrees]

If it can be done it will be done.

Just because it can be done, doesn't mean it should be done. It's rather unfortunate that there are very little formal norms anymore.

 

[phyrpowr]

Oh, Lord! Too much to comment on. The mind boggles at the thought of paying $1K for a pair of these clown shoes; the egregious bad taste; the deluded notion that quality dress shoes should be appreciably less comfortable than sneakers and more.

I've known quite a few men who went to five or six different stores and tried on every brand in town to get the "right" sneaker. They were dragged, years ago, to a dept. store by wife or mom or GF to try on one, maybe two different $100 leather shoes. They concluded that all leather shoes are not comfortable.

 

[delicious_scent]

I'm ok with it, depending on how it's done and where you do it. It's a completely different casual aesthetic that's different from what this forum is used to. It gives me more of a "party clothes" look. Having goodyear welted sneakers is an idea I've thought about for a long time.

My obsession with sneakers is how my interest in style initially started, but it was with a very simple sneaker, the Adidas Gazelle. They were basically the Chuck Taylor to me, but much more sleek, refined, and just more special to me overall.

Over time, I started to buy more ridiculous looking styles and I realized that most of the sneakers I had bought were very "hypebeast", flashy things that rarely worked with most wardrobe items, it was all streetwear. I thought to myself one day, "Will I wear these in 5-10 years? Will it even work?". The answer was no. I was chasing aesthetics that would be passé within 1-5 years.

I'm glad I stumbled upon multiple clothing forums that gave me many different perspectives in regards to style. From styleforum, to reddit's subreddits, and AAAC. My favourite pieces of clothing/shoes are still the ones that are built like brick shithouses, yet are stylish and comfortable.

 

[moltoelegante]

None of the sneakers in the article looked better than the average sneaker. They were all VERY casual, to my eyes, hardly the hybrid which the article claimed.

 

[dddrees]

Oh my God, they exist here as well. LOL

 

[orange fury]

Some gems:

Some, more controversially, even pair them with a tuxedo. Bally design director Pablo Coppola, who said he no longer wears dress shoes at all, donned sneakers for this year’s Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, arguably Manhattan’s most prominent social event. When in formal clothes, he said, “wearing sneakers is a way of dressing it down a little bit.” Michael Schulson,Philadelphia-based chef and owner of restaurants Sampan and Graffiti Bar, also advocates sneakers with a tux. “I have a black-tie event next week and I’ll probably wear a pair of Lanvin’s or Cipher’s Parallax [style],” he said. However, he added, “certain people can pull it off, certain people can’t. It’s not for everybody.”

why on earth would you want to "dress down" a tux???

Mr. Sills has put his money where his mouth is, recently unveiling an area in the store made of Carrera marble, steel and glass that’s dedicated to sneakers — “a temple to the category,” he said. And the retailer himself has swapped his stiff-soled Aldens for a pair of Yeezy Boosts, the sneakers from the high-end collaboration between Adidas and Kanye West. “You can wear them everywhere,” he said. “Every restaurant, every event.”

This made me absolutely cringe.

Sneakers have their place, heck, I own Vans Authentics and NB 993's, but good heavens....

 

[momsdoc]

Loro Piana figured out a way to weave suede?

They can call them what they want, They can wax poetic about the Italian leather, but they still look like sneakers.

And why is it that my "stiff" leather soled shoes are so comfortable, that I don't even notice them? OMG, I even wear them on weekends, and vacations! I even wore leather soled Chukkas on a transcontinental flight last month. I slept like a baby........OK the Xanax helped.

 

[ajo]

Lets do the time warp again, I'm seriously wondering if the 70's are the new 50's. It was popular in the 70's and 80's amongst New Wave bands and David Tennant during his sojourn at Dr Who wore sneakers with a DB suit. (shudder) I think Miami Vice had it as a look or was that the suit T Shirt and rolled up sleeves on the suit jacket look?

 

[12345Michael54321]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/designer-sneakers-why-men-are-ditching-dress-shoes-for-them-1447271401

I ignore what the Wall Street Journal says about what I should wear , same way that I don't pick up a copy of Vogue for analysis on why Taiwan's M1B is growing slower than M2.

 

[drlivingston]

I even wore leather soled Chukkas on a transcontinental flight last month. I slept like a baby........OK the Xanax helped.

Too funny! :biggrin:

 

[Youthful Repp-robate]

I kinda get the appeal of spending a bit on good sneakers – I want something well-made, and the quality just isn't there for most sneakers. Made to be trashed, you know?

I mean, am I going to anytime soon? No. But if I were buying real shoes at, like, the Edward Green level, then I'd probably have a pair of Common Projects instead of a pair of Adidas.

 

[dddrees]

I kinda get the appeal of spending a bit on good sneakers – I want something well-made, and the quality just isn't there for most sneakers. Made to be trashed, you know?

I mean, am I going to anytime soon? No. But if I were buying real shoes at, like, the Edward Green level, then I'd probably have a pair of Common Projects instead of a pair of Adidas.

I buy Edward Green and other shoemakers like Gaziano & Girling, John Lobb, and St Crispins shoes. I have to tell you I never wear sneakers except when doing chores and physical exercise. I either purchase Merrel, Nike, or Addidas. I still personally see no value or appeal in a pair of $1000 tennis shoes

 

[RogerP]

I wear sneakers only when sneaking.

As a rule,I don't sneak.

 

[clark_kent]

I wear sneakers only when sneaking.

As a rule,I don't sneak.

^^^
This!

Outside of the gym, rec activities, and physically demanding labor, I don't see a need for it (in my wardrobe at least).

I've limited myself to just 1 pair of sneakers for the purposes above. Did I mention I've yet to buy said sneakers?

I currently work a blue collar gig at a supermarket. I use boat shoes, because I don't own a pair of sneakers yet

 

[momsdoc]

Sneakers are technical gear developed specifically for the physical activities of sports.

Shoes are are technical gear, developed specifically for the physical activities of dressing and living.

Lets not confuse their purposes.

If your job is on the court, in a sports uniform, then by all means wear them to work. Otherwise, put on a pair of shoes. Even the team managers and coaches wear them (with the weird exception of Baseball, the only sport where they wear uniforms).