foundations: stylish sneakers

my all-purpose tourist outfit:

rag & bone utility jacket, isabel marant scarf, t-shirt, seven jeans, lumix camera, onitsuka tigers

'stylish sneaker' is not necessarily an oxymoron. they do get a bad rep unfortunately. how many times have you read "no jeans or sneakers" in a dress code memo? however, sneakers are probably the most underrated wardrobe staples - most of us have at least one pair in the back of the closet, but we don't give them nearly as much credit as they deserve.

lately, there have been murmurings around the style interwebs proclaiming the sneaker as the 'It Shoe' of the moment. kind of charming underneath all the hype. i mean, you don't have to go the way of a certain pair of sold-out wedge hi-tops (though i do think they're pretty rad...) to get your hands on a pair. i personally prefer the imminently affordable, time-tested old-school sneaker.

when i was packing last year, i brought two pairs of sneakers with me: leather hi-top chucks and my Onitsuka Tigers. the Tigers have definitely gotten more wear due to their easy slip-on style and sleek, low-top design. they are one of the few shoes i've found that have the simple stylishness of ballet flats with the comfort and ease of a sneaker, which is no small feat given how many pairs of hideous Frankenstein sneakers are now on the market.

the reality is, the chic woman needs at least one pair of sneakers in her closet, even if it's purely for functional gym purposes. (those can be as hideous and clunky as they need to be.)

then, there are the sneakers that need to be actually worn outside, where (god forbid) other people will see you wearing them with the rest of your regular outside clothes, and they also need to serve non-gym practical purposes. 

this is where it gets tricky, right? for instance, Tourist Sneakers for when you're going to be doing a lot of walking on your vacation. or Crappy Weather Sneakers for when you don't want to chance it with your ballet flats/nice lace-up oxfords/dress shoes. 

over the years, i keep coming back to a few classic pairs that can do no wrong. i am also definitely in the camp of Sneakers Should Cost in the Two-Digit Price Range.

here are my top picks:

1. Onitsuka Tigers - if they're good enough for Bruce Lee, they're good enough for me! i've worn mine all around Shanghai and traveling and they're holding up nicely. a lot more durable than they look, and super duper comfy. 

2. Converse Chucks - low-top, off-white or white canvas, perfect summer classic.
perfectly at ease when paired with a summer suit or with bare legs and denim shorts on a downtown stroll.

via garance dore

3. Bensimon slip-ons - French girl chic from city to beach. 

i like the completely pared-down minimalism of Bensimons. for some reason, every time i see a pair, i always think of a 20something girl studying abroad for the summer and wearing these sightseeing around Paris...

via the singular

4. Feiyue - of course no chic sneaker list is complete without a shoutout to the Shanghai cult brand. Feiyues originated in the 1920s and became popular as a stylish leisure and martial arts (specifically wushu)/general athletic shoe. today they're still considered the go-to sneaker for shaolin monks and kung fu masters. a few years ago, the brand was purchased by a French company and some of the iconic styles re-designed with new artist collabs every season. i love the old Shanghai history of the shoe!

via august man

what's your stance on sneakers/trainers? do you have a favorite pair?