sneakers are the new stilettos?
the humble sneaker is having a Major Fashion Moment right now. i'm always on the lookout for a stylish weekend and travel shoe, so lately i've been kind of intrigued by the Marant wedge hi-tops. yet...i'm philosophically really put off by the insane price (they're still sneakers!).
the best Marant-ish version i've found thus far is $150 and has gotten rave reviews. i'mgoing to debating ordering a pair. maybe these will be my funky double-take find for the season.
what do you think about sneaker wedges? do you have the Marant version?
update: i got them! my review here.
the best Marant-ish version i've found thus far is $150 and has gotten rave reviews. i'm
what do you think about sneaker wedges? do you have the Marant version?
update: i got them! my review here.
I think the IM ones are pretty bad: velcro, super trendy, and the unconscionable price. However, I do love sneakers in general and have started wearing the GG Francy sneakers. They have a small wedge in them, but you can't tell from the outside. And you can always find them on sale so that they're (somewhat) reasonable.
ReplyDeletei've admired the GG francys for a while - is there actually a mini wedge in them? they look like they just have a somewhat thick sole. how's the quality?
Deletea big no thank you on this one. As they say if you did it the 1st time around... (not sneakers, but remember when the Timberland stilettos were popular in 2003-2004)
ReplyDelete-ps. I've seen versions on Anthropologie's website.
hahaha i remember those!! Timberland stilettos - man. that's in the hall of infamy of something somewhere.
DeleteEh...not a fan. I'm all for comfort but these bulky sneaks are too trendy. When I first saw those IM ones I hated them instantly.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about the sneaker wedge too. Being as broke as I am, I'm going to sit this one out. I definitely prefer the lace-up marants over the velcro style. To me, the lace-up version is a little more scaled down and subtle, less of a high-top, no ridiculously puffy tongue, and no velcro (of which I am really adverse to). A friend of mine has a version from Asos. I haven't seen them in person, but in pictures they look pretty decent.
ReplyDeletep.s. i love the title of this post! so clever!
thanks! :) hehe. it's kind of fascinating that sneakers are (were?) the last frontier untouched by High Fashion, until now. though if i *were* to plunk down that much cash for sneakers i'd much rather get the Marant ones where the wedge is actually a unique design detail versus just some blinged-out 'designer sneaker'.
Deletei am so not down with the wedge sneaker, though i think they can look pretty cool. a friend of mine has a pair of liberty london nikes with a wedge, and i think they are kind of fly. but, not for me. i'm a girl that sticks to her $60 asics onitsuka tiger retro style sneaks, if i need to get my gym shoe on. i can't fathom buying a pair of non-running gym shoes for over $100.
ReplyDeletei'm with you on the old school asics love. i suppose the main design perk of the IM/IM-ish versions is that they offer a nice high lift not in the form of a heel.
DeleteI just don't get the appeal of the IM sneakers and all the cheaper copies. I think they will be one of those trends that people look back on in a few years and cringe. In the past my sneakers of choice have been converse, but replaced in the last year with a pair of navy supergas which admittadly are also trendy but less so than the Marants.
ReplyDeletemaybe! i'm always curious about things like this that incites a really strong reaction from people - it's very much a love or hate reaction on the IM sneakers!
DeleteWhile there is a definite allure for the IM wedge sneakers (all those fantastic street style photos from paris), I can't help feeling like they would not translate well into my wardrobe and that they would never quite feel like they were worth the cost. Although it's great to see that there are reasonable IM-ish versions, even they are a bit too expensive in my eyes for such a "trendy" style.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think they would be just the right shoe for going to a concert :)
concert shoes might be a brilliantly functional way to wear these :) however, i think the best way i've seen these styled/worn is just with a very simple tee and skinny jeans or leather leggings. much more and it would just come across as contrived.
DeleteI have to admit that I am far from a fan. Perhaps I'm old fashioned but I just don't get the whole sneakers with a pretty outfit trend, but that's just me - some people look great in this style.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe how closely those ones resemble the IMs though I must say, anda steal at that price.
I like them on the street style crowd, but I have yet to see a "regular person" pull them off (how funny is it that street style is now something completely separate from "regular people"?). They seem like a one-season wonder to me :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan, they really just don't fit into my style and wardrobe, but I will concede, like Jamie-lee, that some people make them look really good.
ReplyDeleteNike has come out with their own version already (who would've thought it?!?), and I think the are the best version after the IMs. Pretty reasonably priced, too, at $120.
I dunno, they remind me of '80s high tops that people used to wear with neon leggings (or maybe of a Storm Trooper?). I'm saving up to buy a Robert Clergerie lace-up for that sneaker-ish vibe with heels. But I'm with Jade - Onitsuka Tigers all the way for me!
ReplyDeletei love my tigers too - but these function a bit differently - kind of like the sneakers for when i want to wear 'sneakers with a twist'!
DeleteI passionately hated the IMs from the first second on - then I saw Zara (??!)'s version and wanted to get those immediately. Now I also like other knock-offs like River Island, but - as someone already mentioned - only the lace-up, not THAT massive ones. Not sure if I'm going to get some in the end...
ReplyDeletei just did an updated review of the ones that i got - curious what you think :)
DeleteI have a pair of the hi-tops and lo-tops, and as much as I wanted to hate them (which I did in the beginning), I was sold when I saw the hi-tops styled by La Garconne. I realize these sneakers are not for everyone and yes, they are expensive, but for someone like me who has always loved sneakers, it's just another addition to my collection. The fact that my husband really likes them also helps. The hi-tops remind me of the L.A. Gear sneakers I used to wear as a kid and the lo-tops are just great for every day wear and they're pretty cute too. I used to wear a lot of Converse, but the Marant sneakers will get you stopped in the streets. People who have no idea who Isabel Marant is have complimented me randomly to ask who they are by. That has never happened to me before with my Converse. ;) The Marant sneakers have been around for more than one season. I believe they came out around 2010? Correct me if I'm wrong. For someone who likes sneakers and wears them as a part of his/her lifestyle, I think the Marant ones are timeless!
ReplyDeleteI have seen these sneakers everywhere for a while, and lately have got intrigued by them. Last week, I saw a West Village mum wearing them, on her way to a children's birthday party, child in tow. If the mummy set is wearing them, does that mean a style is over? But then, we live in New York City and the mummy set dresses exceedingly stylishly. All that aside, I am just having a hard time reconciling a sneaker with a heel. It somehow feels very dissonant. With skinny jeans or leggings, they look very cute, though.
ReplyDeletehaha, you're very right about all the chic moms in NYC! i like to think that everyone puts their own spin on how they wear something :) as for the hybrid sneaker/heel, that's the genius of the design IMO. because it's a wedge it does give some nice arch support as well.
DeleteI have been in Paris living for two months, and they are a very high street knockoff item right now... everyone from 14 yr olds to chic gals wearing the real mccoy kinda all blend together. while some women look awesome.. its gonna become ubiquitous too in the US.
ReplyDelete