Dawn of The Planet of The Performance Sneaker Wearer
What was once a staple for white girls on brunch dates, has now become a (fashion) household name.
I am writing to once again remind you that I am the coolest. Why? Because I’m here to bring the truth that will set you free. It’s not a shock to say that old man sneakers (heritage sneakers) have been the wave for some time. I’ve spoken about it many a time in my post about runningcore footwear (strictly performance-focused). But I’ve also shared my affinity for modern-day sneakers in my reviews on the Satisfy x Hoka LS and the PAF x On Cloudmonster 2.
At this point, it feels like I’m beating this idea with a dead horse until the well has run dry… But I’ve recently felt invigorated to talk about this topic, but from a strictly ✨aesthetic✨ point of view.
For the longest time, the idea of wearing performance footwear has been very… lame. like… If you see someone wearing a pair of white ‘walking’ shoes, you are inclined to think they’re either homeschooled, an old man, or a sex offender, but I’m here to try and flip the script and rewrite modern history. Seriously though, I will never recommend white leather sneakers, and anyone who wore the Nike Monarchs, unironically, needs to be shot into the sun.
Back to the topic at hand. People have been wearing heritage sneakers as a style point for a good chunk of time now — Like, remember when New Balance 99x models were the king? Those were the good ol’ days. The torch has been passed from brand to brand. Asics, Saucony… even classic Nike models are being retroed (I love the Sndr)!
While those styles are great, I think it’s important to look to the future… by looking at the present… What I’m trying to say is I think modern-day performance shoes are a fantastic footwear option for your local cool guy. I know it may not sound like a super cool guy moment, but I want you to give me a chance.
I would argue that modern-day performance shoes are very tech wear adjacent. They’re sleek, futuristic-looking, and functional. It is the perfect choice of footwear for a guy who loves having four thousand zippers on their jacket.
…Ok even if you’re not the guy that’s into tech wear, it’s still a really good option for everyday wear, and I’m here to offer some examples and options for you to enjoy.
This is the latest addition to my rotation and my inspiration for today’s post. It’s not a collab, it’s not a limited edition… It’s just a fantastic-looking sneaker.
This shoe was plastered all over PFW when Hoka and High Snobiety collaborated for an event and gave participants the opportunity to wear test the new colourway.
I’m especially a big fan of this new black/grey colourway as they removed the large ‘Hoka’ branding on the lateral side of the shoe, allowing it to become a subtle, nuanced, and minimalist design. I’m also a big fan of the black colourways for the same reason.
One thing I really enjoy about this shoe is that it is widely accessible. It’s kind of like any running shoe colourway — They’ll make a tonne of units, but once they’re gone, they’re gone. They’re on heaps of websites, but I recommend you don’t sleep for too long because they won’t be here forever.
If you want something a bit more bright, don’t worry. There’s plenty of colourful goodness to go around.
To be honest, A lot of the Hoka models are widely loved in the fashion community. Tremaine Emery is a big fan of the Hoka sneakers and has been spotted wearing the Bondi on multiple occasions.
The first time I truly thought, “Yo, that looks sick,” in regards to Hoka, was when I was vacationing in Tasmania, and some middle-aged European dad rocked his slim straight, cropped denim with a pair of murdered-out Bondi 7s. Truly inspiring work. Honestly, bro wasn’t even trying, but that too-old-to-care attitude made the model look effortless yet refined.
The reality is, the Bondi 7 looked much better than the 8 by far. They updated the sole to be a lot bigger than previous iterations, which I think ruined the magic that the 7 had.
New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v13
Great looking shoe! …terrible performance. It’s a real shame that New Balance’s best-looking version to date happens to be their worst-performing shoe. Previous models performed well, but for some reason, the shoe feels too soft, and you are not getting any energy return in your stride — almost like you’re running with marshmallows on your feet.
Anyway, we’re not here to talk about the performance. I’m here to discuss the ✨aesthetic✨
As I said above, talk about a glow-up! I see quite a lot of health professionals (Physios, OTs etc..) rock these for their day-to-day, and I don’t blame them. Nice and light, super soft on your feet and visually a great shoe. There isn’t a lot more you could ask for!… as long as you’re not wearing them to run in.
If you’re not interested in murdered-out black, the OG colourway was very nice. The baby blue with the cream sole was elegant. If you can find a pair, then I highly recommend them.
Switching from the road running style to a more gorped up ✨aesthetic✨
Norda have solidified their name as an up-and-coming label with increasing popularity for the outdoor moodboards, to actual trail running. Out of all the shoes I’m recommending, these are the most expensive… but damn they look good.
I’m personally a huge fan of this black sole/cream upper shoe, which normally I wouldn’t be… but maybe my taste is changing(?) I would often nominate for a dark upper and white sole, but this uno reverso is hella clean, and I definitely recommend you pick up a pair if you can.
If you want to continue wearing your heritage performance sneakers like New Balance 990s, Asics Gel Kayano 14s, or Saucony Triumphs, then that’s fine! …but if you want to be ahead of the unwashed masses you’ll listen to my advice. In the words of James Harris,
“I’m never wrong, I’m just early.”
And this is a movement that will be taking place sooner than you think.