You're wearing your sneakers wrong

By?Shivangi Lolayekar

Not every shoe fits

In April 2021, Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1s that he wore to the 2008 Grammys sold for an unimaginable $1.8million at Sotheby’s, making them the most expensive sneakers ever. West had eight nominations going into the ceremony and took home four gongs but arguably, what stuck over a decade later was what he wore on his feet: a pair of all black leather high-tops with a raised upper and a one-and-a-half-inch sole. The sneakers that were part of a collaboration between Nike and West, were prototypes never released to the public. They became the most desired sample sneakers in the world. Next on the list of crazy priced kicks were the Nike Airships worn by Michael Jordan at a Chicago Bulls game in 1984. Prominent sneaker collector Nick Fiorella paid $1.4million for them at auction in Sotheby’s Las Vegas in October 2021. The Nike Air Jordan 1s that the Jumpman wore to a Bulls exhibition game in 1985 sold for a cheap $6,15,000 in August 2020 at an online Christie’s auction.

What each of these coveted pairs have in common is that they’re all high tops. A silhouette that was once reserved for basket players and skateboards is now the king of mainstream kicks. While it’s almost blasphemous not to own a pair if you call yourself a sneaker collector, retro shoes are also notoriously hard to wear, especially if you’re over the age of 18. This also applies to barely-there Onitsuka Tiger soles that bring your feet back to the ground and, when worn wrong, can make you look like a Bollywood extra from the ’90s. Not all sneakers suit every guy but if you want to up your look and put every silhouette imaginable on rotation—and get it right—here’s how you do it.

If you must pair high tops with jeans, opt for skinny Selvedge ones that are rolled up

Going up high

High tops cut at your ankles and can make you look shorter than you are. Pairing them with jeans is a classic styling conundrum. The first and biggest rule is to avoid baggy jeans. Do it, and you’ll look like AJ from the Backstreet Boys (that’s not a good thing). The only exception to this rule is if you’re wearing Converse high-tops over roomy chinos—a slightly normcore look that’s become popular at fashion weeks and on stylish men across the globe. If you must pair it with jeans, opt for skinny Selvedge ones that are rolled up till where your high tops begin or are tucked into your kicks.

This slender silhouette has proven to be ageless and timeless—a pair you can wear whenever, without thinking twice

Down low

When it comes to classy, understated sneakers, Onitsuka Tiger’s Mexico 88 is probably up there with the best of them. Unlike hype-worthy kicks that have a short shelf life before the next big drop, this slender silhouette has proven to be ageless and timeless—a pair you can wear whenever, without thinking twice. But hold up. The shape of the shoe is such that it gives the illusion of elongated feet, which can make a short guy look disproportionate. The trick is to always opt for a pair with a more rounded toe and laces (don’t go commando) for a snug fit. And don’t ever pair them with jeans that go below your ankles.?

To really nail the suits and sneakers look, make sure to choose a minimal, un-fussy leather design

Suiting up

For a while now, pairing suits with sneakers has become a power move in itself. It removes the stuffiness of a formal suit and still makes you look like a guy who means business. But not all sneakers go with your primo suits. To really nail this look, make sure to choose a minimal, un-fussy leather design like Common Projects’ Tournament sneakers. Its clean lines and discreet details take you from an important meeting to the bar with ease. Just make sure to keep them box fresh at all times.

The secret to owning dad sneakers is to pair them with a shape that looks bigger than the shoe itself—oversized joggers or sweat shorts with a t-shirt

Chunky kicks

With every new fashion season comes an arsenal of chunky sneakers from the best luxury brands in the world. For S/S ’22, Louis Vuitton debuted a collab with Nike on a range of Air Force 1s. Comme des Gar?ons brought back its collaboration with Salomon on slip-on runners. Dior dropped its multi-soled B22 sneaker. All good-looking pairs that begged to be worn. But just don’t wear them with skinny chinos, jeans or any kind of trousers that hit your ankles. The secret to owning dad sneakers is to pair them with a shape that looks bigger than the shoe itself—oversized joggers or sweat shorts with a t-shirt for a look that’s somewhere between gym class hero and a guy who’s on the pulse of what daily dressing should be.