I'm Ready to Ban This Popular Shoe Trend

I want to get real with you for a moment. I’m just not into "ugly” shoes. There, I said it. Okay, okay, I absolutely get the appeal of "dad” sneakers and chunky styles. The silhouettes absolutely felt refreshing and forward at a time when basic sneakers started feeling stale, but I’m ready for them to be done. Other fashion people seem to be on my side, too, and we recently covered the potential demise of the trend in favor of more refined styles.
When you think about it, would that really be so bad? Sleek, streamlined trainer silhouettes (think clean leather sneakers) do wonders for a wardrobe because they can instantly elevate any look you’re wearing while maintaining that chill and cool vibe. On that note, I wanted to take the rest of our time to showcase some of these alternative sneaker styles to consider next year.
And if you disagree with me and are still feeling "ugly” sneakers, then, by all means, keep kicking it and live your life.
A pair of white leather sneakers feels inherently more refined than other styles and can make whatever you’re wearing feel cool yet polished.
If you love "dad” sneakers for the statement effect, consider an equally eye-catching pair in glitter.
The beauty of black sneakers like this is that they’re sleek and can streamline any look.
When in doubt, just go for a cool pair of athletic sneakers. They just basically always work.
The thing about styles like Converse is that they’re essentially classics at this point and will thus never go out of style.
Next, check out the sneakers that may die soon.
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent 10 years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises.
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