Out of all the trends we can usually predict each season, I bet no one could've seen how big the ugly 'dad' sneaker trend would've become in the luxury sector.
Brands like New Balance, Adidas and Sketchers have been creating these so-called shoes since the 90s, but it seemed to come back into popular demand after Raf Simons created the Ozweego sneaker back in 2013.
Since then, the trend has appeared at luxury houses including Balenciaga, Dior Homme, Gucci, Lanvin, Prada and Acne Studios, all of which created versions of the style for their male consumers who are increasingly taking their style cues from streetwear. David Morris exclaims, “Street culture has become such a strong element of what guys are buying that luxury fashion houses are obviously following what’s happening in music and youth culture.” As a result, over a dozen brands have sent out significantly bigger trainers down their runways than they have done before.
However, there seems to be a significant love-hate relationship over these dad sneakers. As a fan of them personally, I would have a whole variety of them in my wardrobe. If you share the same views, the next step is how to style them as a 5"2 female, as they tend to be seen predominately on males, as thats who they're marketed for.
Tip #2: Don't feel like you have to wear a whole "street" look to be able to pull them off. There is such thing as too much, unless you're going for the whole hypebeast look then you-do-you. However, some of the best looks I've seen styling them have been with tailored jackets or blazers, as its the perfect combination of high and low.
Tip #3: A white trainer, like the trusty Triple S, can be paired with your everyday denim jeans or faux fur jacket, while printed or multicoloured sneakers can take centre stage and become your outfit's focus. I feel like shoes and bags should always be the focus, so I tend to stick with mainly monochromatic clothing and keep it very minimal.
Tip #4: This isn't even a tip but if you're an everyday person and not attending fashion week nor a blogger, then be prepared to get weird looks by the average person. You'll either get the side-eye on the tube by the mum of 3 kids running up and down the carriage or the nod of appreciation by another avid fan of the trend, or even the look by someone who thinks you're trying to hard. But at the end of the day, the triple s are the most comfortable shoes in my wardrobe; so who's really winning here?
The most notable ones are the Balenciaga Triple S, Gucci Rhyton Logo, Adidas by Raf Simons Ozweego, Prada Cloudbust and the Alexander McQueen sneakers.
Thanks for reading!
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