Ladies, the time has finally come… This season, sneakers are the new stilettos!
This Spring it’s all about sporty styles, fashionable flats and sporty, casual wear. The trend started in Paris, where women would add edge to their full skirts or dresses by pairing them with Nike Free Sneakers or even slip-on shoes. With cool collaborations like the Blonde Salad for Steve Madden or Kate Spade for Keds and fun brands such as Bucket Feet (affordable, artistic canvas slip-ons designed in Paris) or classic Converse that let you design your own, this trend is a must-try!
Ways to Wear It: Sporty sneakers are all the range, but how does one wear them? Here are three full-proof ways to wear this trend:
1. To the Gym and Beyond: Jogger shorts and pants are nothing new, but even more relevant for Spring now that sporty styles are trending! Pair patterned joggers with a bespoke tee and sneakers for a cool, yet comfortable look made for running errands or weekend fun.
(Wearing Vanilla Star Jogger Shorts and Nike Flex Run 2014s. Photo by Pratik Doshi Photography)
2. ’90s Child: In case you haven’t noticed, the ’90s are back! Crop tops and sweaters around the waist are cool again, and work perfectly with sporty styles.
(Wearing Reebok Skycapes)
3. The Not-So-Girl-Next-Door: My favorite, and probably most risky way to wear this trend is to go girlie, with a twist. Inspired by Parisian street style, the new way to wear a midi skirt or full dress is with sporty sneakers or slip-ons! I love spending the day in a twirl-worthy skirt, but walking around in heels all day can be a bit painful – so stepping into sneakers is the perfect solution.
(Wearing the Bucketfeet Pineapple Shoes. Photo by Paris EA)
In addition to jogger shorts, crop tops, full dresses and midi skirts, you can also try this trend with white jeans, overalls (another spring trend), cotton pencil skirts and distressed or washed boyfriend jeans!
Rules to Wear By:
Keep it girlie – Wear a midi skirt, add pearls or a bright lip to keep it feminine.
Add some edge – A leather jacket, exposed midriff or statement ring is the perfect way to edge up your look and keep from looking too casual.
Look on the bright side – pick a fun pair of patterned slip-on shoes or bold colored sneakers to pair with neutrals–it will brighten up your whole wardrobe.
Start with the shoes – When you’re building your look, start with the shoes and build around them, this way they won’t look like a casual afterthought.
Shop these looks: Top Shop Palm Shorts // Nike Free 5.0 // H&M Leather shorts // Steve Madden Leopard // Mesh Kate Spade for Keds // H&M Palm shorts // Kate Spade for Keds Rally // Bucket Feet Pasco 54 // Nike Free 5.0 Print
So, forget your heels and step into sneakers this Spring – your feet with thank you!
XO Courtney
About Courtney Quinn
I’m Courtney Quinn, a New York-based twentysomething with an out-of-the-box sense of style and a slight color obsession. I was born in Arizona (cacti galore) and had my first city experience while studying in San Francisco, but am a New Yorker at heart and made my way to the Big Apple last year! I’m a merchandiser by day and fashion blogger at ColorMeCourtney.com by night all while operating and growing my own styling company. When I’m not working, you’ll find me treasure hunting after brunch in my charming neighborhood (the West Village) with my French Bulldog, Waffles.
Let’s stay in touch:
Instagram: @colormecourtney
Twitter: @colormecourtney
