White sneakers have gone in and out of style, but there’s no doubt they’ve become a staple of your wardrobe over the past five years.
And now it seems the most recent iteration of the shoe style, a sleek gym shoe seen by everyone from Liz Truss to Gwyneth Paltrow, has finally had its day as more trendsetters turn to bulkier, multicolored ‘hiking’ designs.
This style has a technical, athletic look with a more ergonomic sole and often features a multi-colored scheme, highlighted by complementary hues or different shades of the same color.
Holly Willoughby was spotted this weekend leaning into the high-end athleisure look while wearing £99 sneakers from HOFF.
Elsewhere last month, Hailey Bieber wore Nike Air Max sneakers with a lacy sundress as she and her husband Justin strolled through West Hollywood.
The model, 26, skillfully balanced the modern touch that a “walking” sneaker adds with romantic elements like gold jewelry and a chic clutch as she walked hand-in-hand with her beau.
Her appreciation for the look goes all the way back to last year, when she donned nifty New Balance shoes at lunch in West Hollywood, styled with a chunky sweater, cap and handbag.
Singer Billie Eilish had even promoted a collaboration with Nike in December, flaunting it ‘reimagined’ Air Force 1s with patchwork designs and a pull-like feel.
Other stars like Kim Kardashian have followed the trend for years, harking back to her chic street style looks that were often paired with a sporty pair of Adidas or – years ago – Yeezys.
Celebrity stylist and royal fashion expert Miranda Holder says the white sneaker has “hit rock bottom.”
“The walking trainer — a continuation of the fugly Dad trainer trend — runs the show,” she told Femail.
“White sneakers are undoubtedly a useful part of any wardrobe, bringing versatility and preppy freshness to a wide variety of outfits – but they, like other trends before them, have become victims of their own success.”
Miranda says overexposure to the clean, simple design was ultimately the death.
“Spotted everywhere from school gates to city commutes, and paired with everything from suits to slips, the shoe phenomenon has become so ubiquitous that they are now considered very passé by the fashion set,” she continued.
‘Once a trend becomes fully mainstream – and let’s face it, pairing white sneakers with a floral dress style formula is far from groundbreaking these days – the fashion pack drops it faster than they can race to be at the front of the fashion queue for the hottest new designer sample sale.’
She says celebrities — especially LA natives who might just love a walk — are following the “daddy” trainer trend.
‘These chunky, rugged accessories toughen up the most feminine of looks, often with an interesting pop of color and edge with their fugly profiled soles and fancy technical laces.
‘Definitely, the footwear to be seen in if you like to be up-to-date in your clothes – and for many it’s a welcome change. For once, fashion meets functionality with the added benefit of being able to complete the toughest shopping marathons without the danger of our bows falling down.”
However, that’s not to say there aren’t still white trainer purists out there.
The style often provides an undeniable lightness and cleanness to a look.
