I can count on one hand all the different styles of shoes I witnessed my dad wearing as I was growing up. Admittedly, while he isn’t quite a maven of menswear, he certainly knows how to dress, but what springs to mind most frequently – other than steel-toed work boots, golf shoes and sandals with socks (no judgment) – is his proclivity for dress shoes no matter the occasion. It was with shock, then, that I recently received a call from him, asking for my advice on which pair of white trainers he should buy this season.
Once relegated to evenings and weekends in favour of loafers, brogues and Oxfords, the white trainer has become a hero item in men’s wardrobes over the last few years, breaking down the barriers of office-appropriate dressing and entering firmly into the smart/casual lexicon of menswear. This has only been accelerated by the pandemic as remote working upended any established notion of at-work attire and ushered in an era of casual as king.
And why not? Comfortable and chic, the white trainer truly does make a perfect finishing touch to almost any outfit. Whether you’re pairing yours with a classic jeans and white tee combo, or dressing down a suit, it’s hard to get it wrong. So with that, why not give it a try? From stand-out styles by sneakerhead heroes like Nike and Adidas to low-key takes by classic cobblers, these are the best white trainers for men this season.
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