White sneakers may be seen as air travel essentials by Hollywood celebrities and hoards of American travellers, but there are other reasons they should be considered necessary for every traveller – by road, sea, air, or paths less travelled.

Sneakers | Trainers | Tennis Shoes | Takkies

Sneakers have long since been considered the shoe of sport and laziness; it’s what you wear to be active and wholly chilled too.

Thanks to the evolution of fashion trends and the now somewhat relaxed notion of ‘formal’ dress, sneakers transcend utilitarianism, to also be stylish statement-making wardrobe items. Any scroll through Instagram and TikTok content will affirm the necessity of a sneaker – high-end or otherwise.

The neighborhoods you walk through, may not always offer great pathways, a good time, affordable rent, or a decent coffee house

…but the grace of the right economical shoe means you may be in a better position to find it.

The footwear can now be found on runways and sweaty locker rooms, in chic brunch spots, and on red carpets too. It no longer holds to the one-dimensional stigma of either being for the overtly active or unashamedly lazy.

The embracing of sneakers runs concurrently with how various colorways are introduced to the everyday contemporary clothing rhetoric of people; as familiar as bold colorways on everyday wear now is, so to are muted notes embraced – especially in travel.

The consistency that has remained in fashion, through centuries, has been using white as a base tone to build and explore with. It is a palate-cleanser and can be as shocking to the senses, as black or bold emerald tones. When paired with textures that invite people to ogle, touch, and sometimes even savor through taste and scent, white becomes a riveting experience that’s singular to each person that encounters it.

One of the reasons I now gravitate to the color, is because when it is on a sneaker and for travel, there is an abundance of benefits to be reaped, including:

• Making you feel clean, and decent for public consumption (when they’re pristine)
• They’re fashionable (having been a style staple for decades)
• Comfort (minimum to maximum, depending on the brand and collection)
• You don’t quite stand out as a tourist if you choose a sneaker that marries comfort and style as equal partners
• They can be creatively teamed for various occasions, including:
  • Formal
  • Informal
  • with a 2-piece or even 3-piece suit
  • with a wedding dress
  • for running errands
  • for dining outings

“…follow this one simple rule: banish ‘occasion dressing’.”

Charlotte Davey. (2020). Conde Nast Traveller

I have had the pleasure of trying such comfortable white PUMA sneakers, in different iterations, from high-tops to court sneakers, and low-top sneakers too.

Half the journey towards comfort with sneakers, is ensuring it is well-shaped to your foot when trying them on – too narrow when your foot is wide, for example, and you will never find comfort and subsequently walk with the right gait you’re familiar with.

Some people need to give due consideration to whether they can just slip into their shoes, while others should contemplate the elements. Be sure to check the existence of, size, and how the lace holes sit against your feet when buying your next pair, as well as what is adjustable on your sneakers (for ease of wear) before buying them.

Trying out a high-top sneaker if you are not familiar with the design, for example, may have a positive result for your lifestyle, as you realize how extra secure your feet feel when traipsing in them.

Sneaker texture, design, and materials’ importance do not only extend to aesthetic priorities, but also to your personal comfort. Besides the adaptable appeal of an all-white sneaker, for example, if the material is plaint and soft, and you require butter-soft comfort for your travel shoe, then types of leather and fabrics matter in your purchasing choices – something not always given ample enough consideration.

PRO-TIP:

If ethical leather sourcing is important to you, be sure to check up on the specs for each individual pair you end up wanting to buy.

If I had to offer some further shopping and styling tips, its to:

• Try a white sneaker with an outfit with prints – Be different!
• Make a note of whether you require cushioned soles in your next pair, depending on what you’ll be using them for – I need arch support for long haul flights, for example.
• Don’t be afraid to juxtapose, redefine and blur the lines between casual and formal

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• Eye up a sneaker with a platform sole, to elongate your legs
• Just because it has a luxe label or price tag, does not mean it’s tasteful – Make sure the sneaker showcases your tastes, and doesn’t just reflect someone else’s idea of style.
• Embossed, and sometimes punched sneakers can be a refreshing twist on a steadfast sneaker design, so give those designs a change too – unless you have the elements to worry about!

So, for an economic traveler, choice travel wear tends to lean more towards comfort and hygienic wearability for longer stretches of time. However, by my recommendation, the PUMA all-white Cali Star Metallic Wedge is the way to go.

It is simultaneously encompassing of: an irreverent spirit, quality, as well as being polished and downright useful.