Top Sneakers to Add to Your Collection This Year, According to a Retired Sneaker Collector
Starting off with one of the biggest shoes of 2024: Sambas. Once an indoor soccer shoe that my Gen X parents used to wear is now one of the hottest styles.
These shoes have had their hype, but I think it should keep going into 2025. With so many unique colorways (but you don’t need them all– #underconsumption), they instantly elevate outfits with a classic and timeless touch.
If you’re looking for a chunkier shoe that’s not too chunky, the Adidas Campus is your girl! Their style resembles the ghost of shoes past (by past, I mean the 2016 Adidas Superstars era) but with a thicker build and the currently popular suede fabric.
Following the same slim silhouette trend, the Onitsuka Tigers are a conversation starter these days. Their Mexico 66 Series features an especially unique look that comes in both vivid and neutral tones.
These sporty kicks might look like something you could find in your middle-aged dad’s closet, but New Balance is it right now, and these go so well with streetwear. I’ve been craving a pair of these myself, but this recommendation is for you only. I need to save money.
This shoe was really popular in 2022, but it still deserves to be loved by the masses. I’ve had the same pair since 2021 and brought them along to so many different states and countries, and they’ve lasted through all of it.
Back from a decade past, as most fashion trends are nowadays, these ‘70s kicks were the first pair of Nike running shoes to be released, and their generational influence lives on today, still as stylish as ever.
Shoes are such an important part of our lives. They literally carry us through life, there for every step we take. Of course, at the end of the day they are just a replaceable material item, but I think it’s comforting to look at them with sentimentality. And if you want to practice sustainable consumption, you can always look at apps like Depop or Poshmark. Whatever you choose, I hope that your next pair of shoes will bring you the comfort you need.
Written by Felicity Desuasido
Graphics by Ryan Kaufman
