My summer footwear rotation
Why are we not wearing our shoes more on the internet, where to buy the most comfortable shoes right now, and more.
I wanted to start today’s letter by addressing a recent issue I’ve been having with fashion on the internet. This is a much broader issue though, but let’s focus specifically on the way footwear is covered online.
We constantly see new content from influencers/bloggers/magazines that show shoes in pristine condition. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the photo that has the shoes either in hand or on the ground, paired with some nice lighting and sharp flooring to really emphasize the details of the shoe.
I’m guilty of making this sort of content myself. But I get it, the game on social media for accounts like mine are heavily influenced by engagement. So you’re forced to either participate by following what the algorithm likes, or try something different in hopes of pushing new forms of content to the feed.
But I want to see shoes that have been lived in. Knowing how something might age is actually a great selling point for me. We also can discover any potential issues that the product might have down the line, but this is the sort of discussion we don’t see much of online.
Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing new shoes styled well. I’m just saying that I’d love to see some deeper explanations on the way these products end up wearing in. There are people who do focus on this and I thank them for it—because we really need that point of view.
When you want something done you need to do it yourself, so to apply even more effort to shift our minds a little bit, in today’s letter I wanted to share what shoes I’ve been wearing this summer. Most of them are worn, and some are even cooked. Some are new, and some are old. But I’m still wearing them today, and here’s why.
Today I’ll share my opinions on the pairs that I currently love, and some that I wish were a bit better in quality. I’ll also share what I think are the most comfortable shoes, and where you can buy them before everyone else does.
My shoes are mainly black, and I like it that way. I try my best to rotate these regularly, but I still end up falling to the “1 pair” trap that makes me want to wear the same shoe with every outfit—mostly happens when I pick up a new pair that I get absolutely obsessed with. I’ve been getting better at this though. I’ll go about 4 days wearing the same shoe before switching.
That’s my personal rule though. There’s nothing wrong with wearing only one shoe until it literally falls apart. I have pair in this rotation that I’ll show you today that I’ve worn so much they have holes in them. I don’t want to stop wearing them though, so I’m not going to.
ADIDAS + BLONDEY GAZELLE INDOOR
These released over three years ago, and while they have developed holes on the sides, they are still just as fun to wear. Some missed quality control from adidas on this one though. The ripstop upper started tearing due to fabric friction when moving around. I was told that they fixed that issue in the updated version of the model.
The tears are whatever honestly. They still have lots of life left, and fit perfectly in the current low-profile sneaker trend. I do wish they would re-release these with the updated ripstop upper. Because I would scoop those up immediately. There’s also a subtle 3m detailing on the laces that gives these a nice little pop in photos.
REPRODUCTION OF FOUND BRITISH MILITARY TRAINER
This next one is in collaboration with Lady White Co., and has to be my favorite shoe to wear right now. They go with every outfit and are insanely comfortable. The suede upper has molded around the top of my foot, creating a slipper-like feeling when I put these on. They are also extremely light, which adds to the overall comfortability.
They do attract dust and hair like crazy though—I have a cat, so the moment he walks by them, it’s over for me. I keep a heavy stock of lint rollers that I use often on these though. Problem solved.
I’ve probably worn these over 100 times now, and they are still looking basically brand new with no issues.
ADIDAS Y3 + SUPERSTAR
I actually wrote about these in a recent newsletter that helped me get out of my fashion funk. You should read it if you haven’t already.
It’s the first time in a while that I pulled out a crispy all-white pair of shoes, but I’m glad it was these ones. The upper uses a soft, thin leather, but it holds well. Some scuffing and dirt has been showing more recently, but it gives them some proper character.
The top of the toe box has shown the most signs of wear. It developed a crease line because the cap is also made of leather, whereas regular Superstars don’t have that issue since their toe caps are plastic.