Sneakers have become an important piece of every fashion-y person’s wardrobe, but there’s no improving on the classics. No matter how many fancy new designer versions come out, I still think there’s no beating classic summer sneakers: white, low-profile, and sporty. Shop our favorites now.
There is no sneaker more quintessentially country club than the Stan Smith. Clean lines, green pop of color, and the leather all make it feel like so much more than just a sneaker. For a similar look, you could also take a look at the nautical white-and-navy color palette of Tretorn’s signature canvas shoe or upgrade to the Stan Smith Lux, which has navy instead of the usual grassy green.
Adidas has had a big year in general. Samba Girl Summer is still going strong, and the shoe is another example of a lower profile, less technical feeling sneaker. I love the white with black stripes and suede trim, and the inverse is pretty good too. Wales Bonner, a cult-favorite fashion designer, has been putting her spin on the silhouette in limited edition capsule collections that sell out regularly. The special re-issue of the Millennial Samba in all leather is a little bit weird, but a whole lot of fashion.
In my opinion, the perfect summer sneaker is the Nike Cortez. It feels more formal than a normal sneaker. I think it’s because of the nostalgic clean lines, unlike so many of the trendy shoes on the market. And it comes in at a wallet-friendly $100! There are a few other Nike classics, like this low-top Blazer with an oversized leather swoosh, have a similar feel and price point.
Shop the rest of our classic summer sneakers edit below:
All of our recommendations are curated by Susan & the In The Groove editorial team. In some, but not all cases, we receive a small commission for leading you to what, how, and where to buy all this wonderful stuff.
