Shop Like an Editor: The 4 Best Sneakers, According to Me

Shop Like an Editor is a Who What Wear column where our senior editor Kristen Nichols shares her latest fashion finds.

Up until recently, I never considered myself to be a sneaker person. Given the chance, I would opt for boots or heels for my everyday outfits, what I was wearing to the office, and pretty much any time I left the house. Over the past couple of years, though, I’ve introduced more and more sneakers into my closet.

In part, this evolved from all of my time working from home, where my daily looks have become more casual than they were in the past. I also attribute it to all of the sneaker looks I’ve been inspired to wear as streetwear brands have carved out an even bigger influence on fashion. Case in point? Aimé Leon Dore, whose preppy-meets-streetwear ’90s aesthetic has impacted everything from the sweatpants I’m wearing to the sneakers I’m styling with them. In this case, the constantly sold-out New Balance 550 sneakers I ended up hunting down on StockX.

As someone who is newly invested in my sneaker wardrobe, I wanted to share the styles I wear more than any others and recommend buying. Ahead, see the four editor-approved sneakers you’ll spot me wearing.

Speaking of the influence Aimé Leon Dore has had on my wardrobe, here, I present the evidence. After the brand’s founder Teddy Santis did a collab to resurrect the New Balance 550s, the sneakers soared to cult status last year. They’re hard to find, but I did manage to get my hands on the OG 550s, and they were worth the hunt.

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More than any other style, I gravitate to throwback silhouettes—a running trend you’ll see with all of my sneaker picks. The Reebok Club 85s is the ultimate sleek, understated style that I wear on the regular with everything from jeans to suiting. Oh, and they’re available in a clean white version as well as other subtle colors like blue and burgundy, where just the stitching is changed.

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Clearly, I’m a New Balance fan and couldn’t leave out my trusty 990s. They’re the ultimate dad sneakers, but after wearing them for the past couple of years I can see why they��re so popular. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve never worn a more comfortable pair of sneakers I’ve ever worn.

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I never owned Converse sneakers up until now, which is kind of hard to believe. The fact that I just ordered this pair makes me feel like I’m going through the angsty-teen phase I never had. I’ve spotted them all over Instagram recently, which inspired me to order a pair. Personally, I think they’re the perfect shoes to wear with jeans or suiting. I particularly love the styles that are finished with cream-colored soles as opposed to the brighter white styles that I usually see on the market.

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Shop More Sneakers on My Radar

Next: 12 Editor-Approved Trends I'm Wearing Until Further Notice