Are High Heels Over? How to Wear Sneakers Everywhere

I stumbled across the above photo on Pinterest a few days ago and can’t stop looking at it. It’s mostly pinned by people for the woman on the right, for “mule” inspiration. But it’s the girl on the left I can’t stop staring at. She epitomizes Fashion’s eternal, if eye-rolley, buzzword – effortless –  and in doing so, makes her companions look just the tiniest bit overwrought.

Dressing down when others are dressing up is the easiest way to look super-stylish (take it from most fashion designers, who dip out at their runway shows for a quick bow in casual, unfettered clothing). And it seems that everyone has caught on, whether they know it or not (the other day, I couldn’t tell whether a woman wearing a trench and battered white Nikes was extremely stylish or was in the same commuter outfit she wore back in the eighties). Now the Working Girl look has become something wholly new and even fashion-forward. It’s a brave new world out there, and how better to navigate it than in shoes you can actually walk in? But switching the way you think about sneakers takes time, and figuring out when and how to wear them can be tricky. Here are 14 supremely stylish ways to wear sneakers right now and come, finally, back down to earth. 

Sneakers can work for work. try squeaky-clean white ones with gray pants and a tailored black jacket or blazer. A bonus: You won’t have to dash to your lunch meeting in heels.

Trainers make skirts – midi, embellished or mini – look instantly sporty. Be sure to add one casual item to the look (a casual sweater, cute bomber, or slouchy bag) to bring the high-low mix together.

Ditch the UGGS this winter for sneakers; you’ll look far chicer. If you’re wearing a bulky top or oversized jacket, keep your pants skinny to balance it out.

Your perfect weekend casual-wear: a cute jacket, black sweats, leggings or a skirt and sneaks.

A sleek pair of sneakers is a perfect complement to a monochrome look, and lets the play of textures and tones sing.