Cover credit: Common Projects
Everyone wears sneakers.
The color of choice, the one you can't go wrong with, is white.
However, there's more to life than just white sneakers .
This is why I remembered this question recently asked by a reader:
“For sneakers, what color can I choose other than white?”
Here are the alternative colors that I think are easy to wear.
1. A shade between beige and brown: the good alternative
I am referring here to the colors beige, sand, taupe, camel, tobacco, brown...
The color palette is wide enough and the range of sneakers on the market is large enough for everyone to find something to suit them.
All you have to do is choose! Photo credit: Scheme Color
I would also recommend taking this pair in suede leather :
- On the one hand to provide contrast with white leather sneakers that you probably already own
- On the other hand because this chromatic range looks good with the velvety appearance of suede
The colors chosen on these Sawa sneakers are quite harmonious.
Beige or brown sneakers in smooth leather don't always look very good. This is particularly the case at the entry level. If you want beautiful brown/taupe/camel sneakers in smooth leather, it is better to increase the budget a little:
For example with Tanino from Buttero .
Sneakers in this color range will go with the majority of the colors of your pants : blue, gray, white/ecru or green in particular.
The tobacco color of these other Buttero sneakers goes wonderfully with blue denim like here but also gray wool flannel or olive green.
Another example of association:
The question arises with beige pants. To avoid tone on tone, I invite you to look for a little contrast : pants a little darker than the sneakers or vice versa.
2. Green: easier to wear than you think
Green is a color that I have always appreciated and that I find relevant on sneakers.
As it turns out, I saw beautiful greens on all types of materials: smooth leather, suede or cotton canvas for example.
Even on a technical mesh like here with these Nike Flyknit, green can have its place
For more versatility, I of course advise you to avoid an overly flashy/neon green and opt for shades that are a little more sober or darker: olive green or forest green for example.
Some might say that this color is complicated to wear on the feet: I don't think so in any case.
Green remains a basic color in the men's wardrobe which combines very well with blue, white, gray and all tones of beige/brown/camel/sand.
Green Common Projects grained leather sneakers with navy wool pants: it goes well!
Green is also a color that goes well with black:
The combination between these ETQ Amsterdam sneakers and the black pants works well. The white of the socks contrasts perhaps a little too strongly.
As mentioned in the previous part, to wear green pants with green sneakers, I advise you to look for a little contrast.
Here is an example :
3. Blue: all-purpose
Blue is not necessarily a color that we recommend for dress shoes, as Nicolò has already mentioned in Sape M'en Cinq . On the other hand, on a casual shoe like a sneaker, it can be appropriate.
I advise you to go for blues with rather soft tones :
It's very good like that. Artisan Lab Sneakers
If you look at canvas models, think about chambray or denim which provide a texture that you don't necessarily expect on shoes.
Naked&Famous offers sneakers in chambray like here and in denim that Christophe presented to you
Regarding the ease of integrating blue sneakers into looks, the main question I think is:
“Does it work with blue pants?”
Yes, as long as you look for a little contrast , once again.
For example, by combining dark blue suede leather sneakers with lighter pants like bleach jeans. Or vice versa.
Here is a successful example of combining blues:
And of course, if we go beyond the blue pants/blue shoes case, many other possibilities open up to you:
The contrast is weak between the charcoal gray pants and the navy Diemme sneakers but works well. The faded blue denim jacket is a good idea.
The contrast is stronger here between the dark Grenson sneakers and the light pants.
