Regardless of where you’re at in your clothing journey, it’s pretty clear that sneakers are sort of the ubiquitous choice of footwear throughout the world. You might remember that, not long ago, we asked the question: why did men stop wearing dress shoes? So, you could think of this as the sartorial sequel.
Why Did Men Start Wearing Sneakers?
Even though Kyle and myself like classic sneakers, we understand that it’s not for everyone. We’d like to explain this phenomenon.
I’ll say this at the outset: we’ve determined eight reasons why people wear sneakers now more than ever. And as we go, I want you to keep a running tally of if our reasons match up with yours.
1. Utility
This might seem obvious, but the main reason why sneakers have increased in popularity over recent years is for their main purpose, which is sportswear function.
With a boom in physical fitness starting in the 1980s and continuing on to now, it’s no surprise that sneakers are becoming more and more prevalent. And I think this is the only time where you’ll hear the Gentleman’s Gazette say that modern clothing actually has more function and makes more sense than it did back then.
Although there are many great fashion illustrations from back in the day of men wearing classic garments while doing athletic pursuits, it’s very clear that things have changed; and I would argue, change for the better.
For example, modern sports like football are played with cleats that are designed for peak athletic performance. If you ask me, personally, it would be hard to tear across the gridiron wearing a pair of Oxfords.
And, of course, American football is not the only example. Many other sports have specific types of footwear that are designed for it and have evolved from classic men’s shoes, with the classic English football boot being a pair of work boots with the sole removed and a pair of studs added to the sole. And while I might admire the history of a pair of classic football shoes, there’s no denying that today’s modern footwear innovations are much better.
Modern athletic shoes have benefited from changes in design, making them lighter and more perfect for athletic performance. In addition, sneakers represent footwear that has also benefited from years of development and redesigned to get us to where we are now: a pair of shoes that are built with the sole purpose of being reliable during sporting activities.
Actually, there is one iteration of a classic sport shoe that can still be found today: the spectator. This lace-up shoe was originally designed with pieces of canvas and leather and was designed for sporting activities. We go more into the history of this shoe here, but suffice it to say that this would not look good on a modern baseball field. Also, I personally wouldn’t be comfortable wearing these while playing sports, which brings us to our next point.
2. Comfort
Simply put, sneakers are designed to be comfortable. Unlike a leather dress shoe, sneakers are designed for maximum flexibility and comfort. I mean, after all, could you really start a race on a track wearing a pair of Goodyear-welted shoes.
Not only are sneakers designed to be flexible, but weight is also taken into consideration, and you’ll find them weighing much less than dress shoes. Having a lighter weight shoe on foot, as well as having a greater range of motion will lead to more comfort and a shorter break-in time than a typical pair of dress shoes.
These reasons not only make sneakers an attractive choice, but a necessary one for people with medical conditions who can’t use regular dress shoes; as a pair of sneakers will provide a more reliable sense of comfort than a typical dress shoe.
Another factor at play here is the sneakers’ ability to breathe well due to its typical use of soft, spongy, open-weave textiles. Let me make a disclaimer here: not all sneakers fit into this category. Obviously, ones with a more open-weave texture are going to be better at breathing but, if you buy a cheap crappy pair of sneakers, they’re not going to breathe better than leather dress shoes.
But, before we move on to point number three, I will state that quality dress shoes are comfortable. That comfort comes from a structured sole and sometimes, if you get a Goodyear-welted shoe, having cork that molds to your foot. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that a dress shoe will actually be comfortable for longer because the cork molds to your foot versus the padding in a sneaker will eventually wear out and flatten.
3. Fashion
With utility and comfort being at the top of the list, the third one is quite obvious, which is fashion. I’ll go out on a limb here and say that sneakers can actually be quite a fashionable item, and, of course, the Gentleman’s Gazette can be seen as a fashion channel because we spend a fair amount of time talking about clothes. But, we also like to think of ourselves as a channel that supports style rather than the one that chases fashion, which sneakers and sneaker trends typically do.
Fashions constantly change over time, as we can see throughout history. It’s possible to see how the classic two-piece suit evolved from the sack suit, which evolved from the morning suit, which evolved from the frock coat, and so forth. And as sneakers have evolved in terms of their construction and use, so has their design, with pretty iconic models in the sneaker world being imitated by their legendary designs, such as the Stan Smith, the Air Jordan, or the Common Project’s Achilles.
As styles change, it’s only natural that sneakers would eventually become a part of fashionable footwear. As it’s really no different than other footwear trends throughout history – from pointy medieval shoes to an elegant pair of Oxfords.
4. Increased Formality
One of the brands I just mentioned is known for its smart and dressed-up take on the classic sneaker. And, of course, I’m talking about the Common Projects and their Achilles model. The Achilles and other brands that model its design have not only made their way into the streetwear scene but also into classic menswear.
Common Projects are not the only ones in promotion of a more classic and well-designed sneaker; there are a host of other brands that have rushed into the market to capitalize on what Common Projects has developed. Also, with the Common Projects Achilles being nearly $500, there’s a whole host of other options for a lot less, which are great as well.
Regular viewers of our YouTube channel will remember my well-worn Beckett Simonon sneakers, the pair of Crown Northampton that I received, as well as the cordovan pair that Preston has. And, of course, this post is not sponsored, but it just goes to show that there are many other brands out there that are doing great things; that have a similar take on the Common Projects Achilles design.
These brands are also reaching a much wider audience than ever before. I mean, after all, they captured Preston’s heart. It took an $800 cordovan pair to really make such a stylish guy fall in love.
Overall, the dress sneaker is becoming more and more popular and acceptable with a wide range of clothing options. Whether you want to try to dress them up, which we don’t personally recommend, or have a great casual option for the office, it turns out that a pair of dress sneakers might be right for you.
Are Dress Sneakers for Men Timeless, or Just a Trend?
5. Peer Pressure
Simply put, sneakers are popular because of FOMO or fear of not being accepted. Since formal clothing and classic dress shoes have been relegated to formal events, oftentimes, it can be hard to wear those items without judgment from others.
This is part of the whole pack mentality of human beings and human nature that, if we wear something that doesn’t fit in, we want to get rid of it in order to fit in. Naturally, no one wants to be left out, so it’s easy to see why more formal options of footwear are being ditched for more casual ones. The result is an unfortunate divide that makes it seem like a classic pair of dress shoes is a hundred times dressier than a sneaker.
Ultimately, if everyone else is wearing sneakers, it’s nice to know that if you wear them, you won’t get made fun of or feel like you’re left out. But, regardless of whatever shoe you want to wear, if you don’t feel like you fit in, we can help you out with our sneakers guide.
6. Status
Being tied into sneakers being a fashion piece, status also comes into effect. Whether it’s an exclusive designer model, a collaboration between brands, or a good old-fashioned limited edition run, there is an undoubted level of cachet that comes from owning the right pair of sneakers. And, nowadays, there are even heritage brands making status simple sneakers. I mean, John Lobb makes them. Whether or not we buy them is a different story altogether, but I actually might. Those are actually kind of cool.
Normally, you would hear me talk about this same sort of thing in the world of luxury watches. For example, take a brand like Rolex; I’m sure that most people on the street have heard of such a famous brand. But, these days it has less to do with the quality of the timepiece and more about the status symbol on your wrist. After all, saying that you have a Rolex is a universal flex. Just like owning a status symbol watch, sneakers can be very much the same nowadays.
For example, take the Nike Air Jordan One Chicago in its iconic white, red, and black colorway. If you’re unable to get these coveted shoes at retail, you will pay a hefty premium. Regardless of what they look like, the fact remains, if you have an enviable pair of sneakers, you have a status flex.
7. Cost
It comes as no surprise that most sneakers can be made quickly and cheaply compared to making a pair of handmade dress shoes. A pair of sneakers can be made simply with cheaper materials and with a simplified process. This means several things.
First, they can be sold at a price that greatly undercuts the MSRP of classic dress shoes, or, when it comes to status symbol sneakers, they can be made cheaply but have a giant price tag slapped on. Therefore, increasing the brand’s profit margin. Plus, iconic designs can cheaply be copied and manufactured that capitalize on people who can’t afford the original one.
Sneakers are a great product for most retailers as society has deemed them to be an acceptable shoe; not to mention desirable. And as we’ve determined today, it seems like everybody wants to wear them.
The fact that sneakers take less time, effort, materials, and skill to make, sets up an interesting conundrum. A sneaker retailer can target those on the lower end of the market and on the high end. All at the same time, perhaps more than any other clothing item, sneakers can be found at a similar quality level but with a very wide range of prices. Not only that, but I’d argue that you could wear a pair of cheaper sneakers, and they would look better than a cheap-looking dress shoe.
Take the Adidas Stan Smith. On sale, you can find them for about 60 bucks, and, with a casual outfit, they look a lot better than an ugly, chunky square-toed shoe for the same price. Simply put, we think that cheap dress shoes look awful, and it’s hard to take that $60 chunky, square-toed dress shoe and make it look good.
However, cheap sneakers actually look relatively passable. So, all this link back to our previous point that a person can buy a pair of sneakers that actually look passable and look good for a much lower price than a classic dress shoe.
8. Less Leather
So, relating to our point about cheaper manufacturing costs, the reality remains that sneakers don’t often use leather. As more people take a hard look at what they buy and sustainability becomes more front of consciousness, people begin to think about buying things that are not made of animal products.
Since the sneaker market really became the first one to focus on sustainable products, they are lightyears ahead of the dress shoe market. As we’ve already explored, there really aren’t many great alternatives out there for vegan leather in a dress shoe. Sneakers offer a wider selection using products that don’t involve animals.
Conclusion
As we put a wrap on today’s guide, one thing is quite obvious: sneakers are here to stay. They offer a wide range of benefits to many people, and they are a unique contrast to the classic dress shoe.
You might wonder where we stand on this classic style debate. Do we support sneakers, or do we absolutely trash them? Ultimately, sneakers are not a bad product. They were created to serve a purpose, and they do that well. And the fact that they’ve been more acceptable outside the gym only gives us more sartorial choices to enjoy.
You might say that we think of sneakers in a similar way to sugary snacks; they’re great fun in small doses, when enjoyed as part of a well-balanced, sartorial lifestyle. In today’s outfit, I’m wearing something casual that you can find me in our office in.
Outfit Rundown
I’m wearing a tweed overshirt with three pockets – all them are patch pockets – and I got this last fall from Spier & Mackay. Underneath, I’m wearing a white Spier & MacKay long-sleeve polo shirt. It has a button-down collar, which helps dress it up quite a bit. Also, because the collar is buttoned down, it actually stays up, which frames my face and dresses up the outfit.
I’m wearing a pair of dark wash blue jeans from Everlane and, on my feet, are a pair of white leather sneakers. These are ones from Oliver Cabell, a similar brand to Common Projects that deliver a similar level of quality for less price. I also like these shoes because they’re not the typical white. They have some blue patches on the tongue and on the heel, which add a fun contrast.
Also, on my feet are something brand new. These are new socks from Fort Belvedere. These are navy blue with khaki stripes. We felt that this was a great addition to the Fort Belvedere sock line, as many guys wear combinations of blue and brown together. Check out these socks or any other Fort Belvedere products here.
I’ve owned Addidas Stan Smith’s sneakers for years. When I bought them years ago, the label on the sneaker tongue was cloth. Today, instead of cloth, the tongue has a painted picture on it.
I have running shoes for running and skipping rope. Stan Smith and canvas Vans sneaker for lifting weights or casual wear. I think the dress sneakers are a waste of money and are always amusing to see people wearing them.
As an aside, I like the brown shirt jacket that you are wearing. Looks like great quality. I would never wear it because I don’t wear items like that, but it looks good.
Even though they’re called dress sneakers, they’re not meant to be for formal wear. I’d argue that they can be worn in the same context that you wear your canvas sneakers. I’d also argue they’re more versatile weather wise than canvas as they’re more likely to keep your feet dry in wet weather than canvas does.
Greetings,
In the United States, a fitness culture arose in the late 1960’s.
Although I was not an athlete, as a kid who was interested in dressing fashionably, I remember shelling out $19.95 for a pair of Adidas shoes as a ninth grader in 1971.
Those shoes were a fashion statement, only to be echoed in 1978 when I, again, paid a very high price for a pair of Calvin Klein jeans.
So, I think guys decided that wearing any shoe, previously associated with a particular activity, in the 1970’s when all standards of menswear began its precipitous decline.
That notorious decade witnessed a relaxation of dress codes resulting from increased energy costs that allowed guys to dress less constrictively indoors, even in professional settings, gave the brief, and much-lameted rise to the abomination of “Leisure Suits,” and signaled that footwear norms might also be waived.
With Nike’s rise to prominence in the late 1970’s, “Sneaker Culture” became “a thing.”
Best regards,
Andrew Gregg.
I agree with “Kevin and Master of Solo Travels”, there are places that “sneakers” are appropriate and then there are places that are definitely not, ie. work or a party that requires one to dress appropriate. wearing sneakers with dress pants and a dress shirt looks odd as if you forgot to finish dressing or was in a hurry to leave your labode. What next, you are going to start wearing “Wellington’s or LLBeans boots with a “classic or casual suit”? I think not,
keep the sneaker for what they were intended for and leave the rest to where they belong.
I would argue that a well made pair of shoes that are made of leather are environmentally more sustainable than footwear made of rubber or plastics. Take Allen Edmonds, for example. The company will “recraft” some of their shoes, boots, and even some of their “walking” shoes, allowing them to last years. Even though the initial cost is higher than more cheaply made footwear, the Allen Edmonds shoes and boots will last for many years and will be more cost effective (less expensive) in the long run. I would think that leather is more biodegradable than rubber or polyester. Some rubber heels and soles can be replaced, but mostly people discard rubber-soled footwear when the bottoms are worn out and buy new ones, adding to the landfill. Of course, the performance requirements of most sports require the use of sneakers or their variants, but for everyday or work use, I prefer quality and long-lasting footwear.
Do you want to be a boy or a man ?Sneakers cannot be worn with a suit or sport coat. You will look like a jerk. You can lie to yourself, attempt to convince yourself that if everyone looks like a jerk then it’s okay. But it’s a sad, lazy look. You won’t stand tall in sneakers as you will in leather shoes. Save the sneakers for sweat pants and jeans. Do you want to be a boy or a man ?
You can be a gentleman and wear sneakers, but sneakers, whether so-called “classic” or not, are no part of classic gentlemen’s wear. So I don’t see how they are within the declared purview of this Web site. No doubt with the unending downward slide of standards of dress there will be plenty of readers who want to see a video about their history; but count me out.
“Even though Kyle and myself like classic sneakers, we understand that it’s not for everyone.” To what is the word “it” in this sentence supposed to refer?
As you stated, Miles, you can be a gentleman and wear sneakers. Thus they are within the declared purview of the Gentleman’s Gazette.
Sneakers and dress clothes go together like pizza and bananas. Both have a place in one’s diet, but not together! I would have a difficult time wearing them together. Now my tailor wears these types of shoes at work. On his feet all day, makes this acceptable. However as soon as he goes to a more formal event, he’s back into his dress shoes.
I have several pairs of dress shoes and I find most of them most comfortable. Don’t dumb down a suit by wearing gym shoes.
I’ll take my very comfortable Timberland waterproof hiking boots any day over sneakers or dress shoes. They fit with dress slacks, jeans, casual pants, shorts, pretty much anything I could wear. Provide me with waterproof protection that living in an especially rainy area or snowy area is essential to keeping feet and socks dry, give me grip and traction on mountain hiking trails, are lightweight, provide arch support to walk 15-25 miles a day with fresh feet ready to do it again the next day. I’ve walked across Icelandic glaciers and through Colombian jungles wearing them, and then worn them on the cocktail party circuit, convention show circuit. No sneaker and no dress shoe has the versatility. And they’re affordable, high-quality footwear, don’t break the bank and wear solidly. I’m on my 5th pair since 2015. They’ll bury me in them when my time to rest comes. Comfortably.
If you have soft feet, sneakers are a no brainer. If you have sweaty feet, Adidas Climacools are a no brainer. Nothing like that in the shoe world at all.
Sneakers with a sportcoat is the absolute worst look possible. Men generally look like Mickey Mouse when wearing sneakers. Cowboy boots or dress shoes for me.
If you care about “fitting in” with the crowd these days, sneakers are perfect for you.
I think it’s largely dependent on how the sneaker is constructed and styled. As sneakers have been worn in some fashion for over a century, there are many instances of them being styled during the Golden Age of Menswear. For example, a 1930s-style canvas tennis sneaker with a pair of good trousers and a sports coat can look particularly nice.
Real men wear work boots.
I would say that dress shoes are the sugary snack, use them with moderation. Prefer walking shoes like merrell which are recommended by doctors. They come in brown too.!!!