On occasions that call for a suit, there's no reason you need to dress like your dad.
If you're going to tackle a formal look with sneakers, it's important to pay attention to silhouettes, colors, and materials when picking the kicks you want to pair with your slacks. The right sneakers can potentially elevate a ’fit, but throwing gym-weathered beaters into the mix will impress precisely no one.
Before we get into our curated selection, you can always rely on three truisms to choose the best sneakers to wear with a suit.
1.Black leather low-tops with a white midsole will compliment mostly any suit. 2. Usually, the simpler the better. A sneaker with less adornments is a good place to start, before you move on to more advanced maneuvers. 3. Carefully consider the length of your pants, and get them hemmed if needed.
Formalwear is becoming something you no longer just pull out of your closet whenever there's a wedding on the horizon, but even if you want to dabble in more formal looks, that shouldn't mean turning in your sneakerhead credentials. Whether you’re embarking on the annual anguish of wedding season or you're looking to make a suit part of your wardrobe rotation, these are the sneaker styles that will help you nail the suit with sneakers look.
Timeless Classics
Stepney Workers Club
Dellow Canvas
Stepney Workers Club
SWC makes sneakers that work with every 'fit more or less. The modest, but chunky vulcanized sole usually found on skate sneakers would give you an extra inch of lift, while the low key aesthetics and tasteful reduction of over the top branding is ever present on this model. When considering which sneakers to wear with suits, Stepney is a no brainer.
Converse Chuck 70 Low
Chuck 70 Ox
Converse
Is there anything a pair of canvas Chucks doesn’t go with? If you’re new to sneakers with a suit, a pair of classic Chuck Taylors shouldn’t push you too far beyond your comfort zone. For those more familiar, Chuck 70s offer that little something extra with their premium finishing. Of course, it’s up to you whether you go high-top or low.
adidas Samba
Samba Vegan
adidas
The adidas Samba is a football shoe icon that has been reinvented into one of the brand's premier lifestyle silhouettes. It's simple, yet elegant and available in any number of colors. The low-profile and rubber sole would pair nicely with most suiting options, particularly any pair from our Samba roundup, or even the recent Wales Bonner collab if you're looking to splash out. In the same canon of classic low-top adidas, the Gazelle and Stan Smith are also strong contenders. Easily one of the best sneakers to pair with a suit.
Sporty
Nike Air Jordan 1 High
Air Jordan 1 Retro High Chicago
Nike x Off-White™
As far as choosing the best Jordans wot wear with a suit, there are almost limitless options to pick from, but Jordan 1's are perfecet with everything. The undisputed style icon of basketball shoes, the Air Jordan 1 High is a fine match for a suit. With so much history and heritage behind it, it hardly matters which Jordan 1 you choose. Whether you’re rocking any pair of Virgil's now heavily grailed 1's, La Flame's reoccurring releases, or even the classic OG "Chicago" colorway, it’s hard to go wrong with "The One That Started It All."
Salomon XT-6
XT-6 Clear Sneakers
Salomon
As of recent Salomon has been receiving the praise it deserves due the overall aesthetics and attribues its shoes bring to the sneaker game. While all silhouettes have its speciality, the XT series in particular has been the focus of countless gorgeous colorways and popular collabs. Hyper-technical, with very visible branding and performance laces, Salomon shoes are ready to come off the mountain and into a more formal setting.
Converse x Barriers Pro Leather Hi
Pro Leather Hi
Converse x Barriers
If you're looking to add a bit of vintage to your 'fit any pair of retro Converse's would do, but Pro Leather's pair perfectly with a suit. Aside from being one of Converse's most iconic sneakers that was considered a staple for basketball players in the'70's, this specific pair made in collaboration with New York-based brand Barriers sheds light on Black history. One up your competition by by adding some education to your outfit, or simply just appreciate the cowrie shell and overall aesthetics both brand brought to the table.
High End
Maison Margiela Replica
Calfskin Replica Sneakers
Maison Margiela
The clue is in the name. Margiela's Replica sneaker makes no secrets of the inspirational cues taken from the German Army Trainer, a fundamental low-top that was later elevated by Margiela. The Replica sneaker is now one of the most beloved high fashion sneakers, and a style which has proven itself as impervious to changing trends. Although there's loads of sneakers in the Margiela universe, the Replica is easily the most versatile of the lot.
Lanvin Curb Sneakers
Curb Sneakers
Lanvin
The right pair of chunky sneakers can make a 'fit truly shine. Throughout the years there have been a multitude of oversized offerings from Eytys to Balenciaga, but Lanvin's Curb Shoe holds a special place for luxury footwear connoisseurs as the shoe is modeled after early '90's skate sneakers. It's the whole sporting the vibe without actually having to do the work, which is entirely valid since skating isn't as easy task. Either way if you're truly going for the sneakers with suit look, Curb Sneakers are a good choice.
Prada America's Cup
America’s Cup Original Sneakers
Prada
It’s been jokingly said its the only sneaker to wear to a wedding, funeral - to shoot hoops in and address beef on sight. Named for a prestigious, annual sailing tournament that started in 1851, Prada’s America’s Cup was created at the request of Miuccia Prada herself. While the patent black leather version is the go-to, this sneaker comes in a variety of colors, plus a version with a Velcro closure instead of laces.
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