A crisp pair of white sneakers will always be my favorite. They go with everything, they’re easy, and they look fresh and polished. But in the fall, depending on the outfit, white can feel a little stark. So let’s look at what else is out there.
There are a lot of sneaker roundups out right now, and a lot of what’s in them is fussy. Bows, rhinestones, mesh panels, satin. We’re seeing these details everywhere and I don’t understand the point. They don’t go with anything. So,unless you have a very specific, eclectic style, I’d skip them.
Trends are one thing. What I’m more interested in are the updated styles and details that don’t feel fleeting. Suede, brown, leopard, a retro shape. These aren’t new ideas. They’re classics that happen to be having a moment, which means you can buy them now and get lots of use out of them. And they work with your Mother jeans and your Old Navy twill pants. You can throw them on with leggings for drop-off and still feel cute, or stand in them on the soccer field on a Saturday morning.
Suede
If you only add one pair this fall, make it suede. It’s the material of the season, showing up on sneakers, flats, and boots alike, and on a sneaker it does something white leather can’t. It adds depth. A suede sneaker reads as a real fall shoe. And suede has been a fall material for as long as any of us have been getting dressed, so this is a trend with no expiration date.
- Adidas Gazelle, $120 : the easiest way in. A slim suede sneaker in a wide range of colors, and the pair you’ve seen on women from 25 to 65 for a reason.
- Veja Campo Suede, $175: a cleaner shape without the stripes.
- Nike Sprint Sister, $100: very slim, flat retro track shape, based on Nike’s 1979 women’s track spike. Available at J.Crew.
Chocolate is the color to buy. It does the job black used to do on a sneaker and looks warmer with everything we wear in the fall. Wear suede with denim, cream, camel, olive, and navy.
Metallic
Metallic is where a lot of roundups lose me. Sequins, glitter, mirror finishes. None of that is going to the grocery store. But a plain leather sneaker in a soft silver or gold is a different thing entirely, and it’s closer to a neutral than you’d think. Silver goes with black, navy, gray, and every blue in your closet. Gold warms up cream, camel, chocolate, and olive.
The rule is simple. The shape has to be as plain as it would be in white. A low-profile metallic sneaker looks intentional and will still look that way in a year. Add a platform or a shiny finish and it looks like it’s trying too hard, and it will look that way sooner.
- Cole Haan GrandPrø Turf 2.0 in Silver: a slim, low-profile soccer-inspired shape in metallic leather, with real cushioning for all-day wear.
- Quince Italian Leather & Suede Low Profile Sneaker in Metallic Silver: a classic court shape in a soft silver, and the most accessible way to try this.
- Gola Viper Metallic in Gold: a 1976 retro shape in gold leather with a gum sole. Runs generous, so size down if you’re between sizes.
Animal Print
Leopard print is a neutral and this fall it’s showing up on the slim retro shapes we’re already wearing, in textured suede and calf hair rather than a flat printed-on look. It works with black, camel, chocolate brown, cream, and denim, and it makes a simple outfit feel finished with zero effort.
- Adidas Handball Spezial in Leopard Print: the 1979 low-profile shape in a soft, fuzzy leopard suede with ivory stripes and a gum sole. It reads easy, not loud.
- Veja Panenka: a slim-soled sneaker inspired by vintage soccer shoes, in Veja’s softest leather. Reviewers say it runs large, so size down if you’re between sizes.
Keep everything else simple and let the shoe provide the detail. A white shirt, straight jeans, and a leopard sneaker is a complete outfit.
Burgundy
Burgundy is everywhere this fall, from deep wine to cabernet, and a burgundy sneaker is the easiest way to bring the color into what you already wear. It’s also not new. Burgundy has been a fall classic for decades, which is why this one has legs. And it works harder than you’d think. Burgundy is a natural with denim, navy, camel, gray, cream, and black, so the pair you buy for the color will end up in regular rotation.
- Alohas TB.91 in Burgundy (at Banana Republic): a slim retro runner in burgundy suede with cream trim and a gum sole. The lightest, sportiest option of the three.
- Quince Italian Leather & Suede Low Profile Sneaker in Garnet: the same clean court shape as the silver, in a deep garnet.
- M.Gemi Rosamaria in Oxblood: a nylon and suede retro runner in oxblood, the darkest and most wearable end of the burgundy range.
With burgundy, the same rule applies. Keep the shape low and slim, and let the color be the only thing happening.
The Color-Blocked Runner
I wasn’t sure what to call these, but I’m loving a color-blocked runner in neutral combinations. They feel rich and updated, warm and easy, and they’re the pair to wear with wide-leg sweatpants or joggers.
- Veja Rio Branco II Lite in Almond/Sahara/Eagle: a nylon runner with suede and leather panels in almond and sand with a brown accent. Runs small, so order one size up.
- Veronica Beard Penrose in Sand/Hazelnut/Navy: the same idea in warmer neutrals, sand and hazelnut with a navy stripe. Nylon and suede.
- Cole Haan GrandPrø Premier in Beige/Blue: a vintage runner in beige leather and suede with blue accents and blanket stitching, on a cushioned foam midsole. The one for a reader who’s on her feet all day. Runs large, so size down a half.
How to Choose
You don’t need all six. Look at what your white sneakers are actually doing for you. Are they your errands shoe, your travel shoe, your everything shoe? Whichever job they’re doing most, that’s the gap to fill first.
If you want the safest place to start, it’s suede or brown. If your closet is mostly black, navy, and gray, silver will surprise you. And honestly, if you’ve been wanting to have a little more fun with what you wear, leopard, red, or a multicolor runner is the lowest-risk way to do it.
Keep the white sneakers. Just give them some company that will last.
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