The Best Sneakers to Wear With a Suit on Any Occasion
On occasions that call for a suit, there's no reason you need to face the uncomfortable pain of dress shoes.
Fashion's continued preppy obsession has meant that formalwear is becoming something you no longer just pull out of your closet whenever there's a wedding on the horizon. But just because you're dabbling in more formal looks, that shouldn't mean turning in your sneakerhead credentials.
If you're going to tackle a formal look with sneakers, it's important to pay attention to silhouettes, colors, and materials that will help to elevate your tailoring.
What type of sneakers will best match your suit all comes down to what look you're going for — although it goes without saying that throwing gym-weathered beaters into the mix will impress precisely no one.
A pair of all-black or all-white classic leather sneakers are bound to blend in and not draw attention to the fact that you've opted for sneakers over dress shoes. Meanwhile, if you opt for some Chicago Jordan 1s or chunky retro runners, your footwear will likely become the centerpiece of your look.
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.
Monochrome Sneakers
NIKE Silver Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2
These babies put the chrome in monochrome. A true testament to how a good shoe can excite without having to feature an explosion of colors. Wear these to add an element of surprise to a more conservative two-piece.
NIKE Zoom Vomero 5
Black leather is the default material when it comes to dress shoes, so when breaking tradition and switching to a pair of sneakers with a suit it's a safe option to go for all-black sneakers. This pair harnesses the technology found in the NIKE's extensive running shoe catalog, so you're guaranteed comfort.
Saucony x Highsnobiety Pro Grid Triumph 4
Making a pair of retro runners work with a suit takes a bit of finesse and a mono-colored minimal pair such as this one makes for easier pairing. Created by this very magazine, in collaboration with Saucony, the sneakers include an open mesh base and a medial panel packed with Arch-lock technology for optimum comfort.
Timeless Classics
adidas Samba
The adidas Samba is a footwear icon that's been promoted to one of the brand's premier lifestyle silhouettes. It's a timeless design and is available in any number of colors and versions. The low-profile sneaker makes for easy pairing with practically all suiting options. In the same canon of other adidas low-top models, such as the Gazelle and Stand Smith, there's no going wrong with the classics.
Nike Jordan 1 Retro High
It doesn't get much more iconic than a pair of Jordan 1s in the red, white, and black Chicago colorway. While most classic sneakers make for a low-key look, this famous basketball shoe is bound to make a statement. Pair the red from the shoes with your tie or pocket square and you've got a look.
Converse Chuck 70 Canvas
A pair of black Chucks looks good with practically everything, regardless of whether it's a suit or not. The iconic shape slots into any outfit effortlessly. When considering which sneakers to wear to loosen up a suit, color coordinated Chucks make for some of the best casual add ons available.
High End
Maison Margiela Replica
The clue is in the name. Margiela's Replica sneaker makes no secret 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 that has proven itself as impervious to changing trends. Although there are loads of sneakers in the Margiela universe, the Replica is easily the most versatile of the lot.
Louis Vuitton LV Trainer
As shown above courtesy of BTS' J-Hope at the GRAMMY Awards, these white and purple Louis Vuitton sneakers match up perfectly with an all-white suit. Wearing all white is already a statement in itself, so why not double down and incorporate some luxury LV sneakers in the look?
Jacquemus "La Daddy"
Jacquemus is a brand known for many things, but sneakers wasn't up there – until now, that is. A luxurious brown leather show to accompany a summer wedding guest getup? Oui, please!
Balenciaga 10XL
Now these are a bit out there, we know. But If you really want to contrast your ensemble with something extraordinary, Balenciaga's outrageous sneakers are a way to make that happen, and add some edge to an otherwise often understated ensemble.
Colorful Sneakers
Salomon XT-6
When you've got a hike at 12 but a wedding at 4, there's no shoe that'll fit the bill better than a pair of Salomons. We've given the outdoor label heaps of praise for the colorways it uses on its shoes and rightly so, this green-hued pair is just one of many examples where the brand has used a beautiful color scheme. While they might look slightly out of place with a traditional suit, technical labels such as ACRONYM and _J.L-A.L_ have increasingly been experimenting with tailoring which would fit perfectly with a pair of XT-6s.
Acne Studios
When opting for a pair of sneakers that are this colorful, you better have some bright suiting to go with it. As presented above by Brad Pitt, yellow kicks like these look best with tailoring that's doubled down on color.
Converse x DRKSHDW TURBODRK Chuck 70 Laceless
Thanks mostly to the Barbie Movie and its incredible marketing campaign, we're about to see a lot more of this pink shade this summer. It's even managed to creep its way into the designs of fashion's "lord of darkness": Rick Owens.
ASICS U55 Gel-Quantum Kinetic
These futuristic ASICS come in tones of blue and lilac, for a near gradient, shimmering effect ready to draw attention from your head down to your toes.
Burberry Suede Foam Sneakers
On a more muted end of things, Burberry's chunky golden suede shoes are a pop of color to neatly fit into an earth-toned getup.
Retro Runners
ASICS x Kiko Kostadinov
Kiko Kostadinov's ASICS collaboration didn't disappoint, as it won at really braiding together what we love about each of the participating parties' aesthetics – the techy and the playful, the funtionality and the pizzaz.
Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66
Tiktok's favorite sneaker, the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, is the type of simple retro running sneaker that pairs perfectly with suit pants thanks to its slim shape. Opting for the silver pair above means committing to a bold look so you better have an eye-catching suit to match.
CDG Homme Plus x NIKE ACG Mountain Fly 2
Combining an icy blue with the charcoal sole and detailing creates an irresistible contrast of soft and hard, bright and dark, rugged and elegant. Comme des Garçons and NIKE's ACG did well in providing a sneaker that really does feel fit for special occasions.
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