Snazzy White Kicks to Celebrate the End of Summer in Style
The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.
Product photos from retailer site. Additions by Alex Bracetti.
Let’s not treat this like an orientation for contemporary fashion trends. You know damn well a fresh white sneaker is a wardrobe staple. In the eyes of style elitists, it’s practically a fashion commandment, so you’re obligated to own at least one good classic pair, though you’d be selling yourself short by not stocking up on several.
RELATED: Best Lightweight Pants for Summer Into Fall
A lot of thought should go into picking your perfect, minimalist white sneaker. Everything from maintenance to materials comes into play. The former doesn’t prove to be such a complication these days since there are some incredible cleaning kits and brilliant hacks to help you get rid of sneaker stains, though you’ll always want to zero in on some other keys factors that make owning an all-white pair worth the investment.
Avid sneaker collector and one of the industry’s top sneaker influencers, Jacques Slade, knows this all too well. When Slade’s not sharing the latest sneaker trends on his YouTube channel — which garners well over 175 million views — he is educating his viewers on all of the essentials of footwear. “Worrying about keeping white shoes clean is one thing, but you don’t want to do that and be uncomfortable at the same time,” says Slade.
Tor Southard, Adidas Category Director of Running Footwear, shares the same sentiments: “Look for a sneaker that’s going to be comfortable throughout those long summer days — the most important elements to get you through the heat are comfort and breathability.” What more co-signs you need?
Yes, every man has his own personal style. What looks good on your favorite celeb’s feet might not look so flattering on yours. Style can also be something determined based on region as Slade points out: “While the West Coast would prefer something a little simpler like a Chuck Taylor or Common Projects, the men of the East Coast would much rather take to the streets in a Nike Air Force One or maybe a nice clean Adidas Superstar.” Facts.
The great news is you have options — tons and tons of options. From the classic white sneaker and the white canvas sneaker such as the Converse Chuck Taylor to an upscale white running shoe, Air Max, Air Jordan, or Superga, even Cole Haan dress shoes (although dress shoes are a different category entirely) all you have are options.
You won’t need to kill yourself searching for them since though. We’ve already done the footwork — or, uh, shoe work — and assembled a collection of the best white sneakers for men for you. Make some room in the closet as we break down our picks for the best white sneakers for men your money can buy.
The Most Stylish White Sneakers for Men
Rothy’s RS01 Sneaker
Women have long been the gender able to enjoy Rothy’s comfort and sustainable practices. Not anymore, no sir. The brand known for its knit style using signature thread spun from plastic water bottles has finally expanded into menswear. Available in numerous colors (including bright white), it’s the bone, with its vintage details such as a solid gum sole and navy tipped lace stay, that made us jump so comfortably with joy once we finally got our chance to wear these styling, sustainable, and vegan sneakers.
Cariuma OCA Low Pantone Snow White Canvas
Handmade in ethical factories using natural, premium materials and then shipped in recycled packaging using carbon neutral shipping methods, it’s no surprise these stylish sneakers are in such high demand. Available in just about every color under the sun, it’s this white canvas shoe style created in collaboration with Pantone that really stands out. However, Cariuma doesn’t just want to look good, it wants to do good. That’s why with every pair purchased, the brand plants two trees through its own Reforestation Program in the founders’ homeland, Brazil.
Wolverine BLVD Low Sneaker
If you thought Wolverine was only a brand to go to for boots, allow us to introduce you to BLVD, the brand’s answer to what to wear once you’re off the job site. Using premium materials such as leather, suede, and rubber, these high-quality shoes are handcrafted by shoe artisans to ensure that the shoe looks good, but you look smart for wearing it.
Native Jefferson Bloom Archive
Made with repurposed algae using Rise by Bloom technology, the Jefferson Bloom isn’t designed strictly for sustainability, thanks to its authentically stylish silhouette. Using an innovative manufacturing process that helps to clean up to 80 liters of water and 50 cubic meters of air with every pair. Add to all that, this might be the easiest sneaker to clean, and you have yourself the fresh pair of summer shoes to show up all other summer shoes.
Allbirds Tree Piper
It seems like it was just yesterday that Allbirds burst onto the scene with its wool sneakers, but it was in fact, only five years ago. You wouldn’t know it by looking at the styles, success, enthusiasm the brand generates. These new Tree Pipers are no different, in that they are just as sustainably made as the first pair of Allbirds back in 2016. However, as the name suggests, these machine-washable wearables are made from breathable eucalyptus tree fiber and feature a easy-grab heel tab, making them a white sneaker that should be at the top of your shopping list when the weather heats up.
Will’s Vegan Store NY Sneakers
Understanding more and more about what goes into lacing up the leather on your feet, you might have turned away from leather options in the past. But, if you’re an animal lover who has never been a fan of a canvas sneaker, we may have found the perfect sneaker for you. Will’s Vegan Store is a London-based certified carbon neutral vegan company that is ethically produced in Portugal under European Union employment. These embody the future of footwear, so you might as well step out ahead of the trend.
Superga 2750 Cotu Classic
Comfortable, stylish, inexpensive, and vegan, these white Superga shoes are the ultimate white tennis shoes, especially perfect for summer strolls since they’re light, breathable, and comfortable. The natural rubber and grippy rubber outsole make these ideal for people who spend long hours on their feet.
Gola Classics Tennis Mark Cox Trainer
Another vegan option from another British-born brand, these Gola Classics Trainers come in a variety of colors ranging from all-white to basic black, and just about every stylish shade in between. We are partial to the depth the added red logo gives this style, so these are our favorite picks for the season.
Greats Royale High
If you’re looking for luxury outside of a low top, Greats Royale High should hit the spot. Based in Brooklyn, New York, this shoe is made in Italy and looks good anywhere. Whereas these stylish sneakers might not be budget rack scores, they fall below comparable styles when it comes to craftsmanship.
K-Swiss Classic VN Sneaker
The signature sneaker from the California-founded K-Swiss, the VN was actually the first ever leather tennis shoe. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Well this shoe was never broken but it sure can fix your outfit.
Swims Breeze Tennis Knit
If you suffer from a terrible case of sweaty feet, and maybe tend to shy away from shoes in the summer, look into this offering from Swims. The perforated paneling and light-weight will keep your feet cool. The styling is certainly less subdued than other offerings on this list, but we dig them all the same.
To Boot New York Carlin White
Suave and sophisticated, while still being comfortable enough to wear on the daily, the Carlin White sneakers from To Boot embody all the qualities you could want from a summer sneaker, with subtle styling cues like the leather heel tab add-on and leather lining. And did we mention they’re made from the supplest Italian calf leather? Prepare to pamper your feet.
Converse Chuck Taylor Leather High Top
Nowadays you can get your Converse Chuck Taylor high tops made up in as many different ways as you can get your coffee at Starbucks. That said, you don’t have to go wild just because you can — instead, may we suggest simply elevating a classic style from canvas shoe to leather. Although a subtle upgrade, it won’t go unnoticed.
Reebok Club C 85 Vintage Sneaker
The Reebok Club sneaker is a comfy classic that just won’t quit. Originally a tennis shoe from 1985 (hence the name) these shoes may have remained retro in their aesthetic but they are full of modern technology in their design. Its soft leather upper and EVA midsole provide superior comfort, lightweight cushioning and totally stylish durability.
Vans Slip-On
They’re not just for skaters. These optic white Vans offer a low profile and stylish design, while the canvas construction leaves them feelight light on your feet. If you are looking for sneakers that are literally a blank canvas — you found them.
Koio Capri Bianco
At the higher end of the white leather sneakers category, you’ll have a hard time outdoing the Capri Bianco. They’re hand-made in Italy, using Vitello calf leather, with light-grey suede accents at the heel, for a timeless style.
Common Projects Original Achilles
Aside from some subtle gold numbers along the side, the Original Achilles from Common Projects is about as discreet as all-white leather shoes can get. If you’re looking for a minimal white sneaker to keep things clean, these should be your go-tos.
Mr. P Larry Leather Sneakers
The word that first comes to mind when looking at the Larry Leather Sneakers from Mr. P is “clean.” These sleek calf leather shoes with white rubber soles, made in Italy, are among the best white sneakers you can buy – and the most comfortable.
Adidas Stan Smith Sneakers
You don’t get more classic than the white shoe that brought on the white-sneakers-with-everything trend. Available in every color under the sun, customizable and even offered in vegan leather by ethical designer Stella McCartney, the Adidas Originals Stan Smith is to the white sneaker what Levi’s are to the blue jean. If you have made it this far, and you’re still not sure where to begin, begin here. This pair of minimalist white sneakers goes with every outfit – chinos, jeans, suits – and never looks out of place.
Spring, summer, winter, or fall, a great pair of white kicks will work for them all. Adding a couple pairs isn’t a bad idea either, since sometimes you’ll want that perfectly beat up pair with jeans, and other times you may want t nicer, cleaner pair to wear with a suit or chinos. If you’re looking for sneakers outside the white box, we have you covered there too.
You Might Also Dig:
AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete
terms of use.
