So you got that big event coming up and you gotta suit up! Or it’s a “formal wear only” dress code in your office. Heck, you might even be forced to go through a cringe-filled wedding ceremony and you gotta wear a suit for it. The torture!
And now you have to break out those ugly ass dress shoes that you’ve never worn yet. Right? But what if you don’t have to. Who said you can only wear formal shoes with your suits? What about some classic sneakers with your suits instead?
All the celebs are doing it, so why can’t you do it too?
Kendall Jenner’s classic sneaker and grey suit look!
Kendall Jenner, 23, got her first big break in Marc Jacobs’ FW14 fashion show, NY. Later in 2017, she became a brand ambassador for Adidas Originals and was seen clad in a Carmen March suit and some Adidas Arkyn sneakers on her way to the Adidas Originals store in Paris.
Adidas Arkyn Cloud White Ash Pearl (W)
Retail Price $140
In a few smooth strides in some fresh classic kicks and a dope suit, Jenner set the way to sneakers and suits becoming a thing. Way to reinvent girl boss in a cool unexpected way! She chose to wear the figure-hugging belted grey blazer with the matching skinny trousers with the white sneakers to give it a classic professional look with a hint of badass.
David Beckham’s smooth slick all-black suit with Dior sneaker.
David Beckham, 44, a former professional football player was seen in Dior’s Winter 2018 collection in full-on Dior apparel. Including the awesome sneakers. Dior B23 high tops to be exact.
Dior B234 High Top Logo Oblique
Retail Price $1,050
So, Beckham rocked the most casual pair of sneakers with a DIOR SUIT! All while making it look effortless. Then again, he is David Beckham! But hey, you DON’T have to be as handsome as David Beckham to pull this off! (It surely helps though) Anyone could do it and make it look uber effortless.
The Louis Vuitton Don debut in an all-black suit and Yeezys!
Kanye West, 42, the Yeezy king! Always finding ways to go against the grain, West brought streetwear and high-end fashion together on several occasions. Way before it was cool even. So mainstream. Like the time he wore Jordans to a fashion show! He rules the sneaker industry, the music industry and he rules fashion! WHAT ELSE goes with a fitted Virgil Abloh – designed Louis Vuitton suit other than a Yeezy Boost 700 VX?
These classic sneakers haven’t come out yet, but the Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN drop soon!
Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN Triple Black
Retail Price $220
His look screamed savage. The all-black suit paired with the awesome Yeezy is a look to make you stand out in a crowd. This is probably the coolest 700 to date!
But beware of channeling ‘Ye’s style often, or else you’d find yourself in a suit and some small as hell Yeezy slides. Only Kanye can pull THAT one off. Yeah, so celebs have been on it for a while now; what’s stopping you then?
The days of dress shoes being a “thing” with suits are over. The dawn of sneakers with suits is upon us fam! But you gotta do it right!
Classic Sneakers and Suits 101
So, if you wanna get on the classic sneakers with suits trend, you gotta do it right. You can’t just put on your favorite pair of Jordans and wear them with a Tuxedo! Well, you can if you’re Jason Sudeikis and you’re at the Golden Globes with Olivia Wilde. Maybe then you could pull that off!
But in the meantime, why don’t you let us give you a few pointers of how we think it should be done!
First things first; what makes a sneaker a classic sneaker? What’s the difference anyway? If you’re not a sneakerhead, you probably can’t tell that; but, there are different types of sneakers. Let’s walk you through the basic types.
So, here are some basic rules to nail the classic sneakers with a suit look:
- Monochrome is your friend (Colormatch, if you can!)
- A splash of attitude is okay.
- All-whites like the Adidas Pradas or all-blacks are your go-to fail-proof kicks.
- Make it your own!
Monochrome is Your Friend!
Whether you’re into minimalism or you’re straight-up not, monochromatic shoes are your friends if you wanna rock some sneakers with a suit. They speak for themselves. They make a statement. The down to earth tonal colors of these kicks make it pretty damn simple to pair them with basically whatever suit you got!
Just look at Dior’s SS20 Men’s fashion show and you’ll see what we mean!
Bonus points if you could get them to match. It looks sleek, clean and straight-up give you the DGAF attitude. You’d be creating your bold silhouette by sticking to one color. So, go for your favorite color and drown in it! It works every time!
And hey! If you’re into those bold colors that just scream OUT-THERE, then, by all means, go for it! You do you, man!
But these toned-down colors are a whole new level. You’d be turning heads in no time.
A Splash of Attitude is Okay!
Okay, so maybe you don’t own a pair of monochromatic classic sneakers. You should though, just saying! BUT, let’s just say that you don’t. It’s okay, we can work with it.
You could always totally add a splash of attitude in the form of a little color!
Just look at Kanye West all suited-up! And as usual, in the West spirit, he decided to wear the Air Jordan 1 in Bred to go with this suit. Now, of course, this is way before ‘Ye became the Yeezy sneaker king, but it’s a good look!
So take notes. Even though Kanye chose to add a bit of color into his kicks, he made sure that his suit is smooth and toned-down. He let his shoes do the talking. And it speaks to us in this picture! Yeah, so you throw in a splash of something-something and call it a day.
Recap: Turn the volume up on your kicks, tone it down for your suit. Simple.
All-Whites or All-Blacks
This doesn’t need much explaining. A completely white or black sneaker is a classic look that can’t go wrong. 
You could opt for an all-white classic sneakers with a dark navy or green suit, a slick grey suit or even a beige suede suit! You could even go all out and wear a white suit with them too! This just CAN NOT go wrong! Man, it goes with everything. Even if you want to wear a hot-pink suit you could rock some white kicks and look flawless.
The same goes for the all-black look. It’s full-proof. You just can’t fail the look. So, if you wanna channel the “50 Shades of Grey” badass vibe without having to put up with shiny formal shoes, then all-black sneakers are your answer.
Make it Your Own!
Why else would you go through the lengths of picking the right classic sneakers to go with your suit if it was not to make you feel more comfortable in your own skin! To make you look and feel like a confident badass who’s ready to take on the world!
So take your kicks and make this damn look your own! Do it the way it feels right for you.
While we’re on the subject of making it your own if you really want to flex some kicks and you got the money for it, why not get some custom-made sneakers? Yeah! Now we’re talking.
If you really wanna stand out, there’s no other way to do it than to have a 1-of-1 classic sneakers.
You’re almost set to take on the world of formal wear! All you need now is to pick the perfect kick!
So, we’re going to appeal to the sneakerhead within you. We’re going to give you some classic sneaker styles and you go crazy!
The usual sneaker styles you usually see with suits are basically:
- Timeless classic sneakers
- Basic athletic sneakers
- Expensive AF boujee sneakers
- Designer-sneakers
We’re gonna make this nice and easy. Choose a style, choose a kick and pair with your suit.
Timeless Classic Sneakers
What do we mean by the timeless classic sneakers? They’re the OGs. The ones that started it all. We’re talking about the Concs, Chucks and the Vans. The super casual sneakers that you wore every single day until they gave out!
Some of our favorite classic sneakers include:
- Nike Air Max
- The Puma Suede
- Nike Cortez Kenny
- Converse Chuck Taylors
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star 70s Hi Black
Retail Price $85
There’s really no right or wrong way to go when it comes to these classics. Just apply what we talked about before, they’re very versatile! But, THEY HAVE TO BE FRESH! You can’t wear your crusty old pair unless they’re in a hell of a good condition, or it’ll throw off the whole look.
So if this is your first sneakers with a suit look attempt, this is perfect to get you going.
The Basic Athletic Sneakers
We’re talkin’ about Adidas, Nike, Jordans! We’re talking about them Yeezys! This one is just so good it should be illegal. A suit and some Jordans? Talk about some sneaker heaven! Basically, take out any of your favorite sneakers and dress ’em up! Just make sure that they’re cleaned up real nice.
Also, if you’re going for high-tops, make sure your pants don’t cover them up. You want them to be seen. So always make sure the hem of your pants is just the right length and you’d master the look. You’d be wearing suits like Iron Man in no time.
Expensive AF Boujee Sneakers
Maybe you got a little extra cash lying around or something, and you want to flex your kicks a bit. You could go for the boujee expensive AF classic sneakers that kinda look like the basic sneaker, they just cost a hella lot more money. This includes sneakers like Tom Ford or Saint Laurent sneakers.
Tom Ford Warwick Grained Leather Sneaker
Retail Price $890
Maybe you could join the sneaker reselling industry so you could make yourself a few bucks so you could score some of these fancy kicks. It’s the easiest sure-fire way to make some quick and easy money; so if you’re not already in on it, you really should!
Designer Sneakers
You got a lot of money? Like A LOT? You want to go all out and full-on flex? Well then, you need some designer sneakers. Like some Gucci, Balenciaga, some Louis Vuitton! The works.
If you’re a sneaker reseller, then it won’t be a surprise if you already own a pair (or two!). These luxury sneakers are in-your-face sneakers. They’re loud and they get your attention. Everyone would probably not even notice what kind of suit you have on.
Versace Chain Reaction
Retail Price $995
Could you imagine the stares! People will be stopping in there place to look at your sneakers. To hell with the suits man! Designer sneakers do all the talking for you. But go easy on the suit and keep it extremely toned down.
Classic Sneakers with Suits Master
That’s it, you’re ready now. A suit doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable dressing experience anymore, the times have changed fellow sneakerheads! The time of wearing dress shoes with suits is behind us, and it’s time for the sneakers to shine! Just remember to make it your own.
So go ahead and cop yourself one of these classic sneakers to become a savage gentleman in style! Or you could always cop ’em to flip ’em on reselling platforms and make some serious money for a luxury pair.