One thing about me is I am what some may refer to as sneaker obsessed. It began about a decade ago when my best friend managed a very cool streetwear store in Atlanta. THEN I moved to LA and started dating this guy that was really into sports? works in football. And if you’ve ever stood on a football field you know it is probably the worst possible place to wear any kind of heel. Even flats feel out of place. So, my love for sneakers (oh, and my now husband) grew and so did my collection. Over the years I’ve realized they’re kind of the perfect intersection between our two worlds.
I grew up in Portland for the first eight years of my life, so I’ll always be a Nike girl, but I also love an Adidas Samba and a cushy New Balance 990. I’m also partial to a great collab- like the Ganni New Balances, Asics x Cecilie Bahnsen or Collina Strada Vans. I really can’t think of a better way to put a spring in your step (sorry) than with a fresh pair of sneakers, so I curated a selection that caught my eye below and broke down why I love my go-to pairs.
Fashion, not Function: The Dries sneakers are pretty viral right now, but in a good way. They’re basically flats with laces but very chic and European. I have two pairs (silver and black) and cannot say they’re the most supportive- just that they look good and are dressier than my everyday pairs. I use them as an alternative to black flats. I especially love this iteration that reminds me of the mesh Alaïas but cooler.
Great collabs: The best way to shop a sneaker collab is online day of (or braving the store if you have the time/energy) and knowing about it in advance so you don’t have to pay crazy resale prices. Being on the e-mail list for your favorite brands typically helps, too- that’s how I got these Gallery Dept. Asics. Other current faves for me: Wales Bonner x Adidas, Miu Miu x New Balance.
Team Spirit: Listen, if you’re a season ticket holder for any kind of sporting team- buy a good pair of sneakers in their colors. Something you look forward to pulling out on game day that you can easily build an outfit around. Black and red seems to be a common color combo and you can’t go wrong with the comfort of sambas. For yellow- what about a stylish but sporty nylon pair? Our color is blue and I love these. A good green pair here.
Gym time: I wear some type of mule/slide if I’m going to pilates, but I love a fresh white pair of sneakers for actual gym time and just purchased these.
F%ck someone invited you on a hike!: The only time I’ve willingly gone hiking, like on a real hike, was when I was a young 20-something too dumb to realize a guy was trying to take me on a cheap date. BUT! If this is something that sounds fun to you then that’s great and your thighs are probably stronger than mine will ever be so good for you. Just don’t wear white sneakers because they will inevitably get trashed. I’d recommend a pair of these because they have an insane amount of support and cushion and are dark enough to look decent after some wear and tear.
Park with a toddler: Get some New Balances or Asics that are comfortable. I find them easier to chase after a kid in than my beloved sambas. You don’t have to be *too* practical with the color, but make sure they’re not precious (avoid light colored suede).
Travel friendly: This is when I think a classic pair of sambas comes in handy. They’re comfy enough to trek through an airport and also easy for a roadtrip. If there’s a spill it’s not the end of the world but they look pretty polished. You can count on them to do double duty if you don’t want to use precious luggage space for actual gym shoes. I wear my navy or black/white pair depending on the rest of my outfit.
Fancy feet: Loewe never does anything halfway. I’m really into their Ballet Runners and collab with On. If you want to buy yourself something fancy and high quality, I’d go with these.
Just because: An unexpected sneaker can change up your look in the best way. I love this pair with a casual dress or denim.
BTW…….
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Oscars this Sunday! I am excited. But… I am maybe more excited for a new episode of White Lotus.
I don’t care that this is for kids, I want it for myself.
XO, Liz
More Bad Influence……..
fantastic finds
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Some days I go online and think ‘same old, same old’…. and others I find so much goodness I immediately bookmark everything.
my 2025 open to buy
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friends- we are safely home after evacuating. A lot of the same organizations for wildfire victims are getting promoted on here, which is great, but I also encourage you to donate to family GoFundMe’s (I went off …
Love how you categorized these! I’m loving the dries mesh version.
Such a good round up! Those snakeskin and gold ones, tho…omg. 😍