A few weeks ago, I decided to use my birthday discount at Shopbop to order a pair of New Balance 990’s. They’re the uber trendy dad-sneaker with gray suede and reflective bits. I loved the chunky style and the fact that they’re made in the USA. I’ve been eyeing various New Balance sneakers for months and decided to finally give this particular style a try.
This is probably the most trend-influenced purchase I’ve ever made. I would have never thought to try these out until I saw them on more than one occasion on more than one ‘cool girl.’ Consider me mega-influenced.
They arrived in Shopbop’s usual quick fashion and my usual size (10) was a perfect fit. They were super comfortable right out of the box. Gosh, I love it when fashion is functional, don’t you? However… here comes the conflict: I had no clue how to style these! Everytime I tried them on with jeans it felt wrong. By this point I had already cut the tags off and creased the sole, so I knew they couldn’t go back.
This brings me to today! Well, yesterday, when I wrote this post. I decided to use my old friend, the style session to help me crack the code on these shoes. I tried them on with many pants and outfits, to see if I could make them work for me.
Here’s what I came up with:
A Leggings Outfit.
My first instinct with shoes this chunky/bulky is to style them with something more fitted. And naturally, I love this 90’s-inspired combo of white socks with trainers and leggings. It’s like mom-on-the-go, but ‘mom’s a little bit cool’ too. I love wearing a version of this on days when I am trying to get lots of steps in. In the past, it has been my Air Force 1’s, but I like this look too.
Jacket (M/L), Sweatshirt, thrifted (similar), Leggins, c/o, Sneakers, TTS (more sizes here)
Colored Pants.
Next, I moved on to these colored pants. I chose them because I thought their slim fit would work well with the sneakers. They are almost like a demi bootcut. I like how the warm colored pants contrast with the cool, neutral shade of the sneakers. The medium-toned (between warm and cool) sweater is the perfect finisher.
Sweater, Jeans (27L), c/o, Sneakers, TTS (more sizes here)
Full-length, Slim Jeans.
This look feels pretty edgy for my taste, but I like it. My instinct was to cuff the jeans, but that just didn’t look right. Full length feels bold and experimental. Again, the slimmer fit jeans are my preference with these shoes. Wider, bigger jeans didn’t feel like me.
Jacket, c/o, Sweater, c/o, Jeans, Sneakers, TTS (more sizes here), Necklace, c/o
With Trousers.
Alright, I feel like a bit of a poser in this outfit, like I copied it straight from Pinterest without doing anything different to make it feel like me. It’s cool, and I think it works, but I don’t think it’s my style.
Tee, Trousers, OOS (similar here, I like these even better!), Sweater (M), Sneakers, TTS (more sizes here), Necklace, c/o
With Vintage Jeans.
Something about vintage jeans always makes an outfit feel more ‘at home’ to me. This is probably my favorite after the colored pants. Vintage just feels rich!
On no-show socks: Are they totally uncool to wear? Probably, but like skinny jeans, if they are still working for you in a given outfit, then you get to make your own choice. Style ≠ following the crowd. Style is found in the nuance of merging items you love and (maybe) trends too.
Jacket (I sized up), c/o, Tee, Jeans (vintage, similar here), Sneakers, TTS (more sizes here)
Final Thoughts.
I am very surprised at how challenged I’ve been to style these shoes. I’ve realized, for these to look intentional, careful outfit selection is important. If the overall look is too casual, it doesn’t look like an outfit. But if they’re paired with something too dressy, it looks like I tried too hard. This style session exercise has definitely helped me get a better handle on some ideas. Wish me luck in the future! (Or drop your wisdom in the comments.)
PS – These are a cheaper, and a bit cuter of an option!
Thanks, Andrea. I have some gray chunky Sauconys I got at Madewell a few years ago and sometimes I struggle with how to style them. This is helpful! (I’ve been a fan of yours for a while, but this is my first comment 😉)
Hi Jenifer, thanks for chiming in! It’s so weird, people just don’t comment on blogs anymore, so I’m glad you did! Good luck with styling your Sauconys, hopefully I will have more ideas to share in the future. Glad to have you here!
Thanks for your response—happy to have found your blog. I read faithfully!
Ooh love the colors in the 2nd outfit! They really pop with your colored pants! I also love the sneaker trend, esp with chunky socks 🧦
YES! The socks make a big difference I think!