My favourite Sneakers of 2020

My favourite Sneakers of 2020

I was never really into sneakers like that until 2020, I wouldn’t call myself a sneakerhead but I can appreciate a nice pair of trainers. And over time I’ve come to learn that no sneaker is ugly, it all depends on how you style it – there is a sneaker out there for everyone and everyone’s unique style, so just because it’s not for you, it doesn’t mean it’s not for anyone else!

Everyone these days is a so-called sneaker-head thanks to the rise in streetwear culture over the last 6 years. Collecting, loving, buying and wearing trainers is so different from what it used to be. We’re living in a new world where sneakers like Jordans reign supreme and are taking the industry by storm because unlike designer items such as your Chanels and Guccis, sneakers are accessible to a lot more people. Although sneaker collecting has long been trending thanks to resell sites like StockX and GOAT I really believe that it hit its peak in 2020, it’s so hard to get a pair of Jordans these days! I remember when there was a time that only American rap artists cared about sneakers like Jordans and low dunks, now it seems like EVERYONE cares. But how long will this last? Is this a trend or is it something that will continue on for generations to come?

There’s a lot of great sneakers from the past twelve months but these are my personal faves, I’m not saying they’re the best or that they’re most historically important, these are just my PERSONAL faves;

Image may contain Shoe Clothing Footwear Apparel Sneaker and Running Shoe

Image may contain Clothing Shoe Footwear Apparel and Running Shoe

Image may contain Clothing Footwear Apparel Shoe Running Shoe and Sneaker

Air Jordan 4 Retro “Black Cat”

Air Jordan 4 Retro

Air Jordan 4 Retro “Fire Red”

Air Jordan 4 Retro

Nike Dunk Low “Syracuse”
Nike Dunk Low
Travis Scott x Dunk Low Premium QS SB “Cactus Jack”

Yeezy Boost 350 V2

Off-White™ x Wmns Air Jordan 4 SP “Sail”

Yeezy Boost 350 V2

Adidas Yeezy Foam RNNR

adidas Yeezy Foam RNNR Ararat - G55486

Throwback Thursday; Pastry shoes

Throwback Thursday; Pastry shoes

So as you all know, last week I did a blog post entitled ‘Throwback Thursday’, here I gave you guys a number of urban wear brands from the late 90s and 2000s that dominated black culture, however, I didn’t give you any background information on those brands so this is where this series comes in. I am going to educate you on these brands and show you why they should never be forgotten starting with pastry shoes!

Launched in March 2007 Pastry came at a time when sneakers weren’t a big thing among girls/ women. Pastry Shoes was founded by Vanessa and Angela Simmons in order to allow young girls to create unique looks in order to express themselves. Pastry Shoes were designed to be “sweet, chic, and unique”.

At the time of their launch, people were dressing like Serena and Blair from Gossip girl and our favourite 90210 characters. Sneakers were a thing for boys/men, they were not worn for fashion but for sport and dancing hence why Pastry marketed themselves as the number one dancing shoe in the US at the time. Sisters Vanessa and Angela Simmons were the faces and designers of the brand which is one of the reasons why the brand excelled so much in its time – having two famous founders gave the brand the kind of built-in marketing engine no amount of advertising could buy. In a way, they opened the way for influencer marketing, these two started their brand on their father’s reality TV show – runs house and fans were able to follow their entire journey, from the initial idea to their actual shoe launch garnering a huge fan base. In addition to this, the brand utilised social networking sites like Facebook and myspace to push their brand, here they would post video blogs of the sisters and new ads/ promotions. This brand was clearly ahead of its time and it breaks my heart to know that pastry is no longer what it used to be, it hardly even exists.

Angela-Vanessa-Simmons-Pastry-Sneakers-Campaign-200394 | Heaven On ...

As mentioned before, the brand launched when customers wanted something loud and fresh. “From the bold colours to the fresh silhouettes, Pastry is right where it needs to be,”. The shoes came into the market at a good time because no other brands were doing what they brought to the market. People recognised this and that’s why fashion enthusiasts like myself fell in love with the brand. I remember these were all that I ever used to talk about and then my brother got me them in 2011 (literally just before they died out) and I wore them everywhere I went, from that point no other shoe mattered, even if it didn’t go with my outfit I still wore them. These were the first pair of trainers I adored and probably the start of my sneaker addiction! But now looking back on these shoes I cringe a little because I could never imagine my ever wearing these with my sense of style now, they’re what you call a true ugly sneaker, however at the time I was a child so if they were ever to come back into fashion I think they’d be great as a children’s shoe. The bright colours and patterns just make sense for children.

 

trainers you need to buy this summer!

trainers you need to buy this summer!

Is anyone else completely over the Balenciaga Triple S sneakers? I feel like they’re so 2018/2019. They were never going to be a staple shoe, in my opinion, they were forever going to the shoe of that moment aka the shoe of  2018 and 2019. Don’t get me wrong I still love dad trainers, I’m just not a fan of the Triple S’ anymore, they served their time in fashion and now it’s time for another sneaker to take the crown. Any guesses on what it will be? Personally I think this year the show of the moment will for a fact be the Dior B23 sneaker but I could be wrong. It’s just a hunch.

This summer with sneakers it’s all about colours, just as it has been with clothing, the last summers we have seen bright colours take over runways, fashion campaigns, our wardrobes, shop floors and most importantly our hearts. We’re deep into this 80s fashion vibe and I could not be more obsessed. I know coloured trainers are not the most versatile but they are a show that you won’t regret purchasing. If you only own black or white sneakers then you’re boring as hell and need to get a life. But it’s okay because I am here to give you a helping hand by providing you with 10 shoes I am loving this summer and will be purchasing as new editions to my ever-growing sneaker wardrobe.

Here are some of my favourite sneakers atm;

Nike Air Force 1 Shadow SE

Image 1 of Nike Air Force 1 Shadow SE

Nike Air Force 1 Sage Green Suede Trainers

Nike Air Force 1 Sage Green Suede Trainers | ASOS

Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Inertia

adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Inertia

Puma Future Rider

Rider Play On

Nike LD Waffle Sacai

Nike LD Waffle Sacai Blue Multi

B23 DIOR AND DANIEL ARSHAM HIGH-TOP SNEAKER IN “NEWSPAPER” PRINT

B23 DIOR AND DANIEL ARSHAM High-Top Sneaker in "Newspaper" Print aria_profileView

Comme des Garçons Play

Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star 70s Hi Comme des Garcons PLAY Black ...

Puma rs-x 3

PUMA RS-X3 Women's

Jordan 1 Retro High Zoom White Racer Blue

Jordan 1 Retro High Zoom White Racer Blue