> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thesecondbutton.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to Wear Sneakers with Tailoring - URL: https://thesecondbutton.com/sneakers-with-tailoring/ - Published: 2023-07-17T14:04:57.000Z - Updated: 2025-02-04T21:07:17.000Z - Description: There's no such thing as a dress sneaker. But that doesn't mean you can't wear sneakers with tailoring. You just need to put together a casual outfit. - Author: Daniel Hakimi - Tags: casual tailoring, sneakers, tailoring, casual, inspo, guides, #new balance sneakers, #dress sneakers, #canvas sneakers, ivy style, #men's outfit inspiration, #men's style inspiration More and more, guides out there have started to extol the benefits of minimal leather sneakers—so-called "dress sneakers." These guides are quite ridiculous, as there are certainly no such benefits. Minimal leather sneakers are the worst of both worlds, simultaneously bland, casual, and uncomfortable, and the popular white ones look especially ugly with a dark, tranditional suit due to the high contrast drawing the eye to the feet. Worse still are the frankensneakers, dress shoe hybrids pioneered by Cole Haan with especially ugly wingtip uppers glued haphazardly to orthopedic-looking soles. Please, for the love of God, never wear those. [These](https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/how-wear-mens-dress-sneakers/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) [guides](https://effortlessgent.com/dress-sneakers/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) [are](https://www.themodestman.com/how-to-wear-dress-sneakers/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) [terrible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNZkCW1sfwo&ref=thesecondbutton.com), but they belie the desire people have to understand and embrace casual tailoring. The question becomes: how, if at all, can you pair sneakers with tailoring and still look good? To me, the answer is not to try to find the dressiest sneaker, but to build the whole outfit from a more casual perspective. Casual tailoring is difficult to get right, but I love it. So here's some inspiration. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/Angel-Ramos-by-Milad-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/jake-edward-grantham-in-574s---jeans-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/akamine-yukio-separates-with-contrasty-canvas-1.jpg) [Angel Ramos](https://www.instagram.com/myfamilyisart/?ref=thesecondbutton.com), Jake Grantham, and Yukio Akamine Before I get into it, I'll share a few insights to keep in mind: - There is no such thing as a dress sneaker. Sneakers are always casual. Even suggesting that some sneakers are slightly "more formal" than other sneakers is kind of ridiculous. They're all *absolutely* casual. - Your approach should generally not be to build a formal outfit and decrease the formality, but to build a casual outfit and throw on a jacket, or build a casual outfit around a casual suit. For those new to the concept of casual tailoring, this might be a tricky concept. Just keep an eye out for good inspiration, casual fabrics, and interesting silhouettes as you try to learn. - There is *no such thing as a dress sneaker*. A frankenshoe with a dress shoe upper and a sneaker sole is an abomination against nature and won't *ever* look good. - It's always helpful to refer to a specific aesthetic, as opposed to throwing pieces together haphazardly. Classic ivy might involve canvas sneakers. Neo-ivy, pioneered by Aimé Leon Dore, is largely built around [New Balances](https://sovrn.co/nj680fm?ref=thesecondbutton.com). Are you going for a grandpa vibe? A dadcore vibe? A Japanese Streetwear vibe? Some of these outfits use sneakers as sportswear, some as streetwear, some to give nautical or classic casual or lazy or nonchalant vibes. [Sometimes, the sneaker you originally think looks ugly on its own feeds into a greater aesthetic to better complete an outfit](https://thesecondbutton.com/the-ugly-shoe-paradox/). Chunkiness and other features are casual, but they're *sneakers*, they're *all* casual. Lean into it. - Nothing that is a sneaker can ever be dressy. There is no such thing as a dress sneaker. A minimal leather sneaker is not a dress sneaker, it's just bland. It lacks vision; it feels like you decided you needed to wear sneakers because you're afraid of dress shoes, not like you actually had an aesthetic in mind. Minimal sneakers fail on every front: they're not more comfortable than dress shoes, they don't look like dress shoes, and they don't look good. - If you wear all-black sneakers hoping to pretend that they are black dress shoes, you might as well wear a tuxedo tee-shirt and a combover. It's not tricky, it's obvious and it's sad. There will be a few different styles and silhouettes in this album, but I'll tell you now: [Hirofumi Kurino](https://www.instagram.com/kurino%5Fsan.dst/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) is just the best. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/emanuel-prata-for-casatlantic-ss23-nb-with-white-canvas-2-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/emanuel-prata-for-casatlantic-ss23-navy-suit-with-white-canvas.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/emanuel-prata-for-casatlantic-ss23-separates-with-white-canvas.jpg) [Emanuel Prata](https://www.instagram.com/emanuellprata/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) for Casatlantic ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/cityboi-shinn.jpg) [Shinnosuke Kawada](https://www.instagram.com/cityboi%5Fshinn/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/leon-cerrone-550s.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/leon-cerrone-white-suit-green-nbs.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/leon-cerrone-ald-1.jpg) [Leon Cerrone](https://www.instagram.com/leon%5Fcerrone/?ref=thesecondbutton.com), of the ALD / New Balance persuasion ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/01/paulbinam.jpg) [Paul Binam](https://www.instagram.com/paulbinam/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/play-lee-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/play-lee-7.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/play-lee-4b-with-graphic-tee.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/play-lee-6.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/play-lee-1b.jpg) [Play Lee](https://www.instagram.com/play5230/?ref=thesecondbutton.com), downright showing off with a large assortment of great fits with only two pairs of cheap sneakers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/07/drakes-fit.jpg) From a Drake's lookbook ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/leonardosimoncini-rainy-day-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/leonardosimoncini-rainy-day-2.jpg) [Leonardo Simoncini](https://www.instagram.com/leonardosimoncini/?ref=thesecondbutton.com). Slouchy tailoring with enough shoulder structure to provide the illusion of strength that made us love tailoring in the first place. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2025/02/mrjacktyler-sneakers-husbands-suit.jpg) [Jack Tyler](https://www.instagram.com/mrjacktyler?ref=thesecondbutton.com) in Husbands ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2025/02/husbands-3-ac38c24a96b02beb.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2025/02/husbands-2-9a3af429ea73458d.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2025/02/husbands-1-d3ea27ea42677a7d.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2025/02/husbands-4-ae5f3a89caee0451.webp) [Husbands 06](https://husbands-paris.com/en/collections/husbands-06-collection/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2025/02/victor-scarpas-1-bdf251c1aaa25f2c.jpg) [Victor](https://www.instagram.com/vito%5F9999/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2025/02/polo-sneakers-untucked-shirt-bea4fe8cd6c28f6f.jpg) An old ad for Polo Ralph Lauren ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/07/ralph-dj.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/07/ralph-brass.jpg) Ralph Lauren in Salomons ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/henry-fisher-graphic-tee.jpg) [Henry Fisher](https://www.instagram.com/henry.fish.er/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) in a graphic tee ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/kurino-san-nbs.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/07/kurino-san-new.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/Kurino-San-and-Friends-in-NBs.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/kurino-san-and-friends-2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/kurino-san-mando-suit-gray-nbs.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/kurino-san-khaki---gray.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/kurino-san-dries-jacket.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/kurino-san-white-nbs.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/kurino-san-seersucker.jpg) [Hirofumi Kurino](https://www.instagram.com/kurino%5Fsan.dst/?ref=thesecondbutton.com). Of all the old Japanese men who just don't give a fuck, Kurino-san is my favorite. Low rises and **very* long jackets give a sort of melted slouchiness. He clearly doesn't mind wrinkles. Could he be any more comfortable? Kurino-san carefully refined this relaxed aesthetic over a long career in menswear. I **love* it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/norioamemiya-seersucker-with-asahishoes-canvas-sneakers.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/norioamemiya-hokas-navy-suit.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/norioamemiya-hoka-one-one---seersucker.jpg) [Norio Amemiya](https://www.instagram.com/norioamemiya/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) falls into a similar category. But I'm still all about Kurino-san. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/07/Shuhei.jpg) [Shuhei Nishiguchi](https://www.instagram.com/shuhei%5Fnishiguchi/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/carlos_castillo-canvas.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/carlos-castillo...-hokas--I-think-these-are-hokas..jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/carlos_castillo-nbs.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/carlos-castillo-court.jpg) [Carlos Castillo](https://www.instagram.com/carlos%5Fcastillo%5Fman1924/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) of Man1924 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/07/robert-weng.jpg) [Robert Weng](https://www.instagram.com/r86234/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/01/buchidaily.jpg) [Buchi](https://www.instagram.com/buchidaily/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/richard-biedul-red-cap.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/richard-biedul-db-1.jpg) [Richard Biedul](https://www.instagram.com/richardbiedul/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/07/denny-sneakers-tux.jpg) [Denny Balmaceda](https://www.instagram.com/denny623/?ref=thesecondbutton.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/alfargos-22-10-full-color-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/db-graphic-tee.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/themap.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/01/casual-fit-with-brown-db.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2024/01/casual-fit-with-brown-db-2.jpeg) A few of my own outfits. ### Conclusion # There's no such thing as a "dress sneaker." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fc/fe/fcfefa67-252b-4bc7-b907-f2fe841eeab5/content/images/2023/07/bryan-rowing-blazer.jpg) [Bryan Oh](https://www.instagram.com/itsbryanoh/?ref=thesecondbutton.com), showing the joy of casual tailoring.