Anniversary Post, January 16th, 2010... (and Sneakers!)

Hello all. Today is the one year anniversary of the creation of this blog! The content has at times drifted from the original idea of providing information and photos of local sartorialists and fashion lovers and has become more dedicated to tips, trends, and staples, but I appreciate those who have stuck with me all year. Nikki: you were my first follower who encouraged me to post often. If you're still reading, thank you. I felt that the anniversary date required a little bit of recognition, but I'm not going to wax sentimental here and wear you all out by turning nostalgic. We have a style blog to write!

Today we're talking sneakers. For a while now, magazines such as Esquire and GQ (and Details, I'm sure) have featured the occasional photo of a suit paired with sneakers. I am often asked by people that I meet, after mentioning that I write and consult about style, what things can be done to bring an edge to otherwise conservative dress. This, my friends, is one of them. Pair sneakers with a suit or sport jacket.

Now, I'm not going to discuss ad nauseum the multitude of ways to pair sneakers with different articles of more formal attire, but be it with a suit, khakis and a blazer, jeans and a sport coat or what have you, I will say this: Think minimalism. Think classic. Think simple. Go for a sneaker with history, like Converse All Stars (pictured) or Jack Purcell's (J. Crew offers a "broken-in" Jack Purcell), Keds Champions, or Adidas Stan Smith's. Each of these models has been around for decades and have remained relatively unchanged. Avoid bright and loud colors. Go for something in a neutral, respectable color, such as navy blue, white, or bisque (leave day-glo to Kanye West). And be respectful... this is not a look for church, business, or funerals, no matter how fancy the sneakers. It's still a sneaker. This is a night out look. A casual Friday look... an MTV music awards look... you get the drift.

Common Projects (favored by well-dressed crooner Justin Timberlake and blatant tool-fop rapper Kanye West) offers a boutique line of sneakers based off of many of the classic designs mentioned above. The Converse All Stars in the picture, however, cost about $300 less than a pair of Common Projects. Buy according to your budget (I sure did)! In terms of pairings, start with khakis and a blazer. Pretend that you are Owen Wilson's character in The Wedding Crashers, enjoying some of Christopher Walken's New England hospitality. Pretend that you have a weekend party in the Hamptons... whatever. If you can make the sneakers work with khakis and a blazer, only then should you move on to suits. REMEMBER THAT, and YOU'LL DO FINE!!!
Thanks for a great year.

Cheers,
-Paul