White sneakers can be quite the enigma for some people. Despite how essential they are to just about anyone's wardrobe, I've still heard, "Yeah, but white sneakers get dirty so easily!" more times than I can remember. It's a warranted concern, seeing that the price tag on some of the most desirable white kicks only adds to the fear that they'll be trashed soon after deployment.
In 2019, it's not hard to find a white sneaker that walks the line perfectly between casual weekend wear and something you can pull off fully suited at a summer wedding. High end brands like Common Projects and Hugo Boss have taken classic silhouettes, leaned in on quality and streamlined aesthetics, and produced some of the simplest, most elegant white leather sneakers in existence. They're great, and they'll cost you couple hundred bucks (at least). But an investment like that not only requires care—it requires a backup plan. An "old reliable," if you will. There exists no older or more reliable white sneaker than the Converse Chuck Taylor.
CONVERSE Chuck Taylor® High Top Sneaker
Chucks have come a long way since my dad was wearing them on the court as an actual basketball sneaker. In 2013 Converse released a sturdier, more cushioned version of the iconic silhouette—the Chuck 70—that only costs about $30 more than the original. Still, the OGs hang tough both in their versatility and quality.
Despite this, the problem remains that a white canvas sneaker almost never makes it to fall in pristine condition. But I'm here to tell you something: That's okay. With a $55 price tag, Chucks are the perfect vessel for a sneaker schedule I've been using for years.
This is the aforementioned Plan B. The best sneaker closet will contain both of those options—a higher end, white leather sneaker you save up for (I suggest you aim for Common Projects' Achilles low) and a sneaker you can buy in April, wear through October, donate, and then buy again the following spring. Honestly, you don't even have to get rid of your old ones. If they're not certified fresh, but still in OK shape, keep them in your back pocket (figuratively) for a rainy day (literally) or just to look a little bit cooler cutting the grass.
Sure, after eight years of doing this, you'll have spent the equivalent of a pair of CPs on eight pairs of Chuck Taylors. At the same time, not only will you have donated seven pairs of Chuck Taylors, your Plan A sneakers will still be kickin'—provided you treat them nicely and don't invite them everywhere you bring your Chucks.
In the end, you'll have spent more than a half dozen summers in icy white sneakers. Having that reputation well worth its weight in canvas. Oh, and if after all of that you're still not a White Sneaker Guy, I see your bet and raise you a pair of equally iconic (and summer-friendly) black Chucks.
CONVERSE Chuck Taylor® High Top Sneaker
