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  5. The White Sneaker Is the Perfect Travel Shoe — Here Are the Best Pairs for Women

The White Sneaker Is the Perfect Travel Shoe — Here Are the Best Pairs for Women

Anne Bratskeir headshot
By Anne Bratskeir June 18, 2019
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Stan Smiths on the street in Paris
Credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
White sneakers aren’t new and they’re not slipping off the greatest hits chart anytime soon. But while low-profile, classic sneaks like Adidas’ Stan Smiths are a go-to wardrobe staple for celebrities (Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, to name a few), there’s a retro revival of a surprisingly bloated silhouette. Pumped up and chunky, some call them “dad” sneakers, while others reference “Seinfeld” sneaks — those marshmallow-y kicks from the comedian’s former show, and many more dub them just plain ugly. See: couches for your feet.

Either way, the white sneaker has a strong staying power, and there’s reason for it, said Elizabeth Semmelhack, senior curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, and author of “Out of the Box: The Rise of the Sneaker Culture.” Semmelhack said that while we saw an explosion in the sneaker culture around 2015, the true father of the all-white sneaker was the iconic 1980s Nike Air Force 1. “The importance of that sneaker then was you always had to wear it very clean and crisp. That spoke to prosperity and being able to afford new sneakers often,” because, as we all know, white sneaks don’t stay all that white for too long. Today, said Semmelhack, “The white sneaker carries some of the same concepts and is presenting as very pristine. It’s that pristine state that allows it to be so eye-catching.”

Related:17 Stylish Wedges That Are Super Comfortable to Walk In

For women, the white sneaker goes beyond just being comfy and is perhaps the most versatile travel shoe around, and not just with casual clothes. “Women are entering the sneaker culture en masse, and when you see a woman wearing, say, a Stan Smith paired with a skirt, it brings with it a certain flavor and gives an unexpected edginess,” said Semmelhack. Ryan Babenzien, founder and CEO of Brooklyn-born sneaker company Greats, said, “Unless you’re a lawyer, the last suit-wearing industry, sneakers go with everything.” He credits the “casualizaton of workplace attire,” as the impetus for the shoe’s popularity. “The new normal is a clean sneaker,” he said.

According to Semmelhack, “women are letting sneakers do a lot of the work that we demanded of high heels,” adding that you can spend the same amount of money on a designer sneaker (as evidenced by $1,590, bling-laden Gucci trainers) as you can on pricey designer stilettos and then, enjoy the same status — but in comfort. Bottom line? “It’s a basic fact that sneakers can do many jobs,” said Semmelhack. Do them in these 18 pairs.
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Greats Women’s Royale Leather Low-top Sneakers

Greats Royale sneaker at Madewell
Credit: Courtesy of Greats

To buy: greats.com, $179

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Soludos Ibiza Classic Lace-up

Best White Sneakers for Women
Credit: Courtesy of Zappos

To buy: zappos.com, $130

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Stan Smith Women’s Sneakers

Adidas Stan Smith sneakers
Credit: Courtesy of Adidas

To buy: adidas.com, $80

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Fila Women’s Disruptor 2 Lux Leather Sneakers

White File Sneakers
Credit: Courtesy of Barneys New York

To buy: barneys.com, $120

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Keds Triple Kick Canvas

Best White Sneakers for Women
Credit: Courtesy of Zappos

To buy: zappos.com, $55

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Common Projects Men’s Achilles Low-top Sneakers

Common Projects sneakers
Credit: Courtesy of Barneys New York

To buy: barneys.com, $415

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Rothy's Bright White Sneaker

rothys white sneakers for women
Credit: Courtesy of Rothy's

To buy: rothys.com, $125

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Superga 2750 Cotu Classic Sneaker

Best White Sneakers for Women
Credit: Courtesy of Zappos

To buy: zappos.com, $65

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Skechers D’Lites Women’s Memory Foam Lace-up Sneaker

Skechers sneakers
Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

To buy: amazon.com, from $36

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Nike Classic Cortez Leather

Best White Sneakers for Women
Credit: Courtesy of Zappos

To buy: zappos.com, $70

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Frye Women’s Ivy Low Lace Sneakers

Frye sneakers
Credit: Courtesy of Zappos

To buy: zappos.com, $198

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Gola Coaster

Best White Sneakers for Women
Credit: Courtesy of Zappos

To buy: zappos.com, $60

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Buffalo White 60 Leather Platform Sneakers

Buffalo platform sneakers
Credit: Courtesy of FarFetch

To buy: farfetch.com, $170

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Taos Footwear Retro Star

Best White Sneakers for Women
Credit: Courtesy of Zappos

To buy: zappos.com, $110

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Reebok Women’s Classic Leather

Reebok white leather sneaker
Credit: Courtesy of Reebok

To buy: reebok.com, $75

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Vince Warren Slip-on Sneaker

vince white slip on sneakers
Credit: Courtesy of Nordstrom

To buy: nordstrom.com, $225

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Sofft Somers Knit Sneaker

sofft white sneakers for women
Credit: Courtesy of Nordstrom

To buy: nordstrom.com, $99

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Everlane Tread Off-white Trainer

everlane tread white sneakers for women
Credit: Courtesy of Everlane

To buy: everlane.com, $98

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    1 of 18 Greats Women’s Royale Leather Low-top Sneakers
    2 of 18 Soludos Ibiza Classic Lace-up
    3 of 18 Stan Smith Women’s Sneakers
    4 of 18 Fila Women’s Disruptor 2 Lux Leather Sneakers
    5 of 18 Keds Triple Kick Canvas
    6 of 18 Common Projects Men’s Achilles Low-top Sneakers
    7 of 18 Rothy's Bright White Sneaker
    8 of 18 Superga 2750 Cotu Classic Sneaker
    9 of 18 Skechers D’Lites Women’s Memory Foam Lace-up Sneaker
    10 of 18 Nike Classic Cortez Leather
    11 of 18 Frye Women’s Ivy Low Lace Sneakers
    12 of 18 Gola Coaster
    13 of 18 Buffalo White 60 Leather Platform Sneakers
    14 of 18 Taos Footwear Retro Star
    15 of 18 Reebok Women’s Classic Leather
    16 of 18 Vince Warren Slip-on Sneaker
    17 of 18 Sofft Somers Knit Sneaker
    18 of 18 Everlane Tread Off-white Trainer

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    The White Sneaker Is the Perfect Travel Shoe — Here Are the Best Pairs for Women
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