Just for kicks

From left: Blogger Liz Schneider pairs Nike Free's with jeans. Kristin Cavallari dons a casual dress and canvas kicks. A simple day look gets even more comfy with New Balance sneaks worn by Mary Seng of happilygrey.com.

Get yourself comfortable, because the next big footwear trend just happens to be sneakers. Which means that after seasons of torture, your feet will finally get a rest. But it also means that it’s easier than ever before to be laid-back fashionable. Celebs and style bloggers alike have taken to the trend, which gives “casual-chic” a fresh new meaning.

To style this look, it’s important to keep the overall vibe dressed down. Sneakers look best with a skinny jean (preferably cuffed at the ankle) and classic, simple pieces. As with any statement accessory, let the sneaks take the spotlight. Miranda Kerr, below, pulls off bright pink sneakers with a basic denim shirt and leather jeans.

Blogger Liz Schneider of Sequins & Stripes (feature photo, left) makes her red Nike Free 5.0s nearly date-night appropriate with a simple-but-sexy black tank and retro sunnies. If you’re feeling especially daring, pair sneakers with a simple dress for a fun spin on the trend, like Kristin Cavallari does (center) with a gray mini dress and navy canvas kicks. Or sweeten an effortless weekend outfit with a pair of vintage-inspired running shoes.

While assembling your outfit, remember this isn’t an excuse to pull out your old lawn-mowing shoes. Make sure your sneakers are clean and fresh, and not too clunky. While the more high-tech athletic shoes offer great support, ditch those in favor of a flatter-soled, more streamlined style. Converse, Superga and New Balance are all great options, and women’s designers are churning out fashionable options with a wide range of price tags.

This post was originally published on Red Typewriter.  See it here.

Trendspotting: the new shoe you'll want to wear everywhere

via zippedblog.com

via bowsandsequins.com

What do these two have in common?  (Other than their adorable laid-back vibe, that is.)  I'll give you a hint, look down.  Trends come and go quicker than we can keep track, but I'm going to cling on for life when it involves comfortable footwear.  Far from the stacked platforms of 2013, the flat, comfortable, slip-on sneakers are making a stand.  And we are happily standing.

Interested?  But how to wear them?  Style them like you would a ballet flat.  Pair with skinnies and a cute top for a casual look, or with a simple skirt or dress for a flirty vibe.

Here's a little more inspiration to get your wheels turning:

Have a comfy Sunday!

A girl crush AND comfy shoes

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It would appear that I have developed a new girl crush.  Lucy Williams is a London-based blogger who, in my opinion, has a personal style worth of reckoning.  She has something of a rocker-chic, beachy, grounded, yet pulled-together style that feels enough like it's current, yet also comfortably familiar.  Basically, she's the cool girl whose closet I'd love to raid.  Her blog is over at fashionmenow.blogspot.com.

One of her latest posts touches on what can be a touchy subject amidst the over-polished trend happening in the fashion blog world.  For me, it's completely refreshing to see a new sense of style projected, something with a little more truth in wear; an ensemble both realistic and fashion forward.  I have, in times past, been caught up in emulating an over-complicated, replicable, and readily identifiable "look" as defined by certain bloggers du jour. 

I'll get to the point:  I love that she put sneakers in her post.

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I've found myself with a common nostalgia for the style of denim that she is attempting to find: "You know the sort; not boyfriend, not skinny, something in between and altogether nostalgic for anyone who grew up in the 90s."  Her sentiments took me back to my first pair of Jordache jeans, which were both comfortable and (at least in my opinion) stylish.  There is an air of effortlessness when it comes to dressing in items that truly feel good.  We're not talking sweats, here.  A bit of a refined eye (and brutal honesty) will bring us to a place where we can embrace comfort as an ingredient of our personal style.  

One controversial subject, therein, is sneakers.  Where do they belong?  Is it possible to bring them out of the resolute staple piece of American tourists in foreign cities?  Have we permanently tarnished the opportunity to actually have comfort and fashion in balance?

I think not.  Selecting a pair cannot be of inconsequence, however.  And nor can the resulting outfit.  Above, Lucy demonstrates this through a pairing of feminine accessories and classic fashion pieces: a striped tee, a menswear watch, classic gold hoops, a leopard clutch.

Interested in giving it a try?  Here are a few of my favorite picks:

Kate Spade New York Kick Dot Keds Sneakers

Joie Hadley Sneakers

Rachel Zoe Jeni Jogging Sneakers

Marc by Marc Jacobs Satin Sneakers

Monika Chiang Argus Sneakers

Splendid Solvang Sneakers

Giuseppe Zanotti London Embellished Zip Sneakers