Sneakers That Are Easy Peasy
I was never really a sneakers kinda gal. Not because I don’t like comfort, but they require lacing up, they tend to be chunky and in all honesty, I associate them most often with sports or working out - two things I didn’t do up until I turned 19. Growing up, they grew on me. Sneakers have also gotten insanely cuter and varied since the 90s, thank goodness. I still tend to choose versatility over much else, so I’ve stayed in the white sneaker lane, but can you blame me? They match with seriously everything! Also, why do white shoes look extra good when you’re tan? They just do, though.
My gateway sneaker was a pair of Keds, the classic ones - slim and feminine. They looked great, but were so low that they required special socks, were hard to clean and honestly, not that comfortable. I then found a washable pair to help with one piece of that list - these eco friendly white ones from Thousand Fell. These I used for quite awhile, infinitely more comfortable, too. Now, the leather did get stained (and thus wasn’t as wash friendly as promised) and even then, you couldn’t really clean the rubber bottom liner well, so that advertising claim didn’t really hold up, sadly. Even with all that, I wore them so much that they got a hole in them - oops.
I stumbled through some cheaper alternatives for awhile, from my default, Old Navy. Needless to say, they didn’t last, but let us always remember - lo barato sale claro. When searching for my next real deal pair, I knew I of course wanted a white pair, I wanted them to have a good amount of cushion, I wanted them to be easy to clean and still sleek. I haven’t gotten into the super chunky sneaker trend yet, sorry y’all.
Cue Kizik’s Athen Sneakers - in my usual price range of about $150 (which I will justify given I would wear them multiple times a week for years), these stuck out. They were a mix of athletic and casual, were wash-friendly and coolest of all, are hands free! These have technology built into them that you can slide your feet in effortlessly. Keyword: effortlessly, not that awkward thing you do when you’re lazy that you jam your foot in, none of that.
Super into:
The ease of putting them on - when I say hands free, I mean it.
You can small spots pretty easily with a tooth brush and some Dawn Dish Soap - nothin’ fancy
For some real deal dirt and grime, still easy to clean! Toss them into the washing machine (sans shoe laces) then let them air dry, they come out looking brand new
They are a perfect combination of thick and cushion-y to make them go with your gym look but also sleek enough in design to be cute with jeans. I personally am super picky about this and to me, they pass both tests with flying colors!
Has a little height - not comparable to heels, but you can get a lil’ taller effortlessly.
Kizik is actually quite philanthropic - they give back to multiple organizations and put an emphasis on their impact into the universe. Always here for capitalism with a side of warm and fuzzy!
They actually have multiple styles with this hands-free technology, love the options style-wise
Wish it had:
A bit more comfort! These are a bit deceiving. They’re super comfortable when you put them on and you definitely feel the cushion, but for days with a lot of walking - think, a day at a theme park, you’ll be itching to take them off. They won’t cause pain per se, but it’ll feel like your feet are dead flat on the ground and need a break. In all fairness, you could probably solve this with a fun insert, but just a heads up if you don’t have one and/or aren’t looking to get one.
More color options - they do have, but I like them so much that I’d really like more. I will say, since I’ve gotten them, they’ve released more colors, so definitely seems like a short term issue, which is always welcome
Not a con necessarily, but more of a heads up! They are cut quite low, no-show socks are required if you are as picky as I am
These shoes aren’t perfect, but the look and convenience is what gives it an A+ in my book. Sliding these on and off quickly, being able to toss them in the washer - that level of ease goes a long way. I’d definitely recommend these in your rotation, its kind of a no brainer.
