Classic Sneaks: The Rod Laver Adidas
Men's casual shoes have never really exceeded the Rod Laver Adidas.
Let’s be clear: men today should be prepared to dress like grownups. A metropolitan man in today’s world needs to know how to buy dress shoes with good patina, how to buy the right slacks for his size and shape, and how an overcoat should fit. Many of us have lost those abilities, not out of intention but rather because for years the culture was more comfortable treating us like overgrown teens than the mature, risk-taking decisionmakers that many of us are. There are legions of men, in fact, who have worn nothing but T-shirts and sneakers their entire adult lives, save for weddings and funerals. This needs to change.
HOWEVER, if a man is going to wear sneakers around town, this is the best pair around. The Rod Laver does what so many trendy sneakervilles (read Puma) have tried to replicate over and over. It’s minimalist, sending the message that you the wearer are not an over-pretentious busybody whose feet need attention. It’s got great contours and the just-right smattering of color, presenting a really modern, sophisticated look. The texture of the shoe subtly turns the standard on its head (see rule #10 in my Style Guide), bringing a freshness to the standard. And the materials are durable so they will last a long time.
Should a white shoe be worn after it gets dirty? There’s quite a debate on this. One one end of the spectrum, you have Nelly and the hip-hoppers buying 10 pairs of the same shoe so as to avoid any scuffs at all. On the other, you have the frat boy wearing his torn-up pair of Kaepas (old school reference for you) until his toes are sticking out. I fall into the scuffed-but-fully-intact category. A shoe should not be worn through, smelly or unstitching itself as you walk, but a nice pair of casual shoes should be scuffed - again, it shows that you are not overly-obsessive about your appearance.
I know the next question from many of you: can’t I wear my gray New Balances (which I personally have and love for RUNNING) to a restaurant or pub? What’s the big deal? They’re comfortable and I’m comfortable in them. The answer is again that if you don’t know how to dress like a grownup, the world at large will not treat you like a grownup. Even the Internet-startup king who has millions of dollars will not get the respect he is after unless he communicates with his appearance. It’s a shocking/offensive concept these days - how dare we look at one’s appearance? Isn’t that being judgmental? In fact, your appearance is an extension of your inner self. The way you treat your exterior tells me a lot about who you are inside. We don’t all have to be suit guys - you can also dress like a grownup casually (in fact casual grownup clothing is where most guys run into trouble). Grabbing a pair of Rod Lavers, in fact, is a great step in that direction.
