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While traditional running shoes have their place—and can still look cute with jeans or a dress—think of "lifestyle" sneakers like a loafer or ballet flat—the shoe you can wear everywhere. (Yes, even to work. Just ask Ellen Degeneres.) And there's a sneaker for every personal style, in every colour and pattern imaginable.
You can't go wrong with a classic white leather or canvas sneaker; they truly look good with everything from a suit to jean shorts to a pretty patterned dress. Same goes for other neutrals like navy, beige, rose or metallic. Look for a rounded toe and an elongated, sleek shape—this silhouette is probably the easiest to wear, especially if you tuck in the laces for a clean look.
If you like taking on the trends, opt for a pair of '90s throwbacks with details like platform soles, high tops or multi-coloured palettes. Not sure what to pair with bright, bold sneakers? Jeans go with everything. Another good rule is to wear a shade in the same colour family—or lean into the '90s vibe with a white tee, some mom jeans and a fanny pack.
Cotu Classic, $75, brownsshoes.com.
Court Royale AC Sneakers, $61.50 (on sale), thebay.com.
Somers Perforated Sneaker, $138, nordstrom.com.
Chuck Taylor All Star Lift Low Top, $75, converse.ca.
Unisex V-10 Leather Sneaker, $190, sportinglife.ca.
Nylite2 Plus Sneaker, $118, nordstrom.com.
SK8-Hi in navy/white, $90, vans.ca.
Grand Court Shoes, $90, sportchek.ca.
93Eighteen C Block, $85 (on sale), softmoc.com.
Club C 85 Shoes, $110, reebok.ca.
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