It looks like Mother Nature is finally letting Spring out after a cold, wet Winter, and the change in weather has given us a nice little boost here in Vaughan Shoes HQ!
So we’re trying something new – a blog post! We’ve talked about it long enough so with a little extra time on our hands we’re giving it a shot! Here we are taking a look at the one of the biggest fashion trends of the last few years: the Re-emergence of the Trainer!
The ever so famous sneaker trend of 2019 is back bigger than ever this year. Much like the Irish weather, fashion sneaker trends is quite changeable, ebbing and flowing with the changing of the seasons. And just like the Irish Summer arriving just in time for the start of the Leaving Cert, some certified fashion classics will never die; clean white trainers will ALWAYS have a place in the wardrobe. Here we take a look at the style that is standing the test of time!
Classic White Trainers
The shoe of the decade, in our humble opinion – the classic white trainer.
The noughties were dominated by heels. The influence of Carrie Bradshaw and the Sex In The City crew was far reaching; saving up and splurging a weeks wages on pair of trophy shoes became a rite of passage. When Victoria Beckham launched her career as a fashion designer in 2008 an interviewer asked how she could work in heels. Her reply? She “couldn’t concentrate” in flats.
However, the teens saw the emergence of the humble trainer. In March 2011 British fashion designer Phoebe Philo took to the catwalk to close her fourth Celine show. She wore a simple moss green polo neck, black trousers and white tennis shoes. The designer’s personal style is so closely watched that her five-second appearance had the power to turn that particular sneaker into a bonafide trend in a matter of weeks. And just like that trainers we in.
SHOP THE LOOK
The white trainer has moved past being a trend. In 2013, supermodel Gisele Bundchen appeared in Vogue Paris wearing Stan Smiths, white socks and nothing else; cult status was assured. Searches for white sneakers on the global fashion search platform Lyst are 152% up on 2014 figures.
The trainers staying power can, in part, be attributed to the shifting sands of workwear. The contrast between dressed-up and dressed-down used to be epitomised by women in skirt suits wearing comfortable trainers on their commute, with heels hidden away in their handbags ready for a quick change in the office bathroom. The recent casualisation of dress codes has seen this scenario more or less sidelined. Black heels have been replaced by bright white efforts from Amy Huberman, Marco Moreo and Mustang. The popularity of the white trainer is partly down to the fact that it is almost a negative image of the black brogue or loafer of traditional workwear, and can be worn in much the same way. Amongst a wardrobe of tailored clothes, shirts, clean-lined knits and block colours the white trainer has a minimalism that blends seamlessly.
