We take a look at 5 of the most underrated colorways and silhouettes of affordable low-tops that people have slept on for one or the other reason. Not only are these sneakers affordable, they have great materials and simple sophistication as their core message.
Vans Old Skool Premium Leather & Vans Old Skool Reissue CA Henna Leather
Old Skool was the first ever shoe by Vans to feature the signature stripe on the sides of the shoe followed soon after by the Sk8 Hi. Both silhouettes have been crowd favorites and have been offered to the world in a variety of materials and colors. However, the first shoe in our top 5 low-tops has two version that are completely slept-on. The premium leather comes in a simple black and white skin with the trademark waffle gum bottom. What makes it different however is the price point and the quality of leather on this shoe that makes your $100+ sneakers look like a joke. The shoe can be copped @$21.99+Shipping on Amazon right now.
The Henna colorway specifically hits it home for people in India. In the Indian culture, Henna/Mehndi is a dye that is used to color skin, clothes, hair, nails and materials like leather. The color is reminiscent of the color the dye leaves behind when scrubbed off of your hands, once it dries out after a wet application of a design of your choice. The unique colorway and contrast stitching all over the upper complements the ingenuity of the silhouette’s design. The shoe has sold for as low as Rs 2,500 (£25) but currently remains out of stock even on a number of international stores. If you find it for the right price, we highly recommend you grab it.
Puma Court Star “Clean” Pack
Puma revived the ’80s classic Court Star tennis shoe for the 2014 fall/winter season and cooked up a pack while they were at it. Available in both Black and Marzipan Beige colorways, the clean and minimal look of these nubuck leather beauties made this a boring shoe for many but a fresh and clean pair for the rest of us. The details consist of gold foil-block detailing on the heel, crisp white mid-sole, stripes on the heel, PUMA archive logo on the tongue, and the absence of the signature Formstrip branding for a more designer-shoe like elegance. We personally love the Marzipan Beige colorway a bit more than the black and the same can be had at a nice discount for around $60.00 over at Titolo at the moment.
DC Shoes Player Cyrcle Brown
DC may not be the most coveted brand out there but it does have some gems. Most of these gems are hidden due to the hate the brand gets from sneaker elitists and brand loyalists. The shoe has an athletic-inspired silhouette and yet gels in completely with the printed collar, thanks to DC’s collaboration with the art collective CYRCLE. A premium suede upper and an inset panel covered in custom camo artwork gives this shoe a very cool look. Inner mesh lining helps with breathability and the cupsole construction ensures comfort and protection. The mid-sole has a great geometric pattern to it while the outsole uses sticky rubber for awesome grip.
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Fulton Leather
Yeah yeah, we all know about the All star canvas and leather as well. But you won’t see this shoe on many people’s feet. Perforated leather upper, thick crisp-white midsole, a pull tab for easy slide-in and slide-out, padded collar and tongue, canvas lining, metal eyelets, flat laces and an All Star branding on the tongue. This sneaker is pure street and can be worn with a variety of clothing. Our only gripe is that it’s not available in every color under the sun.
Adidas Originals Hamburg Freizeit
A shoe that was released back in 1982 as part of the now legendary City Series, the Hamburg quickly began one of the most popular silhouettes during the 80’s. The shoe made a comeback in 2015 in the ‘Freizeit’ edition avatar constructed from premium pigskin suede, perforation on the side walls and the ankle. The signature Hamburg midsole with debossed stripes on the medial and lateral sides can be recognized among a horde of other sneakers from afar. Leather detailing on the tongue and lining along with matching flat beige laces rounds off the shoe.
What are some of your favorite low-top sneakers? Do you agree with this list? What according to you are some of the most slept-on low top sneakers? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on IG/Twitter: @_thatshoeguy_