At my last Sephora run, the employee who helped me was wearing the cutest platform sneakers I’ve seen in a while. I’ve been a fan of platform sneakers since Stella McCartney’s first iconic release of them.
I was such a fan in fact, that I bought pink patent leather knockoffs of Stella’s shoes. I wore those babies for nearly 3 years before I got real about their ragged condition.
Image courtesy of lyst.com
Upon first glance of the employee’s shoes, they looked like Converse. But there was something about the stitching that didn’t seem like their brand so I asked.
They told me they actually were Converse and I would be surprised by some of their new styles. Apparently the brand was pivoting further away from their usual feel-the-floor high tops.
Well I checked out their new selections and I was exceedingly impressed.
The Shoes
Run Star Hike
These were the styles the employee was wearing (I highly regret not getting their name, I’m sorry to keep referring to them as “the employee”). In person, these shoes looked like compact hiker boots which is an odd comparison, I know.
There’s something about their tread combined with the high top that reminds me of trekking boot’s silhouette. But these are much smaller and much cuter!
The Run Star Hike is available in multiple colors and styles. I always lean toward darker colors for shoes since the chances of them getting dirty/me being too lazy to clean them are very high. So I like the black best but paisley is a CLOSE second.
Color Run Star Motion
These platforms give me video game character in the best way. They may be a little too out-of-the-box for some but hey that’s fashion!
These make the perfect casual shoes. They’re weird and bright and playful plus they look comfortable. Why not spice up your boring sweats or t shirt/jeans combo with this pop of weird?
I would love to do so and the second I have an extra $120, I will!
Chuck Taylor All Star GR82
I may have spoken too soon when I promised to throw my next available $120 at the Color Run Star Motions. At the time that was written, I hadn’t seen these boots yet.
While these beauties may not qualify as platform sneakers, they’re platform shoes. And I’m obsessed. They actually look pretty similar to a pair of boots I wanted to replace but those are double the price of these!
I already know these boots are comfortable from the platform and tread. The 580+ reviews giving them 4.8 stars out of 5 was just confirmation.
The hook and loop closure plus embroidered straps also add to the dopeness of this boot. That’s right: dopeness.
It’s also available in white, but I’m a sucker for a black boot. While they’re not as insulated as I’d like for a winter boot, they make fro the perfect boots for fall.
Converse if you’re hearing this please do a buy one get one sale soon!
Final Word
The beauty of a fashion brand is watching their evolution. Converse for example has long been the skateboarder’s sneaker brand in my mind, but that’s not entirely the case. Clearly, they’re making some changes and their platform sneakers are a welcome upgrade.