In Defense Of Sneakers

Earlier this week, Crushable’s Drew and I attended an event for the cigar brand Cohiba on the roof of fancypants NY hotel/club Soho House. It was a quite the to-do — the hors d’oeuvres circulated, elaborate Hennessey drinks flowed, and a cute old Cuban man hand-rolled cigars. Drew and I were both wearing sneakers. We were the only women wearing sneakers.

Confession: I own only one pair of heels and I’ve worn them a grand total of three times. Occasionally I’ll put on a pair of boots, but more often than not I’m wearing oxfords, flats or one of my many pairs of sneakers. That night at Soho House I was sporting saddle shoe-inspired plimsolls over a pair of tights. Drew had on a pair of high top Reeboks in bright, almost neon colors. The rooftop was heated, so we grabbed our cognac cocktails and lounged on a comfy chaise by the pool, trying to figure out which end of our freshly-rolled cigar to light. (The rounded one!) Almost immediately a cute dude in a baseball cap leaned over and said: “Look at you guys in your cool sneakers.”

Drew and our new buddy compared sneaks for a bit — his were grey and purple Nikes. A little later, the guy’s friend wandered over and sat down at the edge of our chaise. Before even saying hello, he looked down at Drew’s feet and asked: “Where did you get those shoes?” Turns out the guy’s a sneaker designer, and he was suitably impressed with DG’s sporty footwear.

Last night, Drew hit up a party sponsored by Ann Taylor featuring a performance from the indie rock girl band Au Revoir Simone. She was rocking a totally different pair of high top sneaks, equally as colorful as the Reeboks. After the show, Au Revoir’s lead singer Erica Forster, approached Drew. “I like your sneakers,” she said. “Every time I got nervous on stage I would just look for you in the audience, spot your bright-colored shoes and feel better.”

So ladies! We have news for you. Not only is it totally okay to wear sneaks to events, it can actually work in your favor. You’ll be the cool irreverent chick chomping a cigar, while all the other women blend into a sea of leather and heels. And you’ll be all the more comfortable for it.