Page 24 - Esquire - USA (Winter 2020)

the Code: Footwork

THE CASE FOR
Dellow ($125) by Stepney Workers Club.

NORMAL-ASS SNEAKERS

The vicious cy-
cle goes something
like this: You see some
super-hyped sneak-
ers. Maybe they’re
limited-edition. Maybe
they’re a collab. What-
ever the case, life will
not be complete until
you get those shoes.
After dealing with a lot
of hassle or spending a
lot of money (or both—
probably both), you buy
them, wear ’em a few
times, spot a new pair
out in the world,
and the process starts
all over again.
Good news: You can
break out of this death
spiral. It’s easy. Just grab
a pair of clean, low-key
sneakers and walk away.
They could be anything
from $100 Adidas
Gazelles to $400 Com-
Gazelle ($100) by Adidas Originals.
mon Projects Original
Nebula Y Man ($175) by Geox.
Achilles. No matter the
price, the best ones
are comfortable enough
to run a 40-yard dash
in but sharp enough to
rock with a suit on the
red carpet. As for the
sneakerhead arms race?
You won’t miss it in the
slightest. Sometimes the
best trend to follow is
not following any trends
at all. —Daniel Dumas

Achilles Low ($411) by Common Projects.

Chuck 70 Low ($80) by Converse.

20 Winter 2020_Esquire photograph: Jeffrey Westbrook