Which sneaker lacing style do you prefer? - YouLookFab Forum

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Which sneaker lacing style do you prefer?

Chris987

Veteran

This may seem like a pretty trivial question. Which style do you prefer for sneaker laces? I don't know the official names, but I'll call #1 crisscross and #2 laddering. Which do you prefer, and can you say why? I'm trying to answer the question for myself and I'm totally stuck.

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23 replies

Latest reply was from Helen11

Eliza

Veteran

I prefer the laddering. I like the laces to be minimized as much as possible.

Joy

Veteran

I like the laddering because it is not as tight on the top of the foot and looks neater. I like to tuck the ends of the laces away rather than tie them, a suggestion by Angie.

always trying

Veteran

criscross as I have to get the ones in the middle tighter so they don't slip on my heels. I am finding that I can also wear lace up flats and sandals if i can tighten laces so they are tighter across my foot and looser at the bottom-in other words so they can e adjusted to make the shoes fit better.

Diana

Veteran

Crisscross because I have low volume feet and I can't get the laddered ones tight enough.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Either one. No preference.

JAileen

Veteran

I always assumed the second one was just for displays at stores. I've never seen anyone wear their laces that way. It looks tidy, though.

My personal pet peeve is how the laces are tied. In the picture (sorry for my dirty boots) I think the shoe on the right looks better than the one on the left. I see shoes here on YLF tied like the one on the left all the time. It looks bad, IMO. Does anyone else notice or care?

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Joyce B

Veteran

I always tie mine like your picture on the right, parallel to the shoe top.

Ledonna N.

Veteran

I like the ladder look. It looks so clean and neat.

karen13

Veteran

I like the laddered look, but I use crisscross to keep them on my feet snugly.
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/lacing.htm - because I am a big geek.

So many variations! Some for practical fit issues, some for looks.

I lace my athletic shoes specially to take pressure off my high instep, and lock my heels better.

Chris987

Veteran

Thanks for all the replies, very interesting viewpoints. And karen13 love that shoelace web site...who knew there were 45 diff ways to tie laces??? And especially love the page showing the pros/cons of all the different lacing styles including one that can give covert/CIA messages...what a hoot!

Anonymous

Crisscross

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

I have no preference but I think all of mine are criss-cross

Nebraskim

Veteran

Ladder. I wear my Cons in this style and sometimes my running shoes. As to the tying, the look on the left is often called a Granny Knot and usually it's unsecure and will untie or loosen itself. My spouse ties his shoes this way and they come undone about a zillion times a day. This occurs because when you go to make the loop over, you are looping away from your body, instead of toward your body, which makes the more secure knot. I have been unable to convince him of this so I just let him stop and re-tie his shoes constantly.

Anonymous

I double knot my shoe laces so they don't come untied.

rachylou

Veteran

45?! Omg. I can barely tie my shoes as is... I like the ladder look, but just undid that on a pair of shoes because I find it difficult to loosen the laces to get my shoe on my bad foot...so, crisscross is my answer

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Crisscross so I can adjust the fit. Actually, I'd never noticed any other way. Must read the 45 different ways, however.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I will confess something that no one here knows about me - I don't know how to tie my shoes the right way. I was really uncoordinated as a kid and had velcro shoes for a long time. I struggled with learning how to tie my shoes and only learned the 'make two loops and tie them together' method. I never mastered the proper 'rabbit' method. As a result my shoes come untied fairly often, especially if I'm wearing certain pants that hit right at the knot in my laces (darn PPL).

Diana

Veteran

Heh, as long as we're confessing our shoe-tying sins here... 9 times out of 10 I don't untie and tie my sneakers and oxfords. I just kind of shove my feet into them with the laces still tied. My feet are low-volume enough that it more or less works with most non-high top shoes.

ETA: this is one reason I don't wear my docs more. I really do have to tie and untie and adjust all the laces on those every time I want to wear them, and it's such a hassle. I am so lazy.

Sal

Veteran

I have never really thought about it...I do the criss cross as it is easy to do and adjust. I probably have crooked laces too. I only have laces on converse and sneakers.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I usually do criss cross, but I think it depends on the shoes -- both the fit, the style of the shoe, and the style of the laces themselves.

MsMaven

Veteran

Normally I would do the criss cross, but now I have arthritis on the top of my left foot (and at the base of my toes.) I do a different method where one side just runs straight up and the other crosses. Sorry, no photo.

Alas, I need the support of lace up shoes for walking and being on my feet a lot, but it is getting so that I can't stand laces too often, so I'm exploring the world of slip ons.

jacquez

karen13, I also lace to take pressure off my instep, and use a lace lock at the top for heel snugness.

By preference, I use elastic laces on all my sneakers. I'm particularly fond of the Xpand laces -- backed them on Kickstarter and rather wish I'd gotten more than 3 pairs...no worries, I'm sure I'll be able to get more eventually!

Due to a foot injury, I recently had to purchase a pair of New Balance sneakers (WW847V2, in dark grey) that are a style black hole, because they were highly recommended for this particular problem. Swapping out the laces for brightly-colored ones made SUCH a difference!

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Helen11

Veteran

Hooray for the bright laces, Jacquez!