I will be wearing very casual ensembles like these on a trip to the East Coast later this summer. Sandals and loafers will not have enough support or cushioning for all the city walking we will do, so I need outfits that work with closed sneakers. I grew up in a tropical climate, so I don’t mind wearing closed shoes in the heat and humidity. I will wear them sans visible socks and with the laces neatly tucked away. 

My first choice of sneaker would have been white Converse (laced or slip-ons), a retro modern classic. But they won’t go the distance comfort-wise, so I had to move on to Plan B: a white leather athletic sneaker like the Propet Washable Walker. Thanks to the Sporty Luxe trend the right combinations will allow me to walk long distances in a fashionable outfit and with happy feet.

Ensemble 1

I’ll pair baggy cotton tan chinos rolled at the hems with a partially tucked white tuxedo shirt from J. Crew. I’ll add a perforated white Nike golf belt, a white leather backpack, and the white sneakers. The luxe comes in with the tuxedo shirt, scrunched at the sleeves, and the ultra refined backpack. I’ll also throw in my blue tuxedo shirt to change things up. 

Ensemble 2

Here I’ll wear baggy boyfriend jeans that I shortened so that the roll finishes just below the knee, like long shorts. I’ll pair them with Boden’s stripy sweatshirts in cream and in red, finishing off the look with the same three part Sporty Luxe complement of white sneakers, belt and backpack. I’ll also pair the boyfriend shorts with roomy white cotton knitwear, a perforated black and white rugby stripe pullover, and oversized linen button-down shirts. The luxe part comes in with the backpack and the fact that I’m not wearing a T-shirt. But it’s definitely the least luxe of the three ensembles. 

Ensemble 3

This formula is the combination I spoke about yesterday: sneakers paired with skirts and dresses. I have three shirtdresses that I will wear big and boxy like a sack dress, sans belt. Two of the dresses came with a belt, but I MUCH prefer the silhouette boxy. More modern, current, casual and breezy. For structure, their length is above the knee. I’ll finish off the look with the same white sneakers and backpack. The dresses add the luxe. One of them is denim and therefore a little more casual, but the other two I chose are made of quite refined fabrications.

All of the items I need for these ensembles are in my wardrobe (see them attached in the Finds area below). I’ve tried all of the combinations and I’m pleased as punch with their practicality and trendy integrity.

You can choose any colour palette for these outfit combinations, and a crossbody or large tote is a great alternative to the backpack. I chose white footwear and accessories because white is pretty, crisp, and bookends the white in my hair. But black, pastel or multi-colour sneakers might work better for you. I also chose sleeved tops and dresses because I prefer to cover up in direct sunlight, but sleeveless is an option too.

The end of season sale for menswear is here, which means lots of Spring and Summer bargains. These items caught my attention as I was browsing the sale racks. 

• Calvin Klein U1000 Cotton Briefs: I have it on good authority that these are extremely comfortable. They launder well and last a long time. 
• Lacoste Jersey Hoodie: Streamlined and classic in happy colours. 
• 7 For All Mankind Luxe Performance Straight Leg Jeans: Extra soft with good drape. Read the rave reviews. 
• Levis 511 Slim Fit Jeans: These are for the small framed man who does not want to wear skinnies, but likes a slim fit. Really good price. 
• Ben Sherman VHS Graphic Tee: Greg has this in ink blue (guess who chose it). A fun tee with a neat high neckline, and sleeves that don’t flap about. VHS tapes bring back good memories, don’t you think?
• 7 For All Mankind Check Sport Shirt: Streamlined but not clingy. Great casual fabric. 
• G-Star 3301 Slim Fit Raw Jeans: Hip and very urban. Sleek fit but not skinny. Might need to size down. 
• Calibrate Trim Fit Non-Iron Dress Shirt: A fashionable shirt in fun colours. Comes in regular, big and tall. Excellent price and read the rave reviews. 
• Nike LunarGlide 5 Running Shoe: Fashionably athletic. 
• Nike Field Trainer Sneaker: Non-athletic and great to wear with invisible socks and shorts. 
• Salvatore Ferragamo Santo Chelsea Boot: I’d wear these if they came in my size. Beautiful. 
• RVCA Broken Walls Graphic T-Shirt: Great graphic. 
• Ben Sherman Elevated Target Graphic T-Shirt: Urban and runs small. Fun layered under an open casual button-down shirt. 

By all means stock up on basics like socks, undies, tees, sleepwear and loungewear. And do browse the suit and dress suit sections too.

For all the soccer fans out there, here’s a roundup of links to get you in the mood for the 2014 World Cup Finals that kick off today in São Paulo.

• Read the intriguing story of the Brazilian soccer uniform and Garcia Schlee, the writer who designed it.
• An editorial shoot for Stolnick Magazine that combines high fashion and football passion.
• The Olsen twins designed a capsule collection of World Cup inspired tees that are exclusively sold at Shopbop.
• The Telegraph lists seven things that Brazil gave the fashion and beauty world.
• Together with football magazine Sepp, Yoox.com created ten unisex World Cup Sweatshirts.
• The Guardian brings us this interactive guide of World Cup kits through the ages.
• Paul Smith, a longtime soccer fan, has designed a limited edition leather printed football in his trademark colours.

Fab Links from Our Members

18-year old Julia Reidhead turned her prom dress into a work of art. Claudia loves how she created her frock from a used wedding dress, and how the huge positive feedback has impacted her plans for the future.

With the Sporty Luxe look trending, Suz enjoyed this history of Converse sneakers.

Emma over at This Kind Choice wrote an interesting post about assessing the quality of a garment. Ornella always finds these type of articles fun and useful in equal measure.

Joy thought it was fun to see a couple of familiar faces while scrolling this pinboard of short haircuts.

Vildy loves to read about people’s aha moments during their style journey. She particularly related to how, despite her physical fragility, Anna B. Wroblewska chose strong, thick fabrics to reflect her “forceful will”.

Angie and I are both in a white sneaker mood and this is great inspiration. Showing ankle skin is a great rule of thumb.

Sally reminds us that no body is like yours, and Angie exclaims that’s FANTASTIC. Decorate and celebrate your body.

Shevia found this Man Repeller post on cool versus effortless style very relevant to conversations on the same topic that pop up a lot on YLF too.

Amber of Shoeper Woman does “dress of the day” and frock roundup features on her blog. Lyn* loves them because Amber’s taste is very inline with her own, plus it helps her to learn more about the dress styles that are “in” on the UK side of the pond.

Aida found this augmented reality mirror that lets you test makeup without putting it on pretty oool.

Laurinda came across this short introduction on why buttons are sized in Ligne (French for lines), along with a handy chart for converting button sizes.

These days it is very much on trend to wear sleeker fashion sneakers and chunkier athletic sneakers with just about anything. Wearing your gym shoes outside of the gym used to be a faux pas, but fashion has moved on. It’s a nod to the Sporty Luxe trend, our age of casualization, and our growing needs for comfort. In fact, jarring juxtapositions created by finishing off a stylish outfit with a pair of sneakers have become fashion forward. Check out the 2015 Resort collections by Nicole Miller, Rag & Bone and Max Mara to get a taste of what I mean. 

Wearing all sorts of sneaker styles with jeans, pants and shorts is a very doable combination, and I have a Pinterest board devoted to the look. But what about pairing sneakers with dresses and skirts? The pictures below are a pretty good representation of the vibe, although by no means exhaustive.

For more inspiration, check out these street style shots that show sneakers combined with skirts and dresses: 

• Short, roomy and tonal with white Chucks
• Neon sneakers with silk and tulle
• A sweater dress with Nikes
• Graphic black and white with black sneakers
• A-line midi with flat forms
• Sack-like shirtdress with cobalt sneakers
• Matchy-matchy shirtdress with athletic sneakers
• Grey wool and black leather with white tennis shoes
• Dressy with Nikes
• Flared skirt, tee and moto with black sneakers
• A little bombshell with athletic sneakers
• Boyfriend shirt, high-low skirt and white tennis shoes

Note that non-athletic sneakers like Converse and slip-ons, as well as chunkier athletic styles are paired with skirts and dresses across all sorts of colours. Outfits are casual and dressy. The look is more about flat sneakers at the moment, but wedged sneakers are not at all dated. 

I’m a yay all the way, and like all the looks that I’ve linked to above. I’m ALL for incorporating on trend, comfortable footwear into our outfits, and applaud 2014 fashion for liberating our feet. Yes, the combination can go horribly wrong, but with proportions in place that are just flattering enough, and a little fashionable intention, it’s an interesting and current look that is practical and comfortable. 

The secret to making this combination just flattering enough is twofold. First, leave off the socks, or at least wear them so that they aren’t visible. I’ll go a step further by saying that I personally prefer it when the laces are tucked away too, but that’s not essential. 

Second, create a longer leg line. That’s achieved by wearing the length of the skirt or dress on or above the knee. Wearing a column of colour will further lengthen the leg line, as will wearing sneakers that are low contrast to your skin tone. Wearing a longer skirt with wedge sneakers is effective because you’re adding the height of a heel. Wearing a midi tube skirt with wedge sneakers creates flattering proportions because the tight silhouette of the skirt adds structure to the outfit. Wearing a crop top with a longer skirt will further lengthen the leg by visually shortening the torso. 

For my own style, I’ll be embracing this look with white sneakers and a boxy shirtdress for hot Summer weather. No socks, and tucked away laces. I’ve chosen white sneakers because they look the prettiest and most crisp to my eye, and bookend the white in my hair. I’ve chosen the sack-like boxy shirtdress for the sneaker pairing because it creates a column of colour, and because it’s about the only style of dress that I like at a length above my knee. I’ll add a refined white backpack to the outfit to accentuate the sporty and pull together the look by repeating the colour white. When it comes to this trend, I am so in.

Over to you. Will you wear sneakers with dresses or skirts? If so, do you stick to fashion sneakers, or will you be more daring and wear the chunkier athletic styles? If it’s not your look, can you appreciate the combination on others? Or are you a nay all the way.