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Put a spring in your step with white trainers from the likes of Onitsuka Tiger and adidas
Finding the best pair of white trainers is no mean feat – you want optimum fit, comfort, and style. Owing to their longevity and versatility, they are a wardrobe essential that you’ll likely wear year-round, making them a great shoe to invest in.
Very few treads can transform an outfit like a pair of box-fresh white trainers – they can just as easily dress down an ensemble as elevate one. The only thing to make sure of is that your creps are kept clean at all times.
In terms of the designs that are dominating right now, pretty much anything goes, but low-top styles are firm favourites this season. Key heavyweights, of course, include Onitsuka Tiger (there’s no escaping the Mexico 66 SD design at the moment) and adidas, but we’re also here to showcase that lesser-known brands can be just as impressive.
Whether you prefer a classic clean-lined tread or lean towards a chunky sneaker, there’s a pair of white trainers for you to wear with dresses, shorts or trousers this summer and beyond.
When testing the trainers, we put our best foot forward and really put these styles through their paces. First and foremost, we prioritised comfort and fit over anything else. Beyond that, we wanted trainers that didn’t lose their box-fresh look after just a couple of wears and designs that could be worn with anything and everything. These are our favourite white trainers for 2024.
American trainer brand Autry is making a quiet resurgence. With so many designs to choose from, it can be hard to know which one is best but this pair of treads instantly stood out to us. One of the brand’s signature styles, these are retro yet timeless – neither chunky nor slimline, they’re the perfect style for everyday wear.
The clean-lined design and slightly off-white colour meant we found ourselves reaching for them time and time again. In terms of fit, they’re true to size and very comfortable straight out of the box. We’re predicting this brand will soon be as popular as Veja, so buy these shoes if you want a pair of white trainers that not many people have (yet).
New Balance has quickly become one of the world’s favourite trainer brands. You can’t go far without seeing one of its sneakers, and every ‘It girl’ has at least one pair in their collection. And we can see why. Comfortable and well-designed are just two of the attributes of the brand’s many designs.
The 550 trainers have quickly become a bestseller, and they are a firm favourite of ours too. A remake of the Eighties basketball trainer, the low-profile shoe can be worn with everything and anything. Despite looking quite chunky, they’re not very weighty. We did notice they pinched slightly at the widest part of our feet but, through more wear, this subsided. The supportive sole and added cushioning on the collar and tongue provided extra comfort. There is also a colourway for every preference – although be warned, the popularity means they are selling out at lightning speed.
You can’t go far without seeing a pair of adidas samba trainers. The Nineties classic has been a huge hit for some time, with the likes of Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner really turning it into the It shoe to be seen in.
Aside from being popular among the fashion pack, there’s a lot going for them. For starters, they’re comfortable straight out of the box, which was a pleasant surprise, as we thought the narrow design would be tight on wider feet. The arch support was also appreciated, as was the padded footbed. Similarly, they go with everything, from dresses to jeans.
Axel Arigato is one of our favourite brands, owing to its contemporary designs that are cool and considered. If it’s chunky trainers you’re looking for, the marathon runner shoes are for you – with a hefty, exaggerated sole and fairly wide design, they certainly offer that dad trainer statement.
While the design is inspired by running a shoe, they don’t provide the same level of padding as a pair of sporty trainers do. The footbed is slightly firmer than other brands, so they do take a little bit of time to bed in but, having tested them on a long walk, we found them to provide decent support.
As you’d expect from a trainer of this shape and size, they are rather weighty, so prepare to get your stomp on.
Low-top styles are dominating, and Japanese brand Onitsuka Tiger has really been making waves of late, with its instantly recognisable tricolour design and thin sole. The Mexico 66 SD trainers are exactly what you’d expect: rounded toe and a comfortable footbed. While we love the look of the thin sole, it does take a bit of getting used to – we almost felt as though we were walking barefoot.
Despite having slightly wide feet, we didn’t find the narrow design to be too restrictive. In fact, we were pleased with how comfortable they were. Compared with other trainers in this round-up, we found these had a surprisingly impressive grip on the sole, which is an obvious bonus if you get caught in the rain. Our only gripe is that we found the thin laces came undone numerous times during a short walk.
Owing to how much we loved Autry’s medalist low sneakers, we had to try the high-top version of its cult classic design. And, as you’d expect, we were not left disappointed. Offering a great alternative to Nike dunks – which everyone seems to have – these sneakers are a fashion-forward favourite, and very comfortable. We were surprised by how easy they were to style, from dressing down tailored trousers to pairing them with baggy jeans, the options are endless.
For something cheap and cheerful, you can’t go wrong with these trainers. The simple design lends itself well to any outfit and the faux leather can be wiped clean, which is always a bonus with white treads. While we did find them to be comfortable, they required a little bit of wearing in but, at less than £20, this is a small price to pay.
Cast away your aspersions of Velcro shoes being exclusively for school playgrounds, because these Veja trainers prove they can be cool (and convenient).
Like many of the brand’s trainers, these do have fairly firm footbeds that might not be to everyone’s comfort and do require a little bit of wearing in. However, these have been in our footwear bounty for more than two years, and we’ve found they stand the test of time and look as neat as they did on the first day they arrived.
If you didn’t already know, this brand is all about doing good – it offers full transparency at every stage of its shoe production, from the material used to wages paid. The best thing of all, it is a certified B Corp (arguably the crème de la crème of eco credentials).
These trainers were featured in last year’s review of the best white trainers, and we loved them so much we had to include them again. Thanks to the memory foam cushioning, these are supremely comfortable and have helped us walk many miles. As for the design, this type of runner shoe style is particularly trendy, and we liked how they weren’t made from leather – although this does make them slightly difficult to keep clean. The off-white colour is a great pick for those not after something bright, and, of course, as with all our picks, these can be worn with anything.
The latest launch from Axel Arigato is the area trainer. Much like the New Balance 530s, the brand has taken inspiration from vintage basketball shoes and has, as you’d expect, delivered a seriously cool trainer.
Despite the chunkier design, we were surprised at how comfortable they were, with the footbed providing support. The balance between sporty and sleek means you can wear these with jeans, dresses and work trousers.
It’s hardly a surprise that these tennis-inspired trainers, which have been designed in collaboration with Roger Federer, are supremely comfortable and supportive. In comparison with other trainers in this review, such as the Axel Arigato marathon shoes, these are extremely light, making walking in them the ultimate dream. Given their design, these can be styled with everything and anything, and can even be worn for a run about, should you wish.
New Balance has so many different designs, which is why we also wanted to include this pair, as well as the 550 trainers, above. If you’re looking for an alternative to clean white treads, these are a great option, since they have an off-white colourway.
While we found these to have a very comfortable and cushiony footbed, we did notice they rubbed occasionally at the back, but this subsided the more we wore them.
Perhaps Nike’s most enduring style, the air force 1 range is mostly unchanged since its first iteration on the basketball court in 1982. The kicks are instantly recognisable, thanks to the padded collar, stitched overlays, low-cut streamlined silhouette and, of course, the signature tick.
In our opinion, the crisp leather finish looks best in all-white – as the style will complement just about anything in your wardrobe (trust us, we wore our first pair to death circa 2017).
Designed to be springy enough for dunking, the style has a cushioned foam midsole for all-day comfort and support. Whether styled up with a blazer and wide-leg trousers or contrasting a feminine floaty dress come summer, Nike’s air force 1s are a classic for good reason.
The timelessness and reigning appeal of Converse means everyone should own at least one pair of its trainers. This Chuck Taylor design is a firm favourite – while the canvas finish is hugely popular, we’d recommend opting for the leather finish, as it’s easier to keep clean and looks a little smarter.
The design offers an androgynous finish to slightly more feminine outfits, which we love. Having had this pair of trainers for more than a year, we can testify to their endless wearability – we’ve styled them with everything from mini skirts to jeans, and even wide-leg trousers. A great pick if you’re on the hunt for a high-top that’ll stand the test of time.
The love for sporty chic kicks is showing no sign of waning, proven by the Salomon sneaker micro-trend taking over social media. The XT-6 trainers are a great option if you want to complete your outfit with a cool sporty, outdoorsy look. The style looks just as good when worn on hikes as they would in the city – and, while they did take a couple of wear to mould to our feet, now that they have, they’re comfortable. Having styled with a whole host of different outfits – formal wide-leg trousers to skirts and dresses – we’re sure these will easily slot into your wardrobe.
The sheer joy of humble white trainers is their versatility. Traditionally, sneakers have been saved for off-duty days, but they’re now being worn in all aspects of life, including to the office, and rightly so. In terms of how to style white trainers for work, it is very dependent on the formalities. Firstly, we’d always recommend making sure your pair of treads are box-fresh, this will make styling them a lot easier, as they tend to look smarter. White trainers can be styled with wide-leg work trousers and a shirt, and you’ll also still look pulled together when you pair them with a full suit.
Keeping your white trainers box-fresh is hard, even when you’re trying your best. Cleaning them will depend on the fabric. If they’re leather – faux or otherwise – we’d recommend investing in The Pink Stuff (£6.36, Amazon.co.uk). Essentially, you work a small amount of the pink paste into the trainer with a slightly damp microfibre cloth and wipe it off with another damp cloth. It’s a fairly easy cleaning job but will leave your sneakers looking as good as new. For non-wipe-clean trainers, we have been known to put them inside a pillow case before slinging them into the washing machine, on a slow cycle.
Choosing the right pair of trainers for you will depend on exactly the style you’re looking for. For us, it was Autry’s medalist low sneakers that stole the show. Not only did we love the low-profile design, which is bang on trend, but they’re also super comfortable and go with everything. The clean-lined design will be something you’ll gravitate towards. For something more fashion-forward, opt for the Salomon XT-6 rubber-trimmed mesh sneakers or Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 SD trainers, which are both supportive and comfortable.
Eva Waite-Taylor is eCommerce editor at The Independent, she oversees all IndyBest product review content and has a particular interest in fashion. Having written tried and tested reviews since 2019, she’s well-versed in assessing whether a product is worth your money and has her finger on the pulse when it comes to trends.
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