Chunky track shoes for women are still riding a wave of popularity for their eye-catching designs and fun aesthetic. But there’s no denying the fact that they’re not as easy to work into an outfit as more traditional shoe styles.
Whether you want to match your new favorite pair of track shoes to a more timeless and traditional outfit or to be a bit more daring, we’re going to break down 5 foolproof ways to style your track shoes. Just don’t call them “ugly sneakers” before you see what they can do.
How to wear your track shoes
The big overarching idea here is creating a contrast that works. Track shoes for women tend to be fairly bold, so you need to give them space to shine.
1. Pair them with a girly dress
Finding that perfect balance of classic and feminine with assertive and masculine can make for a stunning outfit. This could be something shorter, allowing your legs (or tights) to create clean lines that emphasize the size of the track shoes. Or, you could go with a longer dress, but be sure to leave at least 10cm or so between the hem of the dress and your shoes. Otherwise, they risk getting lost.
One blogger has several great examples of how to nail this pairing if you need some inspiration.
2. The new duo: chunky coat and chunky shoes
Pairing a chunky overcoat or puffer jacket with a slimmer pair of shoes can make you look a bit top-heavy. That’s why women's track shoes are an ideal way to balance out an outfit like this. Again, just be sure to follow the same rule mentioned above and ensure your coat ends high enough above your shoes to show them off.
Personally, we’re huge fans of the tailored coat, slim jeans, and funky track shoes look. This article has some nice bits of inspiration for a variety of chunky coat + chunky shoe combinations.
3. Combine them with some dad denim
This is the exception that proves the rule. In most cases, pairing some chunky track shoes with tighter jeans or bare legs helps accentuate the style and create some great contrast, they also work well with looser and lighter-toned “dad jeans.”
But why does this look work? It’s somewhat reminiscent of the dad jeans + ugly sneaker looks that became so iconic and much maligned in the 90s and early 2000s. By working as a cheeky throwback with a modern twist, this style lets you play a bit looser with the rules and really let loose. So if you’ve got an impossibly comfortable pair of looser jeans you need an excuse to wear, those new track shoes just gave you one.
4. Suit up
Guys have been combining traditional suits with contemporary sneakers for years and the combination of elegance, fun, and comfort is hard to beat. So why not get in on that action with your track shoes? This style gets back to the power of contrast, both in form and color. You can choose whether you want your shoes to match the color palate of your suit and to rely solely on their shape to stand out or to be a bit more bold and go for a full-on contrast.
Either way, combining the traditional masculinity of a suit with the non-traditional shape and style of track shoes is a fun way to break some boundaries and really make a statement.
5. Be creative and mix it up
In the end, chunky track shoes are all about breaking the mold and being different, so they’re a great excuse to really get creative. All of our tips above are surefire ways to put together reliably fashionable outfits, but they can’t bring out your creativity.
Try mixing and matching contrasting patterns and textures depending on whether your track shoes use more leather, suede, rubber, polyester, etc. You can go super traditional with a suit jacket or feminine dress, or go off-script with something like a tracksuit. The sky's the limit and once you embrace that bold aesthetic, there’s no stopping you.
The trendiest contemporary track shoe designers
Finding the right track shoes for your style dreams starts with finding the right track shoe store with the designers you love. If you want something a bit more subdued and without a focus on the label, NO NAME is a great brand to check out. LÄST has some stunning Scandinavian vibes while being made in Portugal (a country that’s seen tremendous success with shoes that buck the low-quality high-volume trends of recent decades.)
Then, if you’ve got the budget you can always go for the granddadies of the trend: Balenciaga. Their “ones that look like socks” and chunky Triple S are already classics for good reason. But for most of us, wearing something that expensive just isn’t an option. Fortunately, there are plenty of high-quality and affordable brands out there. So what are you waiting for, get yourself the track shoes you’ve already wanted and start styling them today.
