Tennis Shoes With Suits

[miel]

OK, before ya'll get on my case just hold your fire. I'm not asking you whether I can wear tennis shoes with suits. I'm saying I'M GOING TO SO WOULD YOU HELP ME PICK OUT A GOOD PAIR? :p :D

It's complex but I'm a teacher and we can look strange if we want to. I'm planning on committing this abomination with the minimum of horribleness and need assistance.

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/product_id/7187843.html

http://www.zappos.com/images/718/7187843/827-186221-d.jpg

First up you got your Pumas. The Pumas will make me seem like less of a dork. I think. I am probably wrong about this. Are Pumas still in style? No? Crap!

Next up: NINE WEST YANANAN

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/product_id/7209381.html

OK, I'm too lazy to do the others. These are the main contenders. Opinions anyone?

The benefit of the Pumas is that you don't have to tie them. Most days I literally don't even have time to tie my shoes. If you go to the zappos.com website you can look at them from all angles.

The benefit of the Yohanan is that they almost seem like Oxfords, not tennies. So they won't be too shocking of fashion sensibilities.

They're both kind of cool. I ordered both because Zappos has free shipping and free return and you can wait 365 DAYS! to return shoes for a refund!! How cool is that? So it's like going to a shoe store--you try 'em on and you return 'em.

[maplekitty]

please say you're talking pant suits and not skirt suit??!!!! :p

[maplekitty]

All these found on zappos.com

sketchers
http://www.zappos.com/images/545/7183545/985-175429-d.jpg

DKNY
http://www.zappos.com/images/713/7130838/985-254262-d.jpg

[KK812]

If you're going to do it, do it like Ellen ;)

[falayah]

i agree with kk812...

[megs7384]

I have a pair of sneakers from ecco that are dark purple. I wear them with dress pants to work on occassion. My office is pretty casual, so we don't wear suits, but I would say go for something not black. It reminds me of ihop waitresses. Find some tennis shoes in a cute color like red or dark green. They turn out to be more versitile than you think if you don't go neon!

[wendalah]

OK, if you're going to do it, I wouldn't do the black sneaker. I'd personally go for a pair of slip-on Vans (and, if it were me, I'd do the Gwen thing and get the checkerboard pattern), or classic Keds.

[ssstephanie]

If you're going to do it, do it like Ellen ;)


ITA.

[miel]

please say you're talking pant suits and not skirt suit??!!!!

Definitely! I'm not that crazy. I can imagine me in hose and and the tennis shoes like those women in the 80s in their track shoes.

Who is this Ellen? And how does she do it so well?

It reminds me of ihop waitressesThe thing about Ihop waitresses. I had a fear similar to that in the back of my mind. The whole black tennis shoes as uniform accessory thing. Dang. Purple. That's a thought! Somehow I thought if I got something space age that would somehow counteract the uniform look.

Would a silver strip on black sneaker be as good as the purple idea?

The Pumas are probably not space age enough. The DKNY are more space age but they probably cost too much.

http://www.zappos.com/images/329/7188329/985-183459-d.jpg

These purple converse are probably too weird huh?

I don't like all the beige rubber on these Pumas.

http://www.zappos.com/images/715/7156598/3034-195611-d.jpg

What do you think of these?

http://www.zappos.com/images/720/7202956/2249-200976-d.jpg

Keen Bronx.

Hi Wendela!! It's so weird that Vans are back in style. Vans bring back complicated memories of a boy I had a crush on that I bought Vans for thinking he would love me. It all ended in tears. Of course, that was 8th grade but maybe Vans are jinxed.

[miel]

One more? Puma mostro garment.

http://www.zappos.com/images/718/7182286/1733-173481-d.jpg

THANKS YOU GUYS. Maplekitty I am strangely drawn to those sketchers you like.

[wendalah]

I'm guessing they mean Ellen DeGeneres--you know, cool dykey casual-chic look--Ellen wears sneaks with her suits all the time. k.d. lang does the cool dykey casual-chic suiting look well too (although I don't know if she wears sneakers with her suits. But you get what I mean).

[wendalah]

BTW...I say "dyke" with respect! Pulling off a cool dyke look is hard, whether you are actually a lesbian or not.

[megs7384]

What do you think of these?

http://www.zappos.com/images/720/7202956/2249-200976-d.jpg

Keen Bronx.



I actually quite like these and also the Pumas in the post right below these.

[booksie]

http://photos.yafro.com/pics3/i/20051113/01/c/d/5/cd56f3155196dbab46686561652efbb9200511130_full.jpg

[ssstephanie]

I think a suit with Converse would be really cute, just like in the pic above. If you're going for the spunky look, I'd avoid wearing say, a black suit with black tennies. But instead maybe some classic white Pumas with a black stripe.

[Daisy]

How about the Cole Haan's with the Nike Air technology:

http://a1216.g.akamai.net/f/1216/955/6h/images2.nordstrom.com/images/store/product/medium/58361.jpg

http://a1216.g.akamai.net/f/1216/955/6h/images2.nordstrom.com/images/store/product/medium/58059.jpg

http://a1216.g.akamai.net/f/1216/955/6h/images2.nordstrom.com/images/store/product/medium/163254.jpg

[miel]

OK, here's a weird option which I like partly for its low price. Both under "Pewter on sale."

http://www.zappos.com/images/718/7182096/827-172890-d.jpg

Fornarina Flash

http://www.zappos.com/images/718/7182771/1733-187157-d.jpg

This is the Elle Maven.

I won't post the weird Adidas climacool.

If you're going for the spunky look, I'd avoid wearing say, a black suit with black tennies. But instead maybe some classic white Pumas with a black stripe.

Thanks Stephanie! I have been completely convinced by the comments here not to do a black tennis shoe with a black suit. White kind of scares me though. I think I would destroy them.

If you do come back here can you tell me if you like these Sketchers? They don't have white Pumas in my price range.

http://www.zappos.com/images/719/7198225/3034-195867-d.jpg

Daisy I kind of like the gold one.

http://www.zappos.com/images/715/7155651/1733-149139-d.jpg

Reeboks class above in red.

http://www.zappos.com/images/616/7156616/985-153464-d.jpg

The reviews of the red Puma above make it very tempting. They all rave about how comfy it is.

[miel]

Oops! I bought the red Pumas just now. How am I going to stop myself from ordering 10 jillion shoes at this rate?

They were 50% off (but still 50 plus bucks which is expensive for me) and they said there was only 1 in that size left plus the sale was ending on Friday.

Man, I'm so weak. At least I can still send this stuff back.

I'm not a shoe person. I do own a fair number of shoes but that's because I am in my late 30s and have bought maybe 1-2 pairs of shoes a year and I never throw my shoes out. It's more than 2 pairs a year if you count slippers and $6 plastic slip on shoes to go out and get the mail and stuff.

It figures I would become a shoe freak over tennis shoes!

You guys have helped me a lot! You stopped from doing the dorky IHOP waitress black shoe look. Now maybe you can save me from a crazy red Puma look? I'd wear them with black, grey and brown pantsuits and of course black/grey/brown pants plus sweaters look. Is that a bad combo? Tan pants plus red pumas is probably pushing it huh?

[ssstephanie]

I really like the two red ones you just posted....One was Reebok and I'm not sure what brand the other red one was. What about some classic adidas. Let me find pictures.

[ssstephanie]

some pants like these:

http://a1216.g.akamai.net/f/1216/955/6h/images2.nordstrom.com/images/store/product/medium/9546.jpg
with something like these:

http://www.zappos.com/images/717/7178919/1733-230169-d.jpg

something like this)nevermind the color):
http://a1216.g.akamai.net/f/1216/955/6h/images2.nordstrom.com/images/store/product/medium/11483.jpg

with some Adidas Superstar(the best):

http://adus.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pADIDAS1-2443115w345a.jpg

If you're looking for something funky and on a budget...I agree with some previous posters about going with checkerboard Vans or any color Vans and Converse. That would be really cute and stand out in a good way;)

[ssstephanie]

See the tennies here? You could definitely wear those red reeboks with these. Or some Vans or Converse.

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/images/us/local/products/productsall/p218247b.jpg

These Vans(from urbanoutfitters.com) would be super cute with some white pants:

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/images/us/local/products/productsall/p204993b.jpg

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/images/us/local/products/productsall/p218699b.jpg

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/images/us/local/products/productsall/p232099b.jpg

[miel]

Thanks Stephanie!!! You rock!

[Asha]

http://www.zappos.com/images/718/7182771/1733-187157-d.jpg

i like these.

[Asha]

i like these by steve madden.

http://www.stevemadden.com/images/itemimages/category_large/RACKKET%20BLACK%20MULTI.jpg

oh, and i now how much you love target, so here are some from there.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000B7N54K.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000A7SYD8.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg

[keska]

I wear my suits with pumas (skirt suits too) but only for commuting. I'm not about to walk the 15-20 minutes to the metro, run down the long esclator, and then walk to work on the other end in high heels, especially in the rain or when it's freezing out. I timed it once. It takes a lot more time to walk in heels and it's colder. Tennis shoes keep your feet warmer which translates into warmer legs too.

[miel]

Asha I'm tempted by the Steve Madden ones but I wonder if the silver stripe will counteract the black tennis shoe IHop waitress problem.

Keska For some reason whenver I like a tennis shoe on zappos it is always by Puma. There's just something about Pumas==maybe it's their sleekness.

Anyway, my Pumas came today and they were too small. I went on Zappos to see if I could get more and I have to go up a whole size--all the half sizes were gone. But then I read on some other Pumas the reviews that said Pumas are too small so go up one size. Hope that works.

After this (or maybe even BEFORE this when I send all this stuff back) I'M NOT BUYING ANYTHING.

And if anyone read my pathetic Target plea for help do you know that I did not buy anything from Target after that? So maybe I am not so pathetic as I think although I may slip and buy a $25 sweater for mother's day. (These shoes are still from my birthday money.)

[ssstephanie]

miel- why won't you shop at Target??

[miel]

Stephanie Oh, I love Target but I was lovin' Target just a little too much if you know what I mean.

I bought some clothes at Target and then I could dress nicer and that felt like it could get addicting. I have come to realize that to look sort of good on a regular basis you have to shop for clothes regularly. It's just that I have no money right now or even maybe a long time into the future. I have to balance the 'wow, I bought new clothes and now I look better' against the 'I'm way poor and have no business buying anything!'

Then, I started buying clothes on Ebay and now I have to stop that too! Of course, I didn't spend all that much money.

Anyway, that might be a new thread! Let's help each other not spend money. Is there a thread like that?

[keska]

Ooh, I should have warned you about Pumas. In my experience, they do run small.

I love that tan and pink pair. If I had a job right now, I'd definitely buy them.

[Sol]

I love these! And I usually can't stand sneakers that look like sneakers.

http://www.zappos.com/images/717/7178919/1733-230169-d.jpg

This is what I wear to go to work, though:

http://www.zappos.com/images/3/38-TRANCE-1010/48606-p.jpg

Sol.

[miel]

Sol-- Those bottom ones are so groovy. I see it says Hush Puppies. Maybe I should check it out.

[Sol]

They're super comfortable and come in a lot of colors. I usually wear them with very wide-legged pants so just the tip shows and it's almost mistaken for flats. Like this I can go from the gym to the office with less gear.

Sol.