Beckett Simnon Low Profile White Sneakers Worth the investment?
I ordered a pair of Beckett Simnon low profile white sneakers before reading the updates of 2016 to 2023 and how slim profiles are not favored anymore. Should I cancel my order? I was hoping to invest in something timeless but that is ironically no longer the case.
My understanding of fashion is limited to what was advised in 2016. I generally preferred slimmer fited clothes and I agreed that it was timeless as it serves the utilitarian purpose of accentuating one's profile.
I haven't developed the intuition to guide me on whether something is "correct" or "incorrect" for me, so I am looking for some guidance to get started.
For context, I am a 36 year old male that is losing weight and gaining muscle, and as a result, my older clothes no longer fit. I thought I would use this opportunity to update my wardrobe more seriously than I have in the past. I also want to consider what is "age appropriate" vs what looks comical on someone my age.
P.s. if someone can point me towards guides or albums for inspiration, I would appreciate it.
74 Replies
Which ones specifically?
It really depends what your goals are for how you want to dress. Do you want to be more trendy / fashionable for 2024 and develop a sense of style that people into fashion think is cool? Sure cancel your order and try and be more intentional about your clothing purchases
Minimal white sneakers like the Becketts can still be fine if you don't particularly want to be fashion-forward though. They're solid shoes and versatile in the sense that you can wear them with a lot of things (even if you won't get compliments on them from people who are into fashion these days)
Re: guides, many are linked here - https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1125076626665910332 or on the substack
wider and slimmer fits both work at most ages, and anyone can look good or bad in a fit for a number of reasons
I agree with GSH, those shoes can definitely still work. Some longer inseam, wide pants would look great. I have that brand, albeit quite a few years old now, and the quality is nice for the value.
The shoes can work but why would you try?
There are cheaper sneakers that have a) existed forever b) aren't off trend and c) I don't think are ugly
And d) are easy to wear with a wide range of fits
For inspiration, we recommend looking through #waywt-highlights and #waywt and making a note of what you like. There are users who are around our age and older who post there regularly, but most of the younger users on this server wear styles that will work on someone in their mid-30s
If you buy clothes and want feedback, you can post pictures in #styling-suggestions and we'll help you figure out if an outfit works or if things fit in a way that's more on-trend. If you're looking for brand recommendations for anything you can post another thread in the #questions-and-advice channel.
As far as whether you should keep the shoes, you can probably see we have differing opinions--I agree with @GSH that they're off-trend but not inherently bad. If your goal is to dress on-trend I would go for Air Force ones or New Balances like GSH's guide recommends.
unnecessarily aggro here
Lots of buzzwords in your post. Timeless and age appropriate are highly subjective terms and two people will have different opinions on what they mean.
Back to the shoes, as many people will hate them just as many will like them. It all boils down to - Do you like them? Do they fit what you want to present to the world? Do they work with they way you live and go about your day?
Guides are nice but don't think of them as checklists.
Build your own inspo while answering those questions I just mentioned up there. Note little details like color, fabric, etc. This will all Build a certain style ypu gravitate towards.
In the end have fun with it, don't buy too quickly, and make sure it fits with "you"
My bad. I do personally dislike minimalist white sneakers haha and it seems like OP isn't particularly tied to them.
Especially as they can still cancel the order
I wear a fedora most days, so ymmv lol
I think experimenting is important, I’ve tried a lot of shoes on in the last few years (and know you’ve been in a big “try shit on” era too!) and I wear triple white stan smiths most days when a few years ago I was convinced I wouldn’t like them (oop, meant to reply to benji)
I wear white BS sneakers from time to time. Sometimes I just want to blend in with people around me
This. Figure out what you like, and sometime step outside the box just a little and you might change your perception
To GSH’s point they won’t get you compliments from fashion ppl but if you like them and they’re comfortable they won’t make you look worse
Aren't these particular shoes like $170 tho? Doesn't seem too conducive to experimenting
Like my Reebok club Cs were $65 and stan smiths are also less than these
Maybe that’s within his experimenting budget
It's ok to not be "fashionable". If you like slim stuff, keep rocking it. Who cares. But try a relaxed fit and you might like it
And those shoes all look different
I like stan smiths, I don’t the way like GATs work with my clothes, I don’t like some Reeboks, it’s extremely subjective
Full disclosure i bought BS minimal white sneaks and gave them to a friend shortly after missing the return window because I didn’t like them better than the stan smiths but that was my experience
Everyone around me is still in slim stuff. I actually had zero clue we were in wide era until I started doing what you are currently doing, getting involved in forums etc.
Now I'm literally the only person around in wide pants (relaxed fit or bigger). I rarely see anyone in relaxed fits
Anyway I think we’ve gotten a bit off topic - let’s let the OP have a chance to read and chime in if he wants to
I think its still on target as he is overhauling his entire wardrobe. So it's still in the vein of advice given to newbies slow down and take your time. Try to get too influenced by the zeitgeist and other folk's opinions.
Def post fits and get advice if you're unsure about if something works.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY DONT BE AFRAID TO RETURN THINGS IF YOU DONT IMMEDIATELY LIKE IT.
If you don't immediately gravitate to something, it's highly likely you'll wear it less and less and you'll realize you wasted money
Reid Sneakers White
I think what I'm looking for is something along the pareto principle, 20% effort for 80% gain. I am just trying to maximize my investments when rebuilding a capsule wardrobe to "impress" the most amount of people. I guess another way to say it is I am looking at fashion from a purely utilitarian perspective of maximizing my perceived social value rather than as a form of artistic expression.
Yeah I think those are the ones I have. I like them for when I'm trying some basic fit. Very comfortable. Had them a few years
This is what I was sadly realizing. I have no idea what fashion "means" but as an outside observer, I can't help but think that this is a giant step backwards.
Its likely that most of the people around you have no idea whats in fashion
You can jump on the wide fit train and most people will think you are behind the curve dressing like an old man, when actually it's the opposite lol
These pants once elicited a comment of "what's up with those highwaters?" A term I had not heard since gradeschool lmao.
My hands are in my pockets here so they actually sit LOWER than this picture
There's also a wholeeeeeee thing about dressing for other people vs dressing for yourself vs dressing for occasion, black hole you could go down, which sometimes causes me to go F IT I'LL JUST WEAR GYM CLOTHES EVERYWHERE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!!!11!
Anyways.
Good luck with the shoes!
100% this
Put That Shit On, OP
slim shoes, straight pants
Chuck 70s are probably about the only "timeless" sneaker there is
Yeh a pair of white chuck 70s would be great
I personally have a pair of white Reebok club C 85s and black chuck 70s
Then I'd go for something else. Look around #waywt and see what shoes you like or that you think would be good for your style
Classic red jordans
Tigers maybe
I don't see JFK wearing those in 1952 😄
Were GATs ever off trend
Idk I don’t think so? They were never not in but for a while I don’t think they were that popular
Off trend, yes but uncool? No
Reebok Club C 85s are great.
IMO any fit you might think about wearing the white minimalist sneaker with would look way better with Club Cs, GATs, or white AF1 lows
I like this advice in theory however I feel (incorrectly or not) that I need a baseline first before calibrating. Sort of like learn the rules first before breaking them.
There was also mention of budget and I don't have unlimited disposable income. For my experience and budget, any clothing that costs more than $100 is questionable to me. I need to justify that purchase with something.
Lol, this resonates with me. I work in an office and some of the gen z'ers wear athleisure type stuff. I don't actually think anyone around where I live has any idea what is fashionable or not. I just want to make an informed baseline before branching out.
This is something I've considered, I just figured in this case I should cancel my order because I have to wait a month anyways and I can go buy some New Balances today if that was my choice.
I'm trying to figure this out now. I am going to try this wide-fit stuff but part of me is repulsed. I grew up in the 90's. Why would I want to dress like what I had thought we had progressed from?
It sounds stupid but I am willing to give it a try because in the end, I think I am part of the dressing for others camp more so than the other two if only because clothing is utilitarian as symbols for status, cultural knowledge, etc.
you mentioned perceived social value as a decision driver and tbh this is where you kinda have to do the work on your own.
Are you traveling a lot, or mostly in one location with one or two social groups? What are they wearing, what do they like? If your goal is to impress people, you have to figure out what the people you want to impress are impressed by.
We can tell you that wide fits are in, but if the people you want to impress are dressing like hyper slim fit millennials then you aren't going to gain any social capital from them by putting on wide fit pants.
Thanks, that isn't something I had considered. I guess I had hoped that there was just one answer that would work for the majority of situations. But if I am performing, I need to know my audience. I guess time to do some research.
For the moment, I think I am going to cancel my order because paying $200+ for something I might use is a bit out of my budget.
In my opinion dressing to impress other people will be a huge neverending expensive task, ultimately wearing things that you don't really like
Totally, and the thing about using clothes as social capital ime is... once you open your mouth, your clothes barely matter. Some ppl want to blend in with their immediate social circle when they dress, and that's fine, but like I said it takes personal work to know what that looks like.
Thanks for your insights. My big takeaway is that I need to do some more research.
Okay, one last question if anyone sees this. What is the point of wider fits? I assume that fashion follows some sort of logic. I understand the transition from the 80's-90's baggy clothing to slim clothing in the 2010's but I have no idea what would cause a person to de-emphasize their profile. Is there an agreed upon explanation?
art man, fashion doesn’t follow logic. It’s just about self expression. In my opinion there will always be people trying to conform, and others trying to break away, ebbs and flows
respectfully, you understand that shift from baggy to slim because it took place in your formative years.
Fashion isn't so prescriptive, there's no levels to progress thru, no real endgame. Wide is in rn because it can look good, is comfy, is a different look than what a lot of ppl not plugged into fashion are wearing, etc.
From a trend analysis POV you could argue that wide fits are trending at a mainstream level partially as a reaction to the slim (and extra slim) fits of the 2010s, but that's not rly the whole picture.
Also lots of ppl want to deemphasize their profile for a lot of varied and valid reasons, but wide fits aren't the only way to do that, and it's not always the reason why someone would prefer a wide fit.
Hmm, I feel that art follows logic such as the golden mean. Maybe not strictly logic, but rather, what are the supporting arguments to this shift.
Hmm...you hit on both of my assumptions that it was either reactionary or that it was to purposefully deemphasize profiles. I assumed baggy clothing was the only way to deemphasize a profile and I just couldn't imagine why a person would purposefully sabotage themselves. Perhaps there are other reasons a person would want to do deemphasize their profile and I lack imagination.
Actually, you also hit on it being comfortable which makes sense.
@artvandelayimporting do you follow logic
deemphasizing your profile doesn’t mean you’re sabotaging yourself, what
Man don’t tag me into q and a threads :xdcrying:
Forgive me
I’d also push back against the assertion that wide fits necessarily deemphasize your profile. The fabric, cut, and drape on so many wide garments definitely don’t
Yeah like
What the hell man
Could someone show me some examples of wide fits not making someone look like a blob? (I am truly trying to understand btw, this is not being said with any kind of glibness). I am just trying to wrap my head around the aesthetic rationale. Just because I can't see it now doesn't mean I can never understand it.
Okay, that one is tame, I would say that's like a "straight fit"?
Actually anything spaghetti or Coltar or GSH post in waywt
Some of what art and bishop post
inspo pic drop
I guess what I was referring to was stuff like this: https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1224885698138607759/1224892164090363964
I forgot about that first pic
What a blessing
God never forget
So so so good
Okay, a lot of these are definitely deconstructing profiles.
I will look through these though. I need to learn and I feel like once I can see what people are going for, I can more readily internalize it. Right now I feel as if people legitimately look like children wearing their parent's clothing.
I am sorry you feel that way
Honestly, thank you everyone for weighing in and providing examples and links. I am going to look through all of them.
It’s cool that you’re open to input and new perspectives 🙂
personally i think i look better in wider fit vs slimmer fit (see https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1206609376614285433 vs https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1212409944863670342). same starting vibe in both cases (ivy + cool jacket), same amount of formality, but a) wide pleated pants hit the intended aesthetic more and b) the wider pants balance out how large my legs are because #gains
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also as others have said there's a wide range of fits between super slim and super baggy; if your intention is to optimize your fashion it can only benefit you to at least attempt different silhouettes to see which one you enjoy the most. it may be you still like slim fits but at least your view will be anchored by your real, current, tangible experience
used to feel the same way when i started seeing more and more baggy and wide fits becoming popular. i keep myself in good shape and dont mind letting that show by keeping things a little more tailored than what the current trends are. but, as someone mentioned above, there are looser fitting garments in fabrics that drape nicely and dont give the "kid in dad's clothes" vibe. i've picked up some bigger shirts and stuff in the last couple of years and while its still not my favorite style to wear, i have to admit some of them do look good and are still flattering. i guess what im getting at is its possible to still dress well for your body type with a looser fit. the guys on this forum put together some really cool outfits. the comfort thing, i say it depends - a good slim fit item should still be comfortable to wear and not restrictive at all. baggy clothes sometimes feels less comfortable to me with all the extra fabric, but i guess thats a personal thing
Probably in Germany, yes
I love the well thought out response including the comparison picture. I found your wider fit to look more aesthetically pleasing which really helped drive your point.
I'm going to try some a more relaxed fit as a baby step and see how it feels.
Thanks for addressing the body shape thing. I'm coming from an evolutionary psychology perspective where clothing is one of a myriad mating strategies.
It's good to know that it's a gradient and that it's possible for a wider fit to still be flattering.
If you’re willing to engage with them, BBSP has two really cool pieces on “wide” fits and the perception thereof https://www.blackbirdspyplane.com/p/theres-no-such-thing-as-too-big-pants https://www.blackbirdspyplane.com/p/how-should-pants-fit-now
If your pants look "too big," wear even bigger pants
Jawn Dysmorphic Perceptual Shifts, plus sick shoes, the coolest graphic tee to drop in a minute, handmade jeans & more
How should pants fit now?
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Their prose isn’t for everyone but the content is good
(And i contend that even extremely wide fit pants can still be flattering by creating an interesting silhouette or contrast to the top bloc, even if they aren’t “flattering” in the sense that they show of the literal shape of your physical anatomy)
Maybe a change in perspective is warranted here bud
thank you. if you check some of my earlier posts in #waywt i started out with similar views on slim fit and slowly expanded my range of fits through trial and error and exposure to other people's fits.