My footwear du jour unless it’s absolutely impossible is a pair of luxe sneakers. These are not to be mistaken for trainers but for footwear I can wear out and about, to the store, shopping in the city and pretty much anywhere heels are not ‘obligatory’. Although I’m not sure heels are totally obligatory anywhere today, thanks to the trend for athleisure, or the wearing of fitness clothes everywhere but the gym.
If you want to be seriously comfortable wherever you walk then an investment into a new pair of luxe sneakers is definitely called for, and if you, like me, like all things (most things) that glitter and sparkle then you’ll be in your element, as that’s what this season’s most comfortable footwear is about.
I’ve always wanted to find a pair of sneakers that will do double duty as trainers for the gym as well but it just doesn’t seem to work. You need different footwear for different things. Your sneakers should be fine for walking a few miles, even uphill, but for the gym you almost certainly need more support and more cushioning and in any case if you’re a regular fitness addict you’re unlikely to want to wear your new glittery silver sneakers to the gym.
Which brings me to the difference between sneakers and trainers. Trainers were originally derived from ‘training shoes’ - I have to begin by stating the obvious.
Here’s what Wikipedia says about the word ‘sneakers.
The word was already in use at least as early as 1887, as the Boston Journal made reference to "sneakers" as "the name boys give to tennis shoes." The name "sneakers" originally referred to how quiet the rubber soles were on the ground, in contrast to noisy standard hard leather sole dress shoes. Someone wearing sneakers could "sneak up" on someone while someone wearing standards could not’
So now you know. The real problem is that in the US both gym shoes and casual trainers are called ‘sneakers’. In the UK normally casual trainers are called sneakers, and trainers are for training. Which would all very well if retailers stuck to it. Some call sneakers trainers and others vice versa.
Look for something with a bit of sparkle and just don’t wear them to the gym. Confused yet? I know I am………….