Yahoo LifestyleThe 13 Best Dad Shoes to Wear Whether You're a Father or Not
- 1/14
The 13 Best Dad Shoes to Wear Whether You're a Father or Not
"Dad shoes": Bill Clinton in the first term of his presidency, running in short-shorts, a graphic tee, and either a pair of Asics or New Balance sneakers is what first comes to mind when I hear that phrase. Second is Balenciaga’s Triple S sneaker, which was introduced in 2017, when "dad shoes" entered my vernacular.
All men who were fathers in the '80s and early '90s, supposedly, wore the same kind of shoe: a performance sneaker that focused on comfort and stability, featured a whole mess of paneling, and had a chunky, clunky, rather unsightly silhouette. A dad shoe is an ugly shoe, so I’ve gathered. The kids nowadays may not think so—because the kind of bulky style popularized by the Triple S and everything Yeezy is now de rigeur—but I grew up at a time when it just wasn’t cool to wear a style from New Balance (the OG), Asics, Fila, or anything favored by an off-duty politician in the '90s. My sneaker trajectory: pure white Nike Air Force 1s in middle school, a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths in high school and college, and Common Projects Achilles or white leather Prada sneakers in my '20s. All these styles are sleek and unfussy; they are mostly unadorned. That was my sneaker MO.
Now, I pretty much live in boots and loafers. But on the rare occasion that I do wear sneakers, it’s a chunky, clunky, attention-grabbing pair from Hoka One One. I’ve succumbed to dad shoes even though I'm currently childless, and I don’t feel bad about it. I've found beauty in the bulk. And if you, too, want to join in, snag a pair from the list below.
Courtesy - 2/14
Club C Shoe
Reebok
amazon.com
$75.00
In the world of dad shoes, Reebok's Club C holds court. It's been around since 1985, and continues to reign supreme.
amazon.com - 3/14
Air Monarch IV Training Shoes
Nike
nike.com
$75.00
Dad's are king of the household—aka, a monarch. Nike hits the nail on the head yet again,
nike.com - 5/14
Saucony Shadow 5000 Shoe
Saucony
toddsnyder.com
$110.00
Here's a rhapsody in blue that's shock-absorbing, comfortable, good-looking, and all that jazz.
toddsnyder.com - 6/14
Ozweego Shoes
Adidas
adidas.com
$120.00
The Three Stripes had a hit when it introduced the Ozweego—a futuristic, lightweight, cushioned running shoe—two years before the new millennium.
adidas.com - 7/14
Clifton 8 Shoe
Hoka One One
hoka.com
$140.00
With its unmatched stability, comfort, and form, it's no wonder the Clifton 8 is a favorite around these parts.
hoka.com - 8/14
Gel-Kayano 14 Shoe
Asics
asics.com
$150.00
Inspired by nature and made of advanced technology, Asics's Gel-Kayano was grounding breaking when it was released in 1993. Now, several decades later, the style still holds up.
asics.com - 9/14
Made in USA 990v5 Core Shoe
New Balance
newbalance.com
$184.99
New Balance never went away, but it did have a comeback of sorts a few years ago. The brand became cool again, garnering the same kind of fanfare that it received in 1982, when its 990, the dad shoe to end all dad shoes, was released.
newbalance.com - 10/14
Mens Made in US 993 Shoe
New Balance
newbalance.com
$174.99
New Balance is so synonymous with dad shoes that it deserves two slots on this list, especially for the 993, a shoe made famous by Steve Jobs.
newbalance.com - 11/14
Boost 700 'Wave Runner' Shoes
Yeezy
farfetch.com
$845.00
Ye is a musician, fashion designer, and lighting rod for controversy. That's what gets most of the attention. But what many may forget is that the man is a doting father of four. He definitely knows how to rock—and create—a dad shoe.
farfetch.com - 12/14
Cylon 21 Shoe
Raf Simons
endclothing.com
$465.00
Raf Simons may have started as a cult alt designer, someone that put forward collections imbued with teenage angst. But he has proven that he's no one-trick pony. The man can do it all, including creating one of the most good-looking dad shoes on the market.
endclothing.com - 13/14
Rhyton Shoe
gucci.com - 14/14
Triple S Shoe
Balenciaga
balenciaga.com
$1090.00
Balenciaga pretty much kicked off the dad-shoe craze in high-fashion circles when it introduced the Triple S, a blockbuster design that has many sneakerheads searching far and wide for elusive colorways.
balenciaga.com
