8 Royal-Approved Sneakers to Add to Your Wardrobe ASAP
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The royals are sports enthusiasts, what with video well-wishes for the English women’s soccer team and grinning ear-to-ear at Wimbledon. And while dependable pumps and brogues might be the usual footwear of the royals, sporting and casual occasions call for quality tennis and running shoes,. And like so many outfits we’re cribbing from the royals, these kicks are all attractive, inarguably appropriate and dependably utilitarian. Here’s a roundup of eight royal-approved sneakers worn by Kate, Meghan and Sophie.
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Royal-Approved Sneakers at a Glance
1. lululemon Blissfeel 2 Women's Running Shoe
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images; Lululemon
The newly dubbed “Children’s Princess” wore these lightweight trainers to hit the pitch at the Maidenhead Rugby Club this summer. This shoe is the second generation of lululemon’s hit running shoe debut, and it’s been updated to have a narrower toe box and increased pavement feel. The segmented outsole is made for flexibility, while still staying durable on the pavement; the seamless woven upper hugs the foot without potentially irritating seams. Runners expecting an uber-padded traditional running shoe will need some time getting used to this lower-profile shoe, but the less than 10 ounce weight and nimble design are winning over runners worldwide. And as for appearance, we appreciate that of the 12 colorways, most are versatile neutrals including tones such as raw linen and silverstone.
2. Hoka Clifton 9
Pool/Max Mumby/Getty Images; Hoka One
In October 2020, Countess Sophie donned Hokas to join a virtual race to benefit the Menscap’s Learning Disability Team. Her model, the Clifton 6, has been updated to the current Clifton 9, a bouncier and firmer design. This shoe is popular for its ultra-cushy footbed and availability in medium and wide sizing. Designed as an everyday running shoe, the 5 mm heel-to-toe drop is suitable for runners with a forefoot running stance or with a history of knee issues, since according to Zappos, a lower drop it moves some of the stride impact force from the knees and hips to the lower leg. Offered in 12 tones, the jellybean colors of cyclamen and chalk violet are standouts.
3. Veja Esplar Sneakers
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images; Nordstrom
Kate wore these leather Veja sneakers for a natural history museum visit in London. The metallic logo accent adds a pop of pizzaz to these classic sneakers from Veja, a French footwear brand founded in 2004 that set standards of eco-responsibility and fair trade—for example, materials include organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles—now popular in a wide range of shoes.While the Brazilian leather upper and breathable fabric liner are comfy, the medium padding in this court-inspired shoe is not suited for running distances. Which is lucky, since you’ll keep these that much more pristine for casual wear around town.
4. Cole Haan Grand Crosscourt
Chris Jackson-WPA Pool/Getty Images; Cole Haan
Lady Louise wore these simple leather sneakers while touring the Royal Windsor Horse Show in summer 2022 with her mom, Countess Sophie. With a comfort cushioned footbed and a lightweight EVA outsole that has a fluting detail and rubber pods for traction, you could play a fierce game of tennis in these shoes. But in four elegant color options (pecan, gold, black or all-white leather), we’re seeing these as the travel shoe that’s going to elevate your whole outfit.
5. Adidas Ultraboost 5.0 DNA
Adrian Edwards/GC Images; Adidas
Meghan was pregnant with her son Archie in February 2019 when she donned basic black—including tone-on-tone Adidas—on a trip to New York City. Good choice of footwear, since Adidas’s signature Boost midsole design has a cushiony feel, and the shoe is engineered to return energy to the leg with each stride, creating a little bounce. And the basic black colorway is available with black or white soles—minimalism at its best.
6. Veja Campo Sneaker
Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation; Nordstrom
Meghan and Harry visited Australia for the Invictus Games in 2018 and both wore leather sneakers (Meghan sported Vejas, Harry went with Adidas) on an open boat out in Sydney Harbor. Splashes notwithstanding, all the pairs survived the voyage. These Vejas are elegant in their simplicity, with no chrome lace guards to break up the white-leather and black logo. The EVA-cushioned footbed is comfy for long walks, and there’s a choice of suede and smooth leather fabrications in this Veja design.
7. Superga 2750 Cotu Classic Sneaker
Karwai Tang/WireImage; Nordstrom
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show has a lot to see, and KMid didn’t come for sore feet when she wore her lace-up Supergas. Nice-looking enough to pair with cropped chinos and comfortable enough to stand for hours in them, Supergas are the plain white sneaker MVP. With a flat, minimally cushioned interior and one-inch platform sole, these are stylish but not overly sport-oriented—made in Italy, these murmur “passeggiata” more than passionate stadium-step drills. And the white-on-white design is simple and timeless.
8. Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit
Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage; Nike
Kate wore an early iteration of the Nike VaporMax Flyknit shoe in 2017 to a lawn tennis event. Known for its jazzy colorways, stretchy comfort and lightweight Nike durability, today this shoe is a pillar of Nike’s women’s footwear. In seven colorways, this shoe was developed by Nike to mimic the feeling of “running on air.“ With each down step, each lug gets pushed into the Air uniton the sole, ramping up the pressure. Then, as you step off, the pressure sets off a springy bounce that’s really flexible. Made for runners, the futuristic tech is now as popular with speed-obsessed runners as it is street style mavens.
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