You can’t talk about white trainers without giving the 1980s their due: the decade in which trainers broke free from the sports field and became a fixture of everyday wardrobes. Madonna paired hers with midi skirts, while Sarah Jessica Parker wore hers with jeans and a blazer. But the white trainer’s more recent years of dominance can largely be traced back to the autumn of 2010, when Phoebe Philo took her bow at Celine wearing a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths. Eventually, colour-pop styles, not least Wales Bonner’s Adidas Sambas, took their place as fashion’s trainers of choice. But could the white trainer be due a comeback? Michael Rider’s spring/summer 2027 collaboration with Reebok – a reworking of the 1982 Freestyle Lo – certainly suggests as much.
Here are four ’80s-inspired styles worth revisiting this season.
Princess Diana and Farrah Fawcett were both fans of simple, flat white trainers. Originally designed for the tennis court, the style found its way into workaday wardrobes throughout the 1980s. This autumn, try wearing a pair with wide-leg tailored trousers and a blazer for a relaxed alternative to more traditional smart shoes.
Sunny F White and Gum Leather Mix Low Top Trainers
Few things defined ’80s fitness culture quite like Jane Fonda’s aerobics videos. Her workouts became a phenomenon, and the accompanying wardrobe was almost as much of a draw. White high-top trainers were a key part of the look – though perhaps leave the leg warmers and metallic leotards in the past.
Classic canvas plimsolls were another staple of the decade, and it’s not hard to see why they’ve endured. With their rounded toes and pared-back profiles, they’re among the easiest trainers to wear, looking just as good with tailored trousers as they do with jeans and a T-shirt. This is a good place to start.
White running sneakers in the ’80s.
Dave Buresh / Getty Images.Sneakerheads will know that the Nike Cortez helped pave the way for running shoes to become everyday footwear in the 1970s, a shift that continued into the following decade. With its streamlined shape and distinctive sole, it became a favourite off the track as well as on it, setting the template for the retro running trainers that remain popular today. Nike and Onitsuka Tiger are good places to look for vintage-inspired styles, while On and New Balance offer more contemporary alternatives. Wear yours with flared jeans and a cosy knit for an easy autumn look.
