Nostalgia Is In: The 23 Best Retro-Inspired Sneakers to Shop Right Now

It's no secret that the old-school aesthetic has become increasingly popular on the sneaker scene. Designers have released "modern" selections in recent years, but the vintage designs tend to be the overwhelming pick. Even on the shopping pages of retailers like Net-a-Porter and Nordstrom, the majority of sneakers on the market are retro inspired. Old is gold, remember? 

Brands like New Balance are taking the lead currently with their ability to mix old and new by collaborating with trend-forward brands such as Staud and Aimé Leon Dore. The athletic brand was already doing well on its own by rereleasing its classic silhouettes, but its recent collabs only added to the strength. The rest of the sneaker market is quickly following suit, with partnerships such as Gucci x Adidas coming to fruition. Even if you aren't able to get your hands on the sneakers that everyone has, you'll be pleased by the list below. I did the research to find you the best retro kicks available right now—just keep scrolling.

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(Image credit: @aimeesong)

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(Image credit: @kristengracelam)

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(Image credit: @babba)

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(Image credit: @CHRISSYFORD)

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(Image credit: @fakerstrom)

Next, The 22 Best White Sneakers Nearly Every Fashion Person Owns

Associate Fashion Editor
Yusra Siddiqui is an editor who resides in New Jersey but bounces between the suburbs and NYC. (She's a Jersey girl at heart.) After interning at Who What Wear in 2019, she found her way to the team after graduating from LIM College in 2022 with a fashion media degree. She's also spent time writing and working for publications such as Fashionista, Coveteur, and Nylon, but she always knew that Who What Wear was where she was meant to be. When she's on the job, she's perusing runway shows, analyzing the latest thing fellow Gen Zers are up to on the internet, and sharing what she can about the modest-fashion market. You can also catch her dabbling in entertainment, talking about the costume choices of the latest Netflix series or diving deeper into how the plotline affects the viewers in a myriad of ways. Lastly, she likes to create content for Who What Wear's TikTok. Her personal time is spent doing similar but also different things—deep diving into almost every new TV show (Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls, and Stranger Things are favorites), planning her next local getaway (whenever that may be), and reading the latest Emily Henry or Sally Rooney novel in one sitting.