My friend Lora came over for coffee the other day and enlightened me about a fashion faux pas, which has apparently left a not-so-great impression of us Americans in places abroad like Australia and New Zealand. It is the wearing of sneans. If you haven’t heard of it yet, don’t feel bad; the autocorrect on my computer didn’t recognize it either.
Sneans = vile combination of jeans with sneakers
Now before you get up in arms, let me qualify what I believe is the stereotypical lazy American-with-no-sense-of-decorum look. It includes a pair of athletic sneakers – running shoes are the worst offenders! – worn with extra light denim, loose-fitting (read here: baggy) jeans.
Surely you have seen this sneaks look! Think “dad jeans”…
or “mom jeans.”
I hate to say it, but proud moments are when in Europe, I am mistakenly thought to be French, Swiss, or Norwegian for this very reason! I mean, why do we Americans wear yoga pants to the café? Why do we dress as though we are going on a twenty-mile hike with extra arch support, a fanny pack, a backpack, and jeans just to hit up a few shops on a Saturday afternoon?
I have to say that even athletic sneakers with skinny jeans cause me to cringe much of the time. I mean, what would it hurt to put on a pair of loafers, dudes? Or ballerina flats for the women? Flip flops are a slight improvement.
With curvier ladies, I believe a skinny sneak look is an especially bad move. Boxiness at the feet does nothing to flatter the figure. I strongly suggest a platform heel to help balance the “weight” of the look or perhaps boots. Footwear with something of a heel visually lengthens and slenderizes the lower half of the body. Or pointy-toed flats have a somewhat similar effect.
For slim women, all kinds of flats work well, but I cannot endorse the Keds above and to the right. While wearing something awesomely on point like high-waisted jeans, you don’t want to look as if you simply exited a time capsule from the 1980’s. (It is a good idea to update the look in some little way or another.)
The dudes below are just a half step up from the 100% sneans look. Their footwear isn’t the kind worn at a gym, but there is definite room for improvement: loafers or even stylish sneakers like those modeled just below them by a couple of San Francisco girls.
Sometimes the skinny jean/snean look, however, is a big improvement, especially when the color of the sneakers coordinates with the rest of the outfit.
This is especially true with a classic sneaker like Converse as demonstrated below (at center). As Liliya suggests in her post about fashionable travels, Saucony also makes unusually stylish sneakers.
Brightly colored sneakers can occasionally work when cleverly combined with an outfit – by the extra savvy (see example below). For those who don’t consider themselves as well-versed in exactly what constitutes a well-orchestrated “pop” of color or how to echo color without entering matchy-matchy territory, please do not try this (on) at home!
In order to improve your style quotient with jeans, however, the best method is to go for a non-sneaker.
Alternatives are plentiful. For those who do a fair amount of walking, it might be a good idea to evaluate whether running shoes are seriously warranted (hightop basketball shoes have absolutely no justification!),…
whether you could easily get by with a more stylish shoe,…
or if you could at least switch to a nicer class of sneaker.
Let us show the rest of the world that we are not simply a nation of sneans!
XO, Janea
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8 Responses
Gee, I understand your situation. I have to admit that this post is a little ancient (2013). And things have changed. I think that jeans have gotten to be more and more stylish – with different colors and cuts – as have sneakers. I have considered rewriting this post, but I think that I will just leave it for now. But with regard to your job and outfits, you have tons of options in my humble opinion. There are some cool sneakers with extra lift – the new platform types that are adorable with a cropped or flared jean. Or the retro pointy toe type, like the ones that Nike used to sell in the 80’s is also super cool if you want comfort and style. 🙂
This advice is at least 5 years out of date. Totally untrue in 2021. Watch the webcams. Everyone is wearing athletic shoes and jeans.
You are so right, Dodie. This article is actually from 2015. The blog is actually no longer active. Sorry I didn’t include the year in my dates, but thanks for visiting anyway. 🙂
I disagree with the recent comments. I’m still not digging sneakers with jeans, especially the way they’re done today—women with huge white kicks that give their feet a clownish appearance. I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be a look that we’ll cringe at in a decade (though I hope sooner 🤪).
I never fail to be amazed by how some trends die quickly while others drag on, not to mention how my own reactions to them change. Your suspicion is likely on the mark, Audrey.
I agree, gym shoes worn any time outside of the gym is lazy
I despise the jeans with running shoes combo. Just because many Americans wear that look, doesn’t mean it’s a good look. It looks so sloppy.
Thin pants and tennis shoes: the powerful team of easy style and solace! Something really stands out about matching the smooth, smoothed out outline of thin pants with the laid-back energy of shoes. Whether you’re getting things done or getting together with companions, this combo finds some kind of harmony among relaxed and stylish. In addition, with such countless varieties in washes and styles for the two pants and shoes, the opportunities for individual articulation are perpetual. From exemplary white kicks to striking explanation shoes, there’s an ideal matching for each mind-set and event. So trim up those shoes, slip into those thin pants, and step out in style!