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11 Best Sneakers to Wear With a Suit

By Ben McKimm - Guide Published: 7 Jan 2023, Last Updated: 2 Jun 2023

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Once a fashion faux pas, wearing sneakers with a suit is an acceptable move in the ‘work from anywhere’ era. Over the past few years, the combination has moved away from office commuters looking for comfort, to an expression of being in ‘the know’ for footwear fans. Though now an acceptable footwear move, not all sneakers pair well with suits. It’s essential to consider the silhouette, colourway, and materials of your sneakers when selecting the best sneakers to wear with a suit.

If worn correctly, the right pair of sneakers can elevate a suit, inject some personality into your look, and provide your feet with the comfort that can’t be matched by a pair of loafers, oxfords, or derby shoes. To help you nail this juxtaposed duo, we’ve put together a selection of our favourite sneakers to wear with a suit.

Related: Once you’ve nailed the sneakers, check out our guide to all suits and suit types for men.

How Man of Many Chose This List of Sneakers to Wear With a Suit

When it comes to choosing the best sneakers to wear with a suit, expertise is key. Man of Many remains focused on all the latest sneaker news, reviews, and more as we continue providing the best dressing information in Men’s Lifestyle. Like the best white sneakers for men, choosing the best sneakers to wear with a suit is all about simplicity, availability, and price point. While our list includes shoes that range between $100 and $600 there are great suit shoes to be found at all ends of the price range. These are our favourites.

Best Sneakers to Wear with a Suit

• Best sneakers to wear with a suit overall: Oliver Cabell Low 1
• Best for casual wear: Axel Arigato Clean 90
• Best for formal occasions: Valentino One Stud
• Best for streetwear style: Jordan 1 Low

To make it easier for you to choose the right kicks, Man of Many has sifted through the extensive range of options and narrowed it down to our top picks. Here’s our list of the best sneakers to wear with a suit.

1. Oliver Cabell Low 1

These quintessential low-top Italian sneakers from Oliver Cabell are an ideal accompaniment to a suit due to their clean silhouette and leather composition. White Low 1 sneaker pairs nicely with pretty much anything; try a slim-fitting suit in navy or grey, lose the tie and opt for a t-shirt or button-down instead – it’s commonplace in the office these days.

Construction: Hand-stitched and lasted in Marche, Italy.
Upper: 3oz full-grain calfskin leather from Marche, Italy.
Outsole: Margom Italian outsoles known for their durable, lightweight rubber.
Footbed: Italian calfskin over a removable moulded insole.
Lining: Italian calfskin leather.
Counters: 3oz full-grain calfskin leather from Marche, Italy.
Laces: Italian cotton.
Price: from $390 AUD

Buy it here (Oliver Cabell) Buy it here (Milu)

2. Common Projects Original Achilles Low

Classic. There’s a reason the Common Projects Achilles low has remained a feature sneaker in men’s style books for years – they pair well with everything from suits to jeans and everything in between. In the case of suits, choose slimmer-cut trousers with a shorter break and some dark-coloured socks when rocking these. It’s best to pair the colour of your shoe with a matching suit, e.g. Black Suit, Black Shoes.

Features: White leather, gold stamped serial numbers, leather linings, rubber soles, Made in Italy.
Colourway: White
Price: from $400 AUD

Buy it here (MR PORTER) Buy it here (End Clothing) Buy it here (Subtype)

3. Axel Arigato Clean 90

A quality alternative to the Common Projects Achilles, the Axel Arigato Clean 90 sits at the top of the ranks when it comes to pairing sneakers with a suit thanks to their all-over smooth leather finish and rubber outsole. Like any other black leather sneaker on this list, we recommend pairing this one with a slim suit in Navy or Black. The suede hit on the heel adds a few extra style points to this classic silhouette.

Material: Leather, rubber outsole.
Style: Classic leather lace-up sneaker with gold logo detailing.
Price: from $380 AUD

Buy it here (Axel Arigato) Buy it here (MR PORTER) Buy it here (END.)

4. MYRQVIST Oaxen

A new member of the family when it comes to shoe brands but one we love nonetheless. MYRQVIST looks to cut out the middleman and provide the customer with quality shoes at a comfortable price point. We’ve tried the Stenhammer Loafers from the brand and the quality is easily on par with pairs two or even three times the price. In the case of the Oaxen, these sneakers are perfectly designed to pair with a suit. A rubber outsole and textured black leather upper will sit comfortably under any suit pants you can throw at them.

Material: Handcrafted in Portugal, 100 % Leather, Leather lining, Rubber soles incorporating 20% recycled rubber
Style: Leather lace-up sneakers.
Price: from $220 USD

Buy it here (MYRQVIST) Buy it here (OPUMO)

5. adidas Stan Smith

When looking to pair a casual pair of sneakers with a suit we highly recommend sticking to the classics. That means looking for options such as the adidas Stan Smith, a style staple for decades we choose to pair this one with a Navy or Lighter Tan coloured linen suit. In all cases, this option is better suited to a boat party than a daily piece of office attire. Just make sure they are clean, please!

Materials: Primegreen upper, made from a series of high-performance recycled materials.
Colourway: Cloud White/ Cloud White/ Green
Price: from $160 AUD

Buy it here (adidas) Buy it here (JD Sports) Buy it here (The Iconic)

6. Crown Northhampton Upton Wholecut Sneakers

If you’re looking for a sneaker to wear with a suit that’s handmade, minimalist, and available in a variety of colours, allow us to introduce the Crown Northhampton Upton Wholecut. We originally considered these as nothing more than a quality Common Projects alternative, however, the one-piece leather upper, clean-cut style, and handmade nature of the shoe are enough to drag the Upton out of the CPs shadow.

It might look like a Vans Authentic from the photo above, but in person, the shoe reflects the premium price tag in its entirety. The soft leathers are sourced from some of the best tanneries in the world such as CF Stead in Leeds, England and the Horween Company in Chicago, USA. The durable lining is equally as soft in natural leather and Crown Northampton insoles complete the look in comfort.

Construction: Wholecut design and construction, leather lined including the insole, handmade in Northampton, England.
Materials: Full grain calf leather upper, stitched sole unit, waxed cotton laces.
Price: from $454 AUD

Buy it here (Crown Northhampton)

7. ZEGNA Triple Stitch Sneakers

Trust the best suitmaker on the planet to come up with the perfect sneakers to wear with a suit. ZEGNA has been at the forefront of menswear for what feels like a century, and the Triple Stitch sneakers further the distinction between the great and excellent once again.

Made from deerskin, these Triple Stitch low-top sneakers are a sophisticated take on casual footwear. Designed with comfort in mind, the shoes are slip on for convenience but demonstrate a level of sophistication with the slanted shape of the overall silhouette. Our tip? Customise these sneakers with the brand’s Made to Measure Service for the fit of your dreams. And while they’re available in a multitude of colours, the Olive Green is an early favourite of ours.

Construction: Strobel construction, Sanitized padded insole, Made in Italy
Material: Leather lining, tonal rubber sole, comes with a shoe bag.
Price: from $1,355 AUD

Buy it here (ZEGNA) Buy it here (Modesens)

8. Jordan 1 Low

While Jordan himself chose to wear a pair of 11s when he rocked sneakers with a suit on the red carpet, we recommend pairing the classic Jordan 1 with your suit, especially in the low silhouette. Choose from some of the more popular colours such as white, black, or blue for a subtle look, or step outside your comfort zone and pair brighter pinks, greens, and purples with neutral suits in the summer.

If you’re looking for the ultimate flex, do as Travis does and pair your ZEGNA suit with an equally expensive pair of Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low in the  Mocha colourway. Expect to pay upwards of $2000 for the privilege of wearing such a pair, however.

Material: Leather upper, synthetic outsole, synthetic liner.
Style: Lace-up leather retro basketball sneaker.
Price: from $160 AUD

Buy it here (Nike) Buy it here (JD Sports) Buy it here (StockX)

9. Prada America’s Cup

It’s been years since the Prada America’s Cup was at the top of the list of most sought-after sneakers in the world, however, once upon a time these were it when it came to cool shoes. Yet to this day, the sneaker is a hit for the stylish and wealthy, with sizes disappearing faster than you’d imagine online – especially for a sneaker that asks for $1,280 at retail pricing.

The America’s Cup sneaker remains one of the most iconic, versatile, and well-made shoes on the market and with a plethora of colourways available on the Prada website linked below, it’s only a matter of choosing a colour to match your favourite suit. Our picks include the classic royal blue and white pair, but a green pair with a natural-coloured suit would be statement-making. The best part? They’re just as comfortable with some shorts on the weekend.

Construction: Patent leather and technical fabric, 40 mm light and flexible rubber sole
Style: Lace-up leather sports sneakers.
Price: from $1,280 AUD

Buy it here (Prada) Buy it here (Nordstrom) Buy it here (Saks Fifth Avenue)

10. Valentino One Stud Sneaker

Choosing a pair of designer sneakers to match your favourite suit is always a sartorial win for the team here at Man of Many. Valentino comes through once again with a pair of uber-luxe leather shoes that are made for wearing with a suit. We love the comfort of the rubber outsole, stud detailing and hit of classy Valentino logos on the tongue and heel. Choose a white silhouette with a splash of colour and pair these with any suit of your choice for a winning combination.

Material: Rubber sole with low-relief maxi stud detail, rubber tread with maxi stud design.
Style: Leather sneaker with Valentino Garavani logo printed on the tongue and heel.
Price: from $970 AUD

Buy it here (Valentino) Buy it here (Farfetch) Buy it here (24s)

11. Nike Cortez ‘Forest Gump’

A list of the best sneakers with suits wouldn’t be complete without the Nike Cortez in the classic red, white and blue ‘Forest Gump’ colourway. While we wouldn’t recommend turning up to the office wearing these anytime soon, they actually pair remarkably well with a straight-cut linen suit. Choose natural linen colours or lighter tans and a matching button-up underneath to pull these ones off.

Style: 749571-154
Release date: 01/01/2018
Price: from $400 AUD

Buy it here (StockX) Buy it here (GOAT) Buy it here (eBay)

General FAQ

Is it OK to wear sneakers with a suit?

Sneakers add personality to tailored suits. Ensure your suit is slim fitting and your sneakers have a sleek, minimalist silhouette.

How do you wear Jordans with a suit?

The iconic Air Jordan 1 look's great with slim fitting suits; try black and shadow grey colourway with tan, charcoal or grey suits, or the white colourway with any colour.

Can we wear sneakers with formals?

Stick to oxford shoes for black or white tie events. However, you can wear classic leather sneakers in white, brown, black, or navy for semi-formal and smart casual events.

What shoes do I wear with a suit?

Leather low top sneakers always look good with a suit, just ensure your trousers are tapered, slim fitting, and sit above the top of your shoe without a break.

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