Bright trainers: on-trend, or American tourist?

[herbaceous]

My thoughts are turning towards spring shoes, and as my previous trainers - one pair Converse, one pair FitFlop high-tops - are beginning to fall to pieces, I am rather drawn to the bright trainers all the young people seem to be sporting with leggings or skinny jeans

However, as I'm approaching 50 , I realise I'm danger of looking tragic rather than directional. Do you think there are any top tips to avoid the former? Does one need long thin legs, for example? In which case I'm done for...

Link Fail

www.finishline.com/images/products/xl487973016.jpg

Give them a try Herb?
Here they are worn with very simple outfits, dark skinnies or sometimes cigarrette pants and a thigh-length dark jacket to offset the neon brightness. I think the simpler you start out the better it will look.
And Bonsoir is right, suddenly everyone seems to be wearing them, a great transitional look when it's neither warm or cold.

Dont you just love when supremely comfortable footwear is in fashion

I was just thinking yesterday how this trend feels like a leap in equality - after all men have been wearing trainers as everyday shoes for years and years!

As Cailin Moran says, the day we see an actress go up and collect her oscar in a pair of comfortable flip flops we'll know we've won the war on feminism

Tournesol they may be cool on a 7yr old but that doesn't mean they look cool when your 47yr old. just because you can doesn't mean you should!

If you actually use them for training, you will look ageless. If you just want them to wear with jeans, top your jeans with rather staid blouses and a cardi, you will either look silly, or as if you have orthapedic issues which prevent you wearing shoes that match your style. But if your wardrobe is colorful and out there anyway, they will suit.

herb. No, your Nikes are totally the wrong colour. Anything which is mainly white ain't hip. Sorry.

I fear you might be right.

But my head had been turned by such stylish shots as this, with mainly white trainers. However, I realise she would look stylish in a pair of just about anything...

Mmmm, but in reality people don't seem to be wearing white trainers apart from when running. The ones I see people wearing out and about aren't white.

I give my fluoro trainers try today wearing normal city gear and so not my thing. All other people in bright trainers were middle aged or older dog walkers, the pretty young things wore pristine Stan Smiths or their clunky black shoes.

Plus my feet looked enormous and it was freezing in he morning.

I think white is becoming cool again looking around Brighton. Things move so fast New balance and bright trainers with skinny coloured jeans and biker jackets are older lady chic here

Mercy me. Maybe by the proper spring, white trainers will have filtered up to 'older lady chic' - which is about the most I can hope for.

:) There is a plethora of older ladies a la Mary Berry who wear biker jackets and flashy trainers and skinnies They look great but I don't want to look like them -yet!

I couldn't do the bright trainers thing, round where I live running appears to be the in thing so I might be mistaken for a runner, when in fact I wouldn't run for a bus. I'd feel a bit of a fraud!

Not sure about the bright biker jacket thing - particularly after seeing Sean in Coronation Street last night in a flamingo one!

My new balance have all gone to the charity shop today one admittedly old and on their last legs. Kept my nikes and white plimsolls

Off trend

On trend is navy or black trainers worn with skirts etc
Alternatively much finer all white trainers

I'm now wondering about black trainers with white soles, to cover all bases!

I have a plain white snake pair which I love atm but do need nice weather and a tan!

How tall are you and how are your legs? If you're short, I'm afraid any form of brightly coloured shoe tends to make your legs look shorter as it draws the eye down. It does on me (5'3, rather chunky legs) anyway.

I'm tall, 5'8", with long legs. Sounds promising, but those legs are on the chunky side, and finish in a pretty boxy pair of cankles.

I don't move in particularly trendy circles - live in East London (but not Dalston), am a trainee teacher, and have a five-year-old - but like to think I'm faintly 'with it', yet individual. Main boutiques of choice are Sainsbury's, charity shops, Gap sale and Uniqlo.

Frankly, if I can look as put-together as Mary Berry, Noddy, I'll be doing well.

herb what about something like this

Nice... I also like these. They're all so blasted expensive though!

look on m and m direct, very bargainous!

I have these guys from Office
They go with everything