Trainers - leopard print or chocolate suede?

[TwentyTwoLizards]

Help me MNetters. I am early 40s and finding my own style again after years of running after small children. Fashion has changed in the last 10 or 15 years (where has the time gone) and I’m feeling a bit lost. What do you think of these trainers to go with wide leg trousers? I liked the idea of the leopard print but wasnt convinced when I tried them on. Are they good or just naff? I don’t usually wear leopard print but love it on others. Should I play it safe with the chocolate suede trainers or no?

I do frequent long haul travel for work so they seemed like quite comfy options.

Option 1 - Leopard Print https://www.johnlewis.com/carvela-veneto-leopard-print-trainers-multi/p115479724?size=5

Option 2 - Chocolate suede
https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/product/carvela-daze-suede-trainers_R04660722/#colour=DARK%20BROWN

Both nice but I prefer the leopard ones! I feel like they would go with more too.

Fully agree. Brown look boring.

The leopard print looks childish/tryhard and I don't like the white accents - I can't imagine what they would go with better than plain brown would.

The brown trainers are in a lovely shade and I like the design, but yes, they are a bit bland.

I vote Chocolate Suede!

A vote for the leopard print!

Chocolate suede please . Leopard is so over and looks cheap

I like the leopard ones. they’re more interesting than the brown and would work with black trousers as well as jeans and brown trousers.

However if you aren’t sure could you look at some other trainers? There’s a whole thread somewhere with really nice options - I like the 70s looking retro styles myself and there are loads of different colourways.

Before I looked at the pictures, I was Voting chocolate.

However, The leopard print are the nicer looking out of the two selected. There’s plenty of better looking chocolate brown trainers out there.

I’m sorry but not overly keen on either of them. I’m a similar age but slightly younger than you and I, and all my friends are currently wearing adidas Spezials. The brown version is definitely the most popular but I have the red.

If you’re wanting to look current don’t go for either of these, Carvela are not really a ‘cool’ brand and I see them as something someone older would wear - nothing wrong with that but if you want to feel more modern these don’t work.

As a pp said suggested check out the recent trainer threads, personally I love leopard and brown but not these particular ones.

I love the leopard but I have some and they go with hardly any of my clothes.
I think you'll get more use out of the brown.
Of course you could always get both!

I would keep looking, sorry!

I’m older than you but wouldn’t wear these.
Try https://thehoffbrand.com/en-gb/products/city-chocolate

My Spezials are zebra. I’m old and they’ve received so many compliments, some from women young enough to be my granddaughter. I don’t think either of them hit the spot, they’re both too chunky to be current.

Neither, sorry.

Leopard trainers just scream ‘I’m a middle aged woman but look at my fun footwear!’ and those chocolate ones are very frumpy and drab.

I'm a couple of years older and wouldn't wear those - it's all Adidas and New Balance round here judging by the school run and friend's shoes. I've got Adidas leopard print ones that jazz up a plain outfit.

Agree with PPs, there are much nicer and equally comfortable trainers out there. Office do a lot of on trend options if you can get to a shop for a browse.

in terms of colour it depends what you’re wearing them with. Dark brown trainers with light blue jeans aren’t the best, for example. I prefer the leopard print.

Chocolate and leopard combined
www.gaborshoes.co.uk/womens-c1/trainers-c5/west-womens-trainers-p54467?clickref=1011lDBn8KJH&rel=1011l14456442128&utm_source=VisualsoftAffiliates&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=skimlinks_phg

Always the option that isn't leopard print.

Chocolate!

I like chocolate suede, but not sure about the ones you posted.

I recently got these and love them (they also come with an extra pair of laces in off-white, which I prefer):

https://www.newbalance.co.uk/pd/made-in-uk-991v1-luxe-suede-womens/W991BR1-B-06.html?im_ref=VR1zbAy%3AZxyZTjYVQKTfPzE%3AUkrw1Y21m22s2s0&sharedid=&irpid=1370333&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=ShopForward&irgwc=1&afsrc=1&SubId1=65828.CjwKCAjww-3VBhAcEiwAwUUIuy_JeE9UW1NdVfKLe-4FxYEtzLotnu4m4oDS4DV9HiQPeOiWh-Z6qRoCLc4QAvD_BwE

Thank you so much everyone, lots of great suggestions and I’ll look at the trainers thread too. Some absolutely brutal honesty, which is what I need!

Leopard definitely. I love a bit of clashing patterns - done in the right way of course 🤣 but I think there are nicer looking leopard ones out there tbf.

Neither of them. The leopard skin ones aren't as bad as the brown ones.

Neither are good but at a push the brown suede.