The Best Summer Sneakers to Complete Your Look

As summer unfurls its vibrancy, now is the perfect time to update your sneaker rotation, arguably one of the most important companions to any seasonal outfit. Enter the realm of summer sneakers — where style and practicality coalesce to keep you comfortable and moving during the warmer months. The best summer sneakers should achieve a few things: comfort and style without compromising the rest of your seasonal rotation. While this may seem like a tall task, there are a plethora of kicks from brands that continuously blur the lines between streetwear and luxury. 

With each confident stride, your summer sneaker rotation should elevate your wardrobe, perfect for your upcoming summer adventures. In no particular order, here are the best sneakers for summer 2023 — from brands like Nike, Common Projects, adidas, Salomon, and more. 

Common Projects Achilles 

To start the list, we have arguably one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable luxury sneakers of all time. There perhaps isn’t a luxury sneaker as iconic as the Common Projects Achilles low sneaker. The sneaker features premium Italian leather throughout the silhouette, a narrow toebox, and a minimal design profile, making them the perfect everyday white trainer during the hot summer. 

The Achilles is like a blank canvas—the perfect everyday kick that will complement anything in your closet. Over the years, the sneaker has gained somewhat of a cult following thanks to this versatility. The Common Projects Achilles Low is the perfect gateway luxury sneaker if you’re looking to invest in a higher-quality shoe this summer. 

Dress it up or dress it down; the Achilles Low will be your go-to companion this season and beyond. 

Nike x Jacquemus Air Humara (in Pink)

The summer is all about adding pops of vibrant colors to your outfits, and there is no better companion than the Nike x Jacquemus Air Humara in the beautiful pink/magenta colorway. The sneaker features a chunky sole with a gum rubber outsole, white laces, a gold Nike swoosh accent, and a mix of leather, mesh, and suede materials throughout the silhouette. The Nike Humara signature fabric strap appears on the heel and lacing, and the Jacquemus logo appears at the bottom of the sneaker and the heel. 

It’s the perfect sneaker if you’re looking for a standout piece in your rotation that is also comfortable.

Nike Dunk Low University Blue 

It’s no secret the Nike Dunk Low has dominated the fashion ecosystem for the past few years, and with an abundance of colorways to choose from, there is a Dunk out there for any occasion. The revitalization of the Nike Dunk has seen popular colorways like the “Panda” dominate both the street and runway, further evidence of this growing crossover between streetwear and luxury. 

Like many of Nike’s popular silhouettes, the Nike Dunk Low is available in a variety of colorways. This summer, the Nike Dunk Low University Blue perfectly pairs the vibrant University of North Carolina baby blue colorway with pops of white throughout the silhouette. 

If you’re looking to add a pop of color without drawing too much attention to your shoes, Nike Dunks are a great choice for you. The shoes boast a minimal design profile, are comfortable for long stretches, and will keep your feet cool during the heat. 

Salomon XT-6 

Salomon’s rise in fashion dates long before the rise of Gorpcore—a style that has emerged over the past few years centered around hiking apparel and equipment. Historically, hiking gear and fashion-forward designs would never be spoken of in the same sentence. With an emphasis on form over style, many hiking brands focus on utility over aesthetics. Brands like Salomon and Arc’Teryx arguably do both. 

The Salomon XT-6 is the perfect hybrid hiking/everyday sneaker. The sneaker features an ePE membrane, an anti-debris mesh construction, comfortable cushioning, and a durable outsole to protect your feet during long walks in the city or a summer hike. The PFC-free Gore-Tex membrane protects your feet from water, and the sneakers feature a tightening lacing system to keep your feet secured and safe from the elements. 

With Gorpcore showing no signs of slowing down, the Salomon XT-6 is the perfect gateway into this rising trend. Pair the sneakers with joggers or casual chinos to dress up or down your looks. 

adidas Samba 

Fashion is cyclical and there perhaps isn’t a better example of this than the OG adidas Samba. First released in 1949, the adidas Samba was first created with a mid-top profile, designed to provide traction for athletes on frozen ground. It wasn’t until the 1990s that skaters and indoor soccer players reimaged the sneakers for their respective sports. For the last 30 years, the adidas Samba has come in and fallen out of trend cycles but was always a prominent shoe in niche subcultures.

Today, the Samba is officially back, but this time feels different. The Samba has proven to be a timeless classic in both streetwear and luxury—a cultural triumph that refuses to let its past dictate the future. 

While celebrities like Bella Hadid are helping reignite a love for Sambas today, let us not forget that it was Millennials that brought the sneaker to the limelight some 30 years ago, and they never fully vanished from the fashion ecosystem. With a plethora of colors to choose from, the adidas Samba is the perfect affordable sneaker to help you tackle the summer.

The Takeaway 

As luxury and streetwear continue to develop a complex relationship, sneakers will act as the gateway between these two historically polar opposite fashion paradigms. If you’re on the fence about adding sneakers to your rotation this summer, there are plenty of options that will keep you comfortable without compromising style. 

The summer is the perfect time to experiment with your wardrobe, explore new places, and tackle the outdoors. Thankfully, you don’t have to sacrifice form or aesthetics. This summer, invest in a pair of kicks that will keep pace with your adventures.