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Tips on How to Appear Amazing in Dress Sneakers

Updated: Oct 18, 2023



Hey Albuquerque men, these days people wearing dress sneakers as footwear with a suit is in style. You see it at black-tie events, you see them being worn by entire wedding parties, and you see it on TV with celebrity sportscasters and commentators wearing dress sneakers. It is not a ‘thing’, it is commonplace. Even though this is the norm these days, you may still need guidance on when to wear dress sneakers, what suits to wear them with and what color dress sneakers match a certain color suit. Do not worry. Featured here is good information about dress sneakers themselves, and a guide with some basic rules to follow on how to bring your dress sneaker game in a smart informed way to your wardrobe.

Dress Sneakers Explained


Sneakers that are Dress Sneakers are footwear you are able to pair with dress casual apparel, or a suit. The upper section of the shoe appears somewhat like a dress shoe, but obviously it is not. The sole of a dress sneaker is normally flat. and the shoe is pleasing to the eye.

There are a simple set of rules for dress sneakers. You can take a pair and wear them with smart dress casual or with a suit. Guidance on what to dress sneakers to wear with what is all you need.

Basic Guidelines for Dress Sneakers


The more formal the event or the apparel is, the more straight forward, basic and well fit your dress sneaker needs to be for it to look good versus looking like it goes with a track suit or warm-ups. The dressiest dress sneakers have the following attributes:

  • Basic – One color or low key upper with little or no branding

  • Shoe Top Must be a Low top (ankle visible) No high tops please

  • Slender Lines and Well Fitted – The dress sneaker shoe should showcase a dress shoe similar look

  • Shoe Material—Suede or Leather (normally not synthetic or canvas, but okay on occasion) Premium dress sneakers material is normally made with high-quality leather.


The Proper Dress Sneakers Worn with a Correct Suit

Pairing dress sneakers with a suit means picking the right sneakers (like described earlier) and it means choosing the suit that makes good sense.


Opt-in for a suit with a slim cut. Nicely tailored suits go well with dress sneakers. Doing this will demonstrate your dress sneaker pairing is a style statement you are making on purpose. It is not a case of your Florshiem fine dress shoes being left out in the rain at the front door of your home.


Going with a dress sneaker that features a color is great but keep it low key. Pairing a navy suit with a gray sneaker with a dark sole is one such look.


Pairing the Right Color Sneaker with the Best Suit Color


Employing the basic guidelines of putting the correct shoe color with the suit color it matches best should be used. Nicely enough there are additional colors to work with when it comes to dress sneakers. For the uninitiated, the color white tops the list as the most popular dress sneaker color. However, the colors gray, burgundy and black provide more options.

  • White Dress Sneaker Colors = suits that are light gray, tan, or navy

  • Black Dress Sneakers = suits that are black, charcoal, light gray, or navy

  • Burgundy Dress Sneakers = suits that are brown, light gray, charcoal, or navy

  • Gray Dress Sneakers = suits that are light gray, charcoal, or navy

  • Navy Dress Sneakers = suits that are light gray or tan

  • Brown Dress Sneakers = suits that are brown, light gray, or navy

Dress sneakers come in super bright colors, but if you pair them with almost any suit, chances are it will not look good and you will look like a kid instead of grownup. A strong solid color with built-in texture will look bold, but not look glaring.


Stylish Dress Casual Apparel with Dress Sneakers


Matching a stylish sports coast with a snappy polo shirt, a well-designed knit or dress shirt with a skinny tie will go a long way toward bringing you look to the top of the well-dressed food chain. Give matching your apparel with the color of your dress sneakers a try to take things up a notch. You might be surprised at the compliments you get when you do.


Summing It All Up


Dress sneakers are here to stay. When making the bold move of buying a pair or two and wearing them with a suit, or even dress casual apparel, remember less is more, and being subtle goes a long way to looking good. In Albuquerque, NM, come meet with the menswear professionals at Suits Unlimited and let them help you match the dress sneakers they offer with suit colors that make both them and you look stylish and well put together.


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