New Balance 550

The New Balance 550 came back from the 1980s and suddenly everyone on campus is wearing a shoe that their parents probably ignored the first time around. Boxy and simple, with a thick sole and an oversized N on the side, it goes with jeans, wide-leg trousers, and even a skirt unlike more sculpted sneakers. I want a pair in the white and green colorway because it looks clean without trying to look technical. New Balance didn't redesign the shoe for the relaunch, they just made it available again and let the fashion cycle catch up to it. Part of what I like is that wearing them feels hopeful about style moving away from hype and toward things that just look good on their own terms. At $110 the price is low enough to feel accessible but high enough to feel considered. Put them on and walk out the door — no explanation needed.