1 Sneaker, 3 Ways: High-Top Converse

Even though Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Stars high tops were first designed to be worn by pro ballers on the basketball court, Chucks have morphed into a bonafide shoe-closet staple, no matter which way your personal style leans. After all, a true classic can go with anything on anyone. These three takes—from a velour spin on athleisure to the new all-American chic—prove just that.

1. Basics That Aren’t Basic

Jeans and Chucks have probably been a go-to since the halcyon days of your wild-eyed, scabby-kneed youth. And while there’s no need for adult you to overthink it (Converse + denim of any persuasion = a win, always), the pairing looks fresh and now when the jeans in question are cropped and flared with an above-ankle hemline. It’s like a stylish curtain that lets a pair of red Chucks take center stage. A striped vintage tee completes the whole easy feeling.

2. Athleisure, Updated

It used to be that velour tracksuits were the uniform of the Real Housewives of Wherever. But when paired, unexpectedly, with a silky pajama blouse and pink high-tops, the So-Cal staple gets a new, actually-unscripted life of its own. Graphic statement socks top off the athleisure vibe.

3. Dad-ish

Looking to your pops for inspo, khakis and a crisp white oxford are the tomboy’s answer to fresh white Chucks. [Dads everywhere nod in approval.] A nearly monochrome palette and the oversize fit of shirt and pants (with cuffs haphazardly rolled up) come off as coolly casual. As if your country club just moved to Coachella.