What’s more classic than white trainers/ sneakers? I mean, you can wear them with almost anything. And now, as we’ve turned our back on traditional rules of fashion, we can wear our favorite white sneakers year round.

You wanna know a secret? I haven’t woren white sneakers since 7th grade. WHAT? Yeah, I know, but it’s true. Let me tell why. Back in middle school, my Queen Feet finally stopped growing. And when they did, I was relieved yet horrified at my US size 11 soles. At that time, Nike’s classic Air Force 1s were super popular. Everyone had them and styled them to fit their personal personas. And like many young teenagers seeking the in-crowd, I had to cop my own pair. Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t find them in my size.

Alternatively, I’d come across some very similar shoes by a  different brand. I can’t recall whether or not they were by FUBU or KSWISS. I believe it was FUBU though. Y’all remember what FUBU stood for in the U.S. African American communities? F.U.B.U. became an acronym– the butt of a joke that stood for Fat, Ugly, Black, and Uncomfortable in my part of the Dirty South. Whatever it was, they looked so bulky on my feet that after a couple of wears, I was too embarrassed to wear them again. I bet you can imagine how that brand’s connotation and colorism’s stigmas also played into my being self-consciousness too.

I’m so glad that I’m no longer too self-conscious to wear white sneakers anymore. I’m having fun playing around with my style as I pair these with jeans. I’m really excited to try to style them with dresses and skirts though. I must say, white sneakers are such a pest as I try to keep them clean. What are some budget-friendly techniques you all use to keep your white sneakers spotless?

Shoe Deets: Sneakers. Trainers. What do you call your casual tennis shoes? For now, I call mine ‘Bertie”. These platform sneakers by Steve Madden are in my highly coveted size 11. Bertie’s been perfectly stiff and tight in form for my Narrow feet, so they’d be perfect for Narrow feet and Medium after some wear. I love how they offer a little height to my shorter frame while not seeming too bulky.

Get these ‘Bertie’ sneakers now while they’re marked down here.