While known for performance footwear, New Balance also makes a range of sneakers designed for everyday wear. Before becoming the über-shoe brand it is today, New Balance produced arch supports for the first half of the 20th century. Things changed for the brand when it manufactured the world’s first ripple sole running shoe in 1960. Through the ‘70s the brand grew from a team of six shoe builders to a large-scale operation — now, there are three factories in Maine (Norridgewock, Skowhegan, and Norway), a plant in Boston and another in Lawrence, Massachusetts. There are also factories across the world that produce the brand’s more affordable styles.
One of the brand’s most iconic and affordable everyday styles is the 574 silhouette. First introduced in ’88, the style quickly became one of New Balance’s most popular models. The shoe features a combination suede-nylon upper, an Encap midsole for cushioning and a durable rubber outsole. Now at Zappos, you can save 25 percent on the New Balance ML574v2 sneaker in five different colorways. That means you can pick it up for just $60.
That said, if you’d rather invest in an American-made silhouette, you can pick up the 997 in Khaki and Gray for 31 percent off at End. The slightly sleeker silhouette features a suede upper, a perforated toe box and an Encap midsole. Also, another American-made style just launched today at Todd Snyder. The New Balance + Todd Snyder 998 in Sunset Pink ($218) has a gray and pink suede upper and is limited to 300 pairs. Whatever style you decide on, you’ll be investing in a piece of classically American footwear.
ML574v2 (Blue) by New Balance $80 $60
