These Low Tops Should Be Your Everyday Sneakers

This is Kind of Obsessed, a column about all the stuff our team is really, really into right now.

Remember back when we used to leave our homes for something other than getting the mail? Good times. Miss those times.

What I don’t miss about those times is how much more thought I had to put into getting dressed in the morning in order to, you know, look like a person. Does this work? Do these work? Am I wearing pants?

One thing I was longing for back when I wore something other than sandals on my feet year-round was a decent pair of white low tops. To my mind, these “go” with anything (most things?), and though the white necessarily means that they can scuff and stain easily, I was willing to have to baby them in order to get that clean, versatile look. (The kind of look that doesn’t necessitate much thought in the morning.) The problem is that everyone and their mother makes some kind of low top sneaker. Like, everyone. Where to begin?

The answer was provided me by the Universe: Thursday Boot Company, makers of two pairs of my favorite boots, reached out to us — “we’re coming out with our first sneaker, a leather low top.” Gods be praised!

Thursday Boot Co.

Made in Portugal, these new $129 shoes (which come in black, white, essex, cacao and natural cxl) weren’t the least expensive low tops I’ve come across — nor are they the priciest — but I’m familiar with Thursday Boot Co, I’ve met some of the team, and I love how their products wear. They also don’t come in extra-wide sizes for extra-wide footed people like me, but I managed to find a size that works from amongst the 14 available fits.

There’s not a whole lot going on, here — the Premier is simply a handsome, well made version of a classic footwear design: from the bottom-up, it utilizes a dual-density rubber outsole for comfort, with an upper made from Italian Nappa leather. A natural Vachetta leather insole with shock-absorbant 2mm EVA footbeds and a super soft leather interior lining combine for a fine wearing experience out of the box, though I can tell that I’ll hit the sweet spot with these after several weeks or more. (Thursday’s boots take month longer to break in — several months — but the wait and, well, pain, is well worth it.) Thankfully the tongue is padded with leather, as I had to upsize slightly in order to find the right fit for my oddly wide feet, and this helped secure my foot.

Thursday Boot Co.

Matching white cotton laces, silver eyelets and white top-stitching give me exactly the look I was looking for: clean. I can pull these off with a nice pair of selvedge denim, or shorts, or, if I had the sartorial cajones, even a summer suit — though I’m not sure I’m there quite yet. (Nor would I want to walk on grass with them.) Overall, I couldn’t be happier with my dilly-dallying on buying a pair of low tops, as it led me to these things, which I now wear everywhere. (“Everywhere” currently = from my living room to my bedroom, but here’s to hoping that all changes soon.)

Thursday Boot Co’s goal, like that of many millennial-launched brands, is to cut out the middleman with a direct-to-consumer model and thus, provide a more affordable product without sacrificing quality. In this, I’d argue that they’ve succeeded splendidly, offering beautifully crafted shoes with a ton of bang-for-your-break and prices that won’t set your eyes watering. In fact, I’ve just about worn out my Clarks, and when they finally quit, I’ll probably look to Thursday for my next pair of chukkas.

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