Best Trainers for Women: Trends, High Street, Designer and More

Trainers are having a fashion moment, and we're not talking about gym-wear.

Gone are the days of boring, uninspired sports uniforms. With designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Raf Simons dressing up sports shoes and athleisure on the tip of everyone’s tongues, it’s safe to say that trainers are officially here to stay.

We’re surprised it took this long – they’re comfortable, affordable and are an easy way to dress down an outfit without sacrificing style. While they’ve generally been a favourite of the urban style crew, big retailers like H&M, Zara and more have been gradually introducing slick new versions into their stores and everybody owns at least one pair now. They go with almost everything – jeans, cropped trousers, summer dresses – and take all the fuss out of choosing what to wear first thing in the morning.

Best Fashion Trainers

As with the rest of the fashion world, footwear isn’t impervious to the ebb and flow of trends. Pastel shades – including the inevitable millennial pink – bring a softness and femininity to classic shapes, making them the perfect addition to a denim dress or full skirt. There’s also been a lot of buzz around metallics in rose golds, silvers and gold lame, which will give you a reason to work on that fancy footwork. When in doubt however, you can never go wrong with a classic white sneak.

Balenciaga completely changed the game this season though and brought back a style we never though would see the light of day again: dad trainers. Love them or hate them, they’re here to stay and we spent a VERY long time trying to find the last Balenciaga pair available online. You’re welcome.

Best running trainers

We chatted with Cathy, who runs a site dedicated to running, cycling and general fitness called JogBlog, about choosing the perfect running trainers. It’s worth investing in a great pair of shoes if you’re an avid runner and more serious enthusiasts should think about asking for expert advice – when Cathy first started out, she had to learn that the hard way.

She said, ‘I started out running with the cheapest pair of trainers I could find (£10 in a non-sports shop). That was a mistake – they were so stiff and uncomfortable! I then went to a specialist running shop where I ran on a treadmill so the staff could analyse my gait, then they brought out to me different brands of shoe appropriate for my running style to try on. After trying on a few pairs – I just ‘knew’ which were the right pair.’

Best trainers for the gym

Cathy shared, ‘For the gym, unless you’re doing high impact exercise such as the treadmill, then it doesn’t really matter what you wear on your feet and, as running shoes are expensive, I save my old ones for the gym to get value for money out of them!’

Best trainers for walking

Best trainers for flat feet

Having problems with your arch? Look for styles that have been specially designed to provide extra underfoot support. Don’t let anything keep you from that workout.