I’ve been eyeballing this company for months now. Every time i see these kicks in stores i never just browse over them, but they have made me stop and check them out every time. Since they are a bit pricy (average ~ $130 in stores) i usually set them back down but finally got around to it and picked up two pairs. Both are the Russell model, one grey one with leather / fabric combo and the other all leather:

I have to say as a sneaker enthusiast i was relieved to find out that they fit very comfortably (a bit narrow, so you wide footed people out there: this might not be for you), the leather is treated thus soft so it doesn’t pinch your feet when wearing them and they are somewhat robust against scuffs and regular street dust. They look very clean and classy, and can be worn everyday and look sick with some nice denim. they can easily also fit classier outfits like a blazer / tshirt combo.

I also like the color details, that really enhance the overall color of the shoe, like the purple tag on the black shoe above. i have not tested them for endurance but they seem sturdily manufactured so i see them lasting a bit since all the parts are stitched, not glued together.

After checking out their website (http://www.clae.com) i discovered that they make all sorts of different styles, from slip-ons to low and high cuts, some more sporty, some more elegant but they all share the same attributes: clean designs, simple colors, nice materials and all around sleekness. I think they are better than creative recreation footwear which tends to sometime look too high fashion, too slim and the men shoes sometimes look like women sneakers.

So if you want a classy sneaker that convinces through simple style, get on them clae’s!