2010 - BEST OF THE BEST SNEAKERS

KEEP DORIAN/ VANS SPECTATOR LX
If we were talking about my personal favourite sneaker of all time, hands down the Adidas Gazelle Black/White would win - no dilemma there. But in this case, Best of the Best 2010, I don't think I can split my love for these two shoes. Every year I find myself streamlining my sneaker love to suit my style theory of ‘Thoughtful Simplicity'. It's my way of not saying my taste is ‘maturing'.

KEEP DORIAN: Black Suede
In the heat of that old and ongoing discussion over major sneaker brands' lack of love for real Sneakerfreakettes, Keep just went ahead and started a new thread. They flipped it and have created a line of new classics for me. Usually my love lies with the Keep stable staple, The Ramos. This year The Dorian came through. With its stylin' lace cover, white cup sole, round laces and animal friendly synthetic black micro-suede upper, they complete any sharp outfit. In all their modesty, they don't scream ‘Look at me look at me!' but when you do look, they're a pleasant surprise in simplicity and freshness. And like all Keep kicks, wearing these babies is like walking on clouds.

VANS SPECTATOR LX (Vault): Chilli Pepper / Lambs Wool
Vans are killing it with releases this year, and these Spectator LXs from the Vault range are no exception. It has a saddle shoe style, with the classic Vans vulcanised sole, red leather and creamy soft as coco butter cream suede to set my heart aflutter. Oh, and round leather laces... love at first sight! Copped from the good folk at Bows and Arrows, Berkeley, CA.