We thought the days of chunky sneaker supremacy were long gone. The once-popular Nike Air Forces have been usurped by the sleek Adidas Sambas, which confidently sit at the top of the trendy sneaker leaderboards as the number-one shoe. So, when Jennifer Lopez wore chunky white Prada sneakers at her Tracey Anderson workout class in Los Angeles, we took this seriously. Thanks to Jenny from the Block, we could be looking at a dad sneaker revival.
In Los Angeles yesterday, Lopez looked incredibly sleek and chic in a simple athleisure ensemble. She opted for a salmon-toned Emilio Pucci turtleneck and styled it with ombré leggings from the cult-favorite workout brand Beyond Yoga. She wore her hair in a slicked-back bun and added aviator sunglasses, a go-to silhouette of the multi-hyphenate.
In addition to her hefty white Prada sneakers on display, what also caught our eye was her rare Himalayan Birkin bag. It’s one of fashion's most covetable bags, and the price tag reflects that; right now a similar Himalayan Birkin bag is listed for re-sale at over $100,000 on The Real Real. Yes, you read that correctly: a used bag—but a Birkini no-less—costs what you'd give as a down payment on a really nice house or to pay off your astronomical student loans.
But, back to Lopez's chunky sneakers. J.Lo must be a fan of the silhouette (or perhaps they’re her go-to workout shoes) because she wore the same Prada pair just a few days before to another workout class. Then, she paired them with a graphic tee, sparkly black leggings, and another rare black croc-embossed Birkin bag (We’re dying to see her bag collection!).
If you don’t remember, chunky sneakers ruled the world in 2018. Everyone wanted a white Fila pair, and the luxury set always ensured the Balenciaga Triple-S style was sold out. They may not be as popular now as the sleek sneaker trend that dominated this year, but supersized sneakers are undoubtedly comfy and surprisingly not that hard to style. Plus, with 2010s trends on their way back in (Jennifer Lawrence loves styles from the era), we can only expect chunky sneakers to also have a resurgence in 2024.
Call us chunky sneaker apologists, but we’re ready for their revival. If Lopez sparked inspiration, a few sizes of her Prada sneakers are still available online. Our favorite pairs right now include offerings from New Balance, Veja, and Tory Burch. If you're hesitant to believe in the shoe, opting for a neutral color palette makes styling them a breeze. They even look chic with jeans or trousers (channel the Wrong Shoe Theory) and can be worn comfortably all day.
Shop for pairs of chic chunky sneakers like J.lo's below.
