Need Kicks For Sneakerhead ASAP

March 25, 2017 5:49 AM

Looking for the latest cool sneakers for 28 year old sneakerhead brother in law.

Brother in law is a sneaker expert. He lives in Manhattan and knows all about fashion. I know he likes a brand called 'Supreme.' He's kind of bro, kind of hip-hop. He is very thin and has small feet. I'm 36, I wear Crocs whenever I can and I don't know anything about shoes. We want to get him something very wild, rare, new and cool for his birthday. Looking for something in the $200 range. What do we do?

posted by shushufindi to Shopping (7 answers total)

This is a nice idea but buying clothes/shoes for someone is hard even if you are very familiar with the style...

But, to answer your question, did he like Breaking Bad?
posted by notquitemaryann at 6:51 AM on March 25, 2017

Best answer: Two semi-helpful thoughts:
1) gift card to sneakerhead.com
2) Ask the folks at https://www.reddit.com/r/Sneakers/?
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:55 AM on March 25, 2017

Best answer: Something from Kith should suffice, but tread very carefully when buying something for a streetwear/sneakerhead type: https://kith.com/collections/footwear
posted by windbox at 7:09 AM on March 25, 2017

It's very tricky to buy a gift for a dedicated collector unless you are also a collector and you're familiar with his collection. He most likely has very strong opinions about what he wants and what he doesn't. If you buy a pair that he doesn't like (or, alternatively, a pair he's already bought for himself), that's a quick way to waste a couple hundred bucks. Sneakers, especially, are tricky because of the fit issue.

How much time do you have until his birthday? And will you talk to him before then? If so, try to steer the conversation toward sneakers and see if you can pick up some hints about what he wants. Start out very casual, like "oh, are those new shoes?", and then work your way into getting him to tell you more about the culture. "What's so great about those? Oh, so they're not just fancy Nikes?" "So what are the best sneakers, then?" As a bonus, he'll get to talk in depth about a subject he enjoys, which is kind of a gift in itself.

If not, gift card.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:55 AM on March 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Wild, rare, and cool for $200 or under isn't going to happen unless you magically luck into a pair of ACRNM Prestos or Air Mags in his size.

Get him a gift certificate to Kith (as mentioned above), DSM, or Flight Club instead, unless you can find one of the Shuttlemax Lime figures still available at retail.
posted by evoque at 1:10 PM on March 25, 2017

Have you heard of Kozy Soles? They're puffy oversized slippers designed to look like cartoony versions of classic sneakers.
posted by sleeping bear at 2:01 PM on March 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

I vote to just ask him what he wants or for a list of options (and offer a gift card instead). I know that some people might shudder at the transactional nature of it, but asking for his input is actually the most thoughtful thing of all. I'm around the same age, also have some interests/tastes that my family doesn't share, and exchanging wish lists has really made everyone in my family much happier.

If that's not going to work with your family dynamics, and if you can't have a conversation to pick up on some hints as suggested above, then go with a gift card.
posted by acidic at 3:06 PM on March 25, 2017 [1 favorite]