Help me find the male version of these cool ladies' shoes

March 12, 2008 7:48 AM

I want the male version of a category of cool Skecher-esque fashion sneakers that women have been wearing for the past year or two. Within that category I want the kind where the laces are just vestigial, decorative. Best examples here and here. Do they exist? Can't find.

I know exactly what I want in a casual fashion sneaker but don't know if it exists. There is a kind of cool, low-profile, futuristic-looking, fashiony, sometimes shiny, often gray/silvery, multi-material, knobby-soled, super-narrow sole at the arch snazzy sneaker that women have been wearing for a couple of years. Skechers has the most obvious examples but I've seen lots of different ones. Within that category is a kind that has laces, but they aren't actual functional shoelaces. They are spaghetti-thin stretchy cords and they don't tie - it's a closed loop, so it's really just decorative. The best examples are here and here.

I want the male version, maybe just a touch more butch. The first one above would be perfect if it came in a guys' model. In design, shape, laces, and color it's perfect. In women's Skechers, there are loads of them in a line called "Bikers" though that contains many that are more woman-shaped.

This is the closest I've found in men's. It lacks the all important vestigial laces, however, making it look naked. If this model had them, it would do.

That's as close as I can find. I can find the shape many places, but laced or strapped. Don't want tie laces, don't want straps. I've looked at zappo, yoox, adidas, amazon, kenneth cole, diesel, tsubo, tommy hilfiger, macy's, timberland, k-swiss, nike, salomon.

Take this one for example - right shape, great sole, material OK, but has tie laces.

Don't want jungle mocs a la Merrell, or Birkenstocks or Crocs, etc. Don't want women's version (probably couldn't find big enough anyway)

Nice thought, Merrell, but no. Right laces, wrong style.

Does my shoe exist? Where? European Mefites, maybe you've got something?

posted by Askr to clothing, beauty, & fashion (16 comments total)

This?
posted by essexjan at 8:21 AM on March 12

Skechers is a knock off brand, and the first few you link to are definitely K-Swiss knock offs. You might start your search with that.
posted by YoungAmerican at 8:22 AM on March 12

These Ahnu shoes maybe?
posted by cmm at 8:30 AM on March 12

Some more.

1.

2.

3.

4.
posted by essexjan at 8:33 AM on March 12

Seconding Tsubo.
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 8:49 AM on March 12

you really want some Royal Elastics
posted by gnutron at 10:08 AM on March 12

Maybe something from Teva?
posted by porpoise at 10:50 AM on March 12

Hey! The Ahnu shoes have exactly the right kind of lace setup. They're not otherwise quite the style/shape/design I'm looking for but the laces are right on. I'll look for more of those.

@essexjan, the first Skecher you listed is close. Still looks like regular laces tucked in though.
Your #2 and #4 (Tsubos) above are also close, but again with regular laces tucked in in the photo.

K-swiss - No, already checked.

Tsubo Pollux - No. (cheaters, tucking in the lace ends for photo)

Royal Elastics - No vestigial laces, wrong style/shape/design.

Teva - Those laces look close. Right idea. Otherwise style/shape/design isn't quite it.


Thank you everybody for finding things I couldn't. Keep it coming if you find more. Maybe I could find my own stretchy spaghetti laces, put them in one of these laceups, and tie them off in some way that doesn't show so that they become a slip-on.
posted by Askr at 11:22 AM on March 12

I don't know if these Go Laces things work or if they will ever come back in stock. But if you're looking to convert normal shoes, this looks like what you want.
posted by cmm at 1:37 PM on March 12

Awesome, @cmm. I was wondering how I'd pull off that proposed home stretchylace job. I'll look at getting some of those GoLaces and the related Speed Laces and try them on some shoes I already own. If good, then I can buy one of the close-enough pairs of shoes recommended upthread.
posted by Askr at 2:56 PM on March 12

How about these?
posted by esmerelda_jenkins at 7:18 PM on March 12

oops, didn't see that you'd nixed the diesel already.
posted by esmerelda_jenkins at 7:21 PM on March 12

I have a pair of the Sketchers Bikers with the elastic laces, and they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever worn. They are very light and don't cramp and pinch. I have big, wide feet, and even though the Sketchers don't come in wide widths, they fit just fine. Couldn't you just sort of forget that they're women's shoes and try on a pair? Drag them over to the men's side of the store to try on if you're self-conscious. :)
posted by Joleta at 9:38 PM on March 12

Skechers Orleans
GUESS by Marciano Hornet
posted by healthytext at 8:23 AM on March 13

DING DING DING DING DING DING! We have a winner! Two, in fact. Thanks @healthytext! Looks like the Skechers Orleans is exactly the style. Looks like it may be a discontinued model that is still lingering some places. Gonna try to find my size/style somewhere. And the Guess ones are close enough to be winners too, certainly in the laces department.

Anyone else still following the thread, more suggestions are welcome going forward. I love this site.
posted by Askr at 3:41 PM on March 13

In case anyone finds this thread later, got the Skechers Orleans, which are awesome and which I wear every day. I also bought the Guess Hornets. They were the most uncomfortable shoes I've ever worn. They were almost impossible to get on and were so stiff and hard and had zero support. I ordered the next size up just to see but they were still awful. They were sooo good looking. I was tempted to keep them but just couldn't. Stay away!
posted by Askr at 6:46 PM on August 2