The 10 Greatest Dad Shoes of All Time
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By Stadium Goods |The 10 Greatest Dad Shoes of All Time
We count down the ten greatest “dad shoes” of all time. Yes, the Air Monarch is in here, but you may also find some surprises.
Matt DeSciora
Hindsight is a funny thing. Just a few years ago, the thought of wearing anything that resembled the type of chunky, orthotic-looking shoes favored by dads known for their questionable fashion choices would have seemed laughable to those with a keen sense of style. Though today, “dad shoes” are among the most popular sneakers on the planet.
The about-face on the dad shoe look came when retro performance basketball and running shoes from brands like New Balance, Asics, and others started coming back in style. With collaborations like the Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 550 and the JJJJound x Asics Gel-Kayano 14, among many others, gaining popularity, coupled with the fact that retro sneakers are trending at an all time high right now, there’s been a perfect storm of intrigue for “dad shoes” in 2023.
Since we don’t expect the dad shoe trend to slow down anytime soon, and with Father’s Day on the horizon, there’s no better time than now to celebrate the dad shoe movement than by recognizing the 10 Greatest Dad Shoes of All Time.
The classic Nike Air Huarache is the epitome of a dad shoe: retro, ultra-comfortable, and just a little bit weird looking. Pictured here, the Stussy x Nike Air Huarache “Desert Oak,” originally from 2000 and re-released in 2021, is the renowned streetwear brand’s first-ever collaboration with Nike, and most definitely a sneaker that embodies everything there is to love about a “dad shoe.” The “Desert Oak” arrives in a versatile earth tone colorway that can be worn with anything, and is endlessly comfortable with its snug, sock-like construction. As you’ll see throughout this list, all the best dad shoes pass the wearability and comfortability test with flying colors.
We know what you’re thinking, “But isn’t a “dad shoe” supposed to be big, chunky, and unassuming?” In many cases, yes. But there’s also something to be said about how nostalgia plays into the whole dad shoe mythology. There are many older sneaker collectors who remember watching Michael Jordan lace up now-classic Air Jordans with the Chicago Bulls back in the day, especially models like the Jordan 11, which commanded considerable hype when it was released in ‘96. In that regard, the Jordan 11 makes the cut.
8. Air Jordan 3
Checking in at number eight on our list of the 10 Greatest Dad Shoes is the Air Jordan 3, which goes to prove that a “dad shoe” can come in all different kinds of colors and from any era in footwear. There are many dads who can rightfully say that they saw Michael Jordan debut the Jordan 3 “Black Cement” during the ‘88 NBA All-Star Game, and then went out to their local sneaker store to purchase the shoe. The timeless Air Jordan 3 is the sort of sneaker that pairs well with the kinds of casual clothes dads love to dress in.
We don’t feature Puma sneakers nearly as much as we’d like to, so getting a chance to show love to the brand’s greatest style, the legendary Puma Suede Classic, feels extra special. Former New York Knicks point guard and Basketball Hall of Famer Walt “Clyde” Frazier wore the Puma Suede in the early 1970s, before he got his own very similar sneaker, the Puma Clyde, which is actually the first signature basketball shoe. Today, the Suede is a beloved lifestyle shoe worn by everyone, including dads all around the world.
6. adidas Superstar “White/Black”
The adidas Superstar is a shoe that’s been popular for so long that it feels like almost anyone with even a passing interest in sneakers or style has owned a pair at one point or another in their life. Originally coming of age as a performance basketball shoe in the 1970s before making it big in early hip-hop and b-boy culture, the adidas Superstar has all of the same qualities as every great “dad shoe:” comfort, timeless looks, and heritage.
Next to the Nike Air Max 1, the Air Max 95 is the most popular shoe in Nike’s innovative Air Max collection. For that reason alone… well, maybe a few other reasons, too, the retro performance running sneaker, particularly its original “Neon” colorway, is beloved by dads. In its lifetime, the Air Max 95 has been featured in music videos and called out in rap songs, been used in collaborations with brands like Stussy and Supreme, and even inspired other sneaker releases, like the Air Jordan 4 “Neon.” Everyone can get down with the Air Max 95, it’s just another great shoe that’s been around so long that dads feel secure wearing it because they know it won’t be going out of style anytime soon.
When you think of the characteristics that make up the quintessential dad shoe, you think of comfortability, durability, and versatility. When you think of the shoes that have those elements baked into their design, you most certainly think of the New Balance 574. As satisfying to wear as it is unfussy in design, the New Balance 574 has been beloved by dads from all walks of life since as long as anyone could remember. That’s because the model hasn’t really been changed much since it debuted back in the 1980s. Dads appreciate things that are reliable and functional, and the New Balance 574 is both abundantly reliable and functional, making it the perfect dad shoe.
The Nike Vomero 5 isn’t a new shoe by any means. Originally released in 2010, the model has been around for a minute, and was once part of a collaboration with Samuel Ross’s A COLD WALL* clothing brand back in 2018. But in spite of the massive co-sign, the model has only recently started getting the type of appreciation it rightfully deserves thanks to the Y2K sneaker trend. The Vomero 5’s design more closely resembles the types of techy performance shoes associated with the early 2000s shoe wave, but as we know, dads favor any form of footwear that’s comfortable. So in that regard, the Vomero 5, and any other “plush” shoe of the like, fits within the dad shoe trend perfectly.
No “dad shoe” has embraced its legion of wearers quite like the New Balance 990. When the 990 V5 released in 2019, it was marketed with advertisements featuring slogans like, “Worn by supermodels in London and dads in Ohio” and “It’s made for those with high standards.” Both tongue-in-cheek ads call back to the original ad campaign surrounding the initial 990’s release in 1982, and lean into the fact that maybe, just maybe, wearing sneakers can be fun. When you have the kind of heritage that the New Balance 990 has, you can afford to keep ‘em guessing.
No one knows for sure when the Nike Air Monarch 4 became the greatest “dad shoe” in history. It just sort of happened. But maybe that’s what makes it so endearing to so many people, especially dads. The Air Monarch doesn’t have any big marketing push behind it, and has never been a part of any major moments in sports history, except for maybe when Pete Carroll wore the shoe while patrolling the sidelines in big games as the head coach for the USC Trojans and later, Seattle Seahawks. Instead, the Air Monarch 4 is a shoe that’s up for interpretation—anyone who finds its combination of comfort and no-frills styling a breath of fresh air can make it their own, and wear it for activities such as walking, mowing the lawn, and even weddings.