Ah, a trusty pair of trainers. A fashion staple. We can’t live with them (just how do the style set manage to dodge Britain’s deluge of muddy puddles and keep theirs looking box-fresh?) and we can’t live without them because, well, who can? The time will soon be upon us to transition from winter boots to something altogether lighter on our feet, so spring 2024 trainer styles are on our radar.

Just as the internet has ramped up the rate at which microtrends appears, trainer trends are no exception; One minute, it’s chunky dad trainers that are the pair du jour; the next, it’s all about the Reebok Classic Cs that defined our childhood. Who can keep up?

The good news is that that’s where we come in; consider us your sneaker fairy godmothers, here to report on trending footwear that are worth knowing and investing in. These are the spring sneakers that we’ve got our eyes, hearts and wallets pinned firmly on – you can thank us later.

Cast your mind back to your childhood spent with chattering teeth and wobbly knees in PE class. The plimsoll-style trainers that defined those classes are now back en vogue, having undergone something of a makeover. New Balance’s Hailey Bieber-approved collection with designer of the moment Aime Leon Dore sold like hotcakes, and so too have Reebok’s Club C trainers, which look like the school trainers of yesteryear. These trainers are the antithesis of the chunky Barack Obama-approved treads we’ve got used to seeing pound the pavements. If you’re looking for a more fashion touch from your footwear, these are the flat and fashion-forward styles to look to.

In news that won’t come as a surprise to fashion fans, Salomon’s utilitarian trainers have been co-opted by the style set. The padded treads are a footwear bestseller for both MatchesFashion and Browns Fashion, and on TikTok, #SalomonShoes has been viewed more than 690,000 times with users making speedy videos showing how to style their Gore-Tex trainers. These shoes mean business and look the part. In order to swerve any and all hiking connotations, wear yours with a slouchy oversized suit or swap out whichever pair of sneakers is in your daily rotation in favour of a pair of fashion’s most unexpectedly revered trainers.

We can breathe a collective sigh of relief that fashion has breathed new life into the high-top. The once maligned shoe is once again back among fashion’s inner circle, no doubt in part thanks to endorsements from a clutch of fashion favourites and the release of Netflix’s basketball documentary The Last Dance in 2020. In fact, it’s been during the past two years that Air Jordans – which were produced for former basketball player Michael Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls in 1984 – have reared their heads from the fashion grave. Wear yours with straight-legged jeans or XXL denim to allow just a peep of the lip of the shoe to peek out from under your trousers. Don’t worry, everyone will know precisely what they are.

Images: Getty