Mismatched: a Sneaker Edition

Symmetrical sneakers may offer a sense of harmony, but sometimes they’re too straight-laced. Mismatched and 'What The'-style colourways have become more prevalent in recent years, and some hit harder than others. 

This brings us to the fast-growing culture of Mismatched shoes, which have always been loved by and spotted on celebrities around the world, and it’s easy to see why all the fashion icons are quickly picking up on this trend. After all, fashion is all about having fun and being true to yourself. Plus, if both shoes go with the outfits and you can’t pick, why choose when you can rock both?

 

1. Air Jordan 1 ‘Top 3’

To be honest, you could dip the Air Jordan 1 in the dirtiest puddle and I’d still want to cop. The Air Jordan 1 "Top 3" is the kind of colourway that illuminates all the hallmarks of Michael Jordan’s debut silhouette: clean lines, a sexy Swoosh, and legendary wings. A homage to a trio of Hall of Fame colourways (‘Bred/Banned’, ‘Chicago’, and ‘Royal’), the AJ1 ‘Top 3’ also alludes to Michael Jordan's being selected number 3 in the 1984 NBA draft.

2. Nike SB Dunk Low ‘What The Dunk’

Arguably the holiest of grails, the Nike SB Dunk Low ‘What The Dunk’ will always be one of the sneakers we all wish we could've gotten our hands on at release in 2007. The ‘What The Dunk’ was the first of the ongoing ‘What The’ Nike series, which is famous for remixing iconic colourways and designs of previous releases into one mega maximalist’s delight. Apparently, there were only 500 pairs of these ever made, and I don’t doubt it – they’re now moving on the secondary market comfortably for five figures. Every facet of this shoe is wild. Its origins, its legendary status, its mismatched silhouette, and its price tag.

3. Nike SB x Air Jordan 1 ‘Lance Mountain’

During the emergence of skateboarding in the late 80s, names like Lance Mountain and Steve Caballero gravitated towards Air Jordan 1, a shoe that provided padding and protection in the right places and was also on sale at the time. Mountain famously wore mismatched Jordans, sometimes painting over them to create a uniform look, and Nike immortalised this story in 2014 with an official collaboration between Lance Mountain, Nike SB, and Jordan Brand. In order to reveal the ‘Bred’ colour scheme on the left shoe and ‘Royal’ on the right shoe, these need to be skated in.

4. Sean Wotherspoon x Atmos x Asics Gel-Lyte III ‘Corduroy’

The Gel Lyte 3 is an iconic sneaker and a groundbreaker with its game-changing innovation. This particular version features Sean Wotherspoon’s signature corduroy panels and split tongue. The best part is that each shoe is intentionally mismatched, so you don’t have to buy two different shoes! Oh, and the icing on the cake is that the pack comes with additional custom swooshes, so that you can rock a different sneaker every day!

5. Nike SB Dunk High Pro froSkate All Love

Ironically, this "All Love, No Hate" sneaker has received a considerable amount of undeserved hate. But nevertheless, they have to be appreciated for the designer’s vision. The shoes come styled in mismatched, multi-colored fashion, the right side featuring green and teal overlays, the left in red and yellow overlays. The froSkate x Nike SB collab is one of the wildest and most detailed SB Dunk Highs seen in a while, and should garner more attention as we head towards the future of mismatched fashion.

6. Jordan 1 mid Fearless Melody Ehsani

As a longtime staple in the streetwear world, Ehsani's collaboration with Jordan Brand was a long time coming. Her take on the Air Jordan 1 Mid not only pays homage to a recent trip to Egypt and her penchant for nail art, but its mismatched colour palette is an instant standout in any crowd. It also comes with six different lace colours, so with each one you choose, it can look like an entirely different shoe.

7. Puma LaMelo Ball Rick & Morty

Puma teamed up with Melo’s favourite Adult Swim programme to create this exclusive new collection, with designs inspired directly by Rick and Morty’s adventures. The package makes use of two different palettes to represent Rick and Morty individually. Across the left foot, different shades of bright green dress the shoe’s entire exterior, paying homage to the cynical scientist’s iconic portal gun. His face also marks the inside of the tongue, as Morty’s does along the opposite foot. And it's here that a bright pink takes the helm, which could very well be a nod to Beth’s blouse.