#clae

BUY: CLAE Bradley Sneaker, $150

I first wrote about the CLAE Bradley Low sneaker two years ago. On the lookout for a minimalist white court sneaker for refined casual outfits, I was drawn to the Bradley’s clean lines, full-grain leather uppers, available half-sizing, and relatively affordable price.

At the time, I went to pains to emphasize that the Bradley is not a true alternative to the quintessential Common Projects Achilles Low: the soles aren’t stitched, the finish not quite as fine, and, well, aesthetically it’s closer to the Common Projects Achilles Retro Low anyways. But then, the Bradley retails for about a third of what a pair of Common Projects does, and you can often find the Bradley steeply discounted at HauteLook and Nordstrom Rack.

Since writing that post two years ago, the CLAE Bradley has become a regular part of my shoe rotation. I wear them two or three times a week, don’t baby them (they’re often my go-to for running around the park with my kids), and they’ve held up well.

The Bradley comes in a surprisingly versatile number of variations. While I personally like the neoprene heel accent and ecru sole, an all-white version is available for you true minimalists. There’s also a mid top version, a stitched-welt version (honestly not a fan of the contrast welt), and even a vegan version.

BUY: CLAE Bradley Sneaker, $150

Clae Bradley Low Sneaker 

Available at Nordstrom Rack in many sizes and colorways. Also available in a mid-top version. 

I’ve been looking for minimal white leather sneakers over the past few months--the kind of thing you’d wear casually with slim denim or chinos, or dress up with tailored trousers and a rakish polo.

Anyone in menswear circles knows the default answer for that profile: the Common Projects Achilles Low. I’m all for paying for quality, but still have trouble wrapping my head around dropping around $400 on a pair of sneakers, or $250ish when they’re on sale. Even alternatives that come in just under $200 (Greats, Epaulet, Oliver Cabell, Kent Wang, Gustin) are a bit much for me.

My price ceiling for sneakers is more like $100. The obvious candidate in that range is of course the original sneaker that inspired all of the above: the Stan Smith. But the perforated “Three Stripe” side panels still aren’t quite clean enough for me. Eventually, I came across something that looked right and fit my budget: the Clae Bradley at Nordstrom Rack.