The purpose of this thread is to be the ultimate answer to the best minimalist white sneakers for every budget. You could also look at this thread as the ultimate answer to the best Common Projects alternatives. There are many good sneakers in every price range (too many to list in one thread) but I went through and highlighted what I believe are the best ones. The main focus is white but if white sneakers aren't your thing, no worries, all of these brands (effectively) make other colors and quality models for your taste.
Important Note: If a brand is not listed then I am of the opinion that it is a sub-ideal choice of sneakers for X Budget. Alternatively, I could just simply not be aware of the brand in which case I'll comment on it and decide if I want to include it in the list for future edits. Also, I am not endorsing or sponsoring any of these brands in the list. Please read my extended thread in the comments too.
Here’s the list for every budget:
<$100
Tried these on in store. Felt like I was walking on card board. Same goes for H&amp;amp;M Sneakers and every other fast fashion shoes. Dog shit. Listed them here anyways because I know people will mention them. Avoid all fast fashion shoes.
Canvas but from my experience a while back much more comfortable than Vans. Not aware of any other canvas sneaker at lower price points that aren’t cardboard. This is a good choice if you are very conscious of money and need shoes to wear. According to /u/swong37 , "PF Flyers makes you feel like you can outrun killer dogs like Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez."
3) Converse Chuck Taylors II $70
Canvas and slim. A classic. Better insole than Chuck Taylors I and a step up from PF Flyers in terms of comfort.
4) Adidas Stan Smiths/Meme Smiths ~$75 on Amazon
Ah yes, here they are, one of the holy trinity meme of footwear on MFA (I believe the other two being CDBs and Kill Shots 2). These are amongst the most recommended shoes on /r/MaleFashionAdvice with good reasons.
If I didn’t care so much about Full Grain Leather, Margom Soles, and stitched uppers, I would totally go for these – These have none of the qualities I care about but in spite of that I would still recommend these for people to “test the waters” of slim white minimalist sneakers.
<$200
In this price range, we start to see the good stuff like higher quality leather (top grade or full grain), Stitched uppers, cemented uppers, and Margom or Vibram sole. If you care about quality for your feet, read on.
1) Shoes Like Pottery Lows $129 or 9180 Yen ~$82) suggested by /u/Heroic-Penguin
Canvas and stitched, an upgrade from chucks for those of you who like Canvas.
2) Frank + Oak New White Low Tops $135 suggested by /u/Roury
Top Grain Leather This was confirmed to be full grain leather by a few representatives in spite of what another representative telling me they're top grain. Stitched + Cemented sole. Keep in mind not all full grain leather are equal, but this is still a great buy nonetheless.
3) Gustin White Low Top $149 with the exception of the long wait time, shitty business model, and terrible quality control, these are okay. Beware of common loose grains Examples: 1 2 (right tongue) 3 (heels again). More pictures can be found from scavenging the internet.
Full Grain Nappa Leather, Margom Sole, Stitched uppers.. At this price with the awful quality control, these have been removed from the list. Go for a pair of Beckett Simonons. Much better quality control, plus they are cheaper while still maintaining a high quality. On paper they're nice, but after seeing many bad quality control pictures from others and having experienced it myself, I cannot confidently recommend Gustins.
4) Greats: The Royale $159. Use “RookieG” for a 15% discount code, bringing down the shoes to ~$136.
Full Grain Leather, Margom Sole, Stitched uppers. For $136? Seriously? These are the best bang per buck pair of shoes for no more than $150. Yeah, sure, you can get a pair of Kent Wangs or 2 pairs of Stan Smiths for this price (or lower) but you are missing out on a stitched sole that helps tremendously with durability and full grain leather that ages with you as you walk, and also a Margom sole. Truly, this is the best value shoe there is without sacrificing quality. Period.
5) Svensson Classic Low $177 If you don't support Gustins and want something a little bit more aesthetically pleasing than Greats and more closer to CPs, get these. They often go on sale for 50% off, just keep your eye out.
Full Grain Leather, Margom Sole, Stitched Uppers.
6) Axel Arigato Low Sneakers $195
Top Grade Italian leather called “softy” (according to a representative via email), Margom sole, cemented + stitched uppers. This model doesn’t use full Grain Leather unlike their Clean 90 Laceless but the construction is top notch and the many models and colors of Axel Arigato earn them the spot in this list.
7) Beckett Simonon: Alba Low Top Sneakers $200 retail or $149 or less on sale suggested by /u/Ntinoulee . Here's a picture of them next to CPs.
Full grain leather, Margom sole, stitched upper.
<$300
At this point, only minor details are going to start differing from the <$200 range.
1) Used Common Projects or on sale, either option for no more than $265. Keep in mind that CPs were $265 before they got hyped up to $400+. Any sale for around $300 is hardly a sale in my opinion.
Full Grain Nappa Leather, Margom sole, and Stitched uppers. I want to highlight something: Many people rave and preach about how slim Common Projects are but I know quite a few people who literally went 2 sizes up just to fit their wide feet in a pair of narrow CPs which results in a super long out of proportion shoe fit. If you have wide feet, there are a ton of alternatives that are still slim and minimal. Wake up and don’t kid yourself.
2) Axel Arigato Clean 90 $225 - $250
Top Grade Italian leather called “softy” (according to a representative via email), Margom sole, cemented + stitched uppers. Not full Grain Leather unlike their Clean 90 Laceless. The Clean 90 silhouette is nice but the Low Sneakers are better in my opinion. Comes down to personal preference.
3) Erik Schedin White Leather Sneaker $244
Full Grain Leather, Margom Sole, Stitched uppers. These are the OGs of slim minimalist white sneakers, truly a work of art. Erik isn’t a giant company, he’s an independent designer and I really love supporting independent designers.
4) Rancourt Court Classic Low $260
Full grain leather, Vibram sole, Stitched uppers.
5) Buttero Tanino $269 or $295 suggested by /u/RamblinWrecked78
Full grain leather, margom sole, stitched uppers. I’ve debated on including these in the list but after the suggestion, I decided these made the cut!
Basically a quality upgraded version of the Adidas Stan Smiths. Nice small splash of colors.
$300+
Alright, in this price range the shoes should have nothing less than Full Grain Leather, Margom Soles, and Stitched uppers. Tread lightly, in this price range there is potential for brand hype or lesser quality (i.e. non-stitched uppers or not full grain leather).
1) Diemme Veneto Lows $330 suggested by /u/FineDay
Full Grain leather, Margom sole, stitched upper. Thanks again /u/FineDay !
Margom Sole, stitched uppers. Not sure if full grain leather or not so beware.
Full Grain Leather, Margom Sole, Stitched uppers.
4) Retail Common Projects $410
Full Grain Nappa Leather, Margom Sole, Stitched uppers. I would never pay for retail CPs since it’s hyped up but hey, it’s an option if you got the dough and just love knowing they’re brand spanking new out of the box.
5) FEIT Sneakers $450 suggested by /u/TMS
Hand made with a one piece full grain leather and a good year welted leather sole. These may definitely solve the concern of “BIFL” some users have. A bit pricey, but I’ve included these in the list!
6) Yves Saint Laurent SL/01 $495
Full Grain Leather, Stitched uppers, but whether it is a true margom sole is up in the air.
Honorable Mention: Vans
I'm not surprised of the many people who suggested Vans to be included in the list. Although they make good shoes, Vans are not included in the list for two key reasons: The comfort of their soles aren't the best with support and they are canvas which means you could also get PF Flyers or on sale Converse Chuck Taylors II both of which are more comfortable. If however you like Vans and prefer them over PF Flyers and Chucks, I say go for it.
Budget Break Down
If I had to choose only one pair of sneakers for X budget, here is how I would break it down:
For no more than $100, go for Kent Wangs. I would only consider these shoes a way of “testing the waters” before proceeding with a higher budget but if you’re well seasoned and want higher quality, save your money for a pair of Greats Royale. If you like canvas over leather though, go for Chuck Taylor II.
For no more than $150 At this point, it is preference. Beckett Simonons or Greats.
For no more than $200, Svenssons
For no more than $250, a pair of used or on sale Common Projects is now an option, or a pair of Erik Schedin, the OG of minimalist sneakers.
For no more than $300, Again it is preference. I like Zespas for a bit of color.
For no more than $350, a pair of Common Projects on sale is now realistic or you can wait a bit longer for a sale around $250 (hopefully) or Diemme Veneto Lows
For no more than $400, I would definitely consider a pair of Wings + Horns. To be completely transparent, the only thing that differs beyond the $200+ range is minor details.
For anything more than $400, I am a fucking lunatic and will go see a therapist about my spending habits because I clearly cannot afford $400+ sneakers and should not be spending that much money on a fucking pair of shoes for a young person of my age.
Common Projects Discussion
Let’s face it, there does in fact exist alternatives to Common Projects that capture the qualities such as Full Grain Leather, Margom Sole, Stitched uppers, and slim aesthetic. I feel many people obsess over having the slimmest and most narrow pair of white sneakers possible however there is effectively no difference on feet. If you need proof of this, look no further than this thread comparing Common Projects, Gustins, and Svenssons or simply this list. Between a pair of Svenssons ($177) or Gustins ($149) vs Common Projects ($410 retail or ~$250 on sale) it is very difficult to justify the massive price difference due to the small minor details but I accept the fact that the obsessive small minor details are a crisis for people and that it is well worth the extra dough.
Conclusion
Tl;dr Just read the post and the important note and let me know if you have any brands you want to suggest to be in the list.
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