How To Wear Jordans
Colin Dempsey
Table of Contents
Billie Eilish is one of the most popular performers on the planet for more than just her music.
Her unique fashion sense has garnered just as much attention as “Bad Guy” did, with many noticing how much emphasis her clothes placed on what’s most important – her shoes.
And what shoes did Eilish brandish more than anything else? Air Jordans.
Thankfully, you don’t need to have Billie Eilish style to know how to wear Jordans. While you can certainly look to her for inspiration, there are countless ways that you can wear these timeless sneakers and look great.
They were the first “hype” pair of sneakers that transcended their nascent sport, and even their original wearer, to an unparalleled level of fame and prestige.
Today, I’ll give you a full rundown of how to wear Jordans, covering everything from the shoe’s history to their multiple varieties to a few outfit ideas and even some informative ways to avoid looking like a toddler at their first sneaker convention.
What Are Jordans
There isn’t a pair of shoes that can grip fans the way Jordans do. They’re not the most evergreen sneakers but they are one of the longest-lasting pairs of shoes that still generate hype.
For example, when was the last time anyone wore a pair of standard Converse Chucks 1970s that floored you with their opulence?
Heck, look at some of the other sneakers in Nike’s impressive collection and you’ll see just how singular Air Jordans are. Air Force 1s are great (if a little played out) and Cortez’s have a great story of their own, but neither carries the street credibility of Air Jordans.
All of this is to say that Air Jordans are the most popular basketball shoes in the world that have also crossed over into the fashion world to become one of the most sought-after shoes by collectors and streetwear devotees.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be streetwear king, a basketball player, or even remotely athletic to consider how to wear Jordans. Their prestige allows them to slink into most outfits and turn them into considered pieces of art if you wear them correctly.
History Of Jordans
The history of Nike Jordans should have already been made into a movie. It’s full of bold promises, corporate drama, and rampant individualism that would sweep the trending charts on Netflix.
Encased within the story is the perfect form of free advertising any product could ask for, though in reality, the advertising cost Nike $5,000 per game.
Michael Jordan debuted in the NBA in 1984 for the Chicago Bulls during a time when the league was dominated by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.
He had yet to prove himself on the court. Similarly, Nike was unproven in the basketball world as they had yet to partner with any of the sport’s most popular players.
Nike approached Jordan with a five-year contract proposal worth $2.5 million, and Jordan wasn’t all too thrilled despite that huge sum.
He preferred the on-trend shoes from Adidas and Converse. As such, Nike wowed him with the Air Jordan 1s in black and red, colors that matched the Chicago Bulls.
The only problem was that the Nike Air Jordan 1s broke the NBA’s strict footwear regulations and if Jordan were to wear them he’d have to pay $5,000. That’s not a flat fee either; he’d have to pay it every time he wore the shoes in a regulation game.
However, Nike was confident in their shoes and in their athlete, so they covered all the expenses. What resulted was a perfect storm of events that propelled Jordan 1s to the forefront of the fashion and sports world.
Michael Jordan went on a tear during his first professional season, eventually winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
His stylish and aggressive style made him a menace on the court and the media couldn’t get enough of him.
Once word got out that he was breaking the league’s rules by wearing Nike Air Jordan 1s during play, the shoes skyrocketed in popularity and value.
Take this into account. When they were first released, the original Nike Air Jordan 1s retailed for $60. The pair that Jordan wore when he shattered a backboard with his powerful dunk during a 1985 exhibition game in Italy was auctioned off for $615,000.
Since then Nike has released dozens of models of Jordan shoes for men and women, but none have captivated nearly as much as the original Jordan 1s.
As such, you’re going to learn how to wear Jordans of all varieties, but you should expect to see the original models cropping up quite frequently as they’re the most commonly reiterated upon.
When To Wear Jordans
The obvious, and slightly pedantic, time to wear Jordans is when you’re playing basketball. However, I know that if you’re curious about how to wear Jordans then you’re probably not hitting the court too often.
Jordans are not formal shoes so they have no place appearing in a business setting. Thankfully, that opens up various opportunities for when you can wear them, i.e., in most casual venues.
Jordans are basketball shoes so they’re designed for hypermobility, ankle support, and comfort. These are features that many designer sneakers ignore in favor of aesthetics.
They give Jordans a unique advantage in that they’re usually better for long-term wear compared to other prestige sneakers.
Don’t take this to mean that they’re as comfortable as certain trainers, but that they’re usually easier on your feet and provide more support than other attention-grabbing sneakers.
As such, you can wear Jordans during activities that involve tons of passive movement like walking, going for drinks, or shopping.
How to Wear Jordans
Jordans have a way of dominating outfits. How to wear Jordans starts with acknowledging that they are larger shoes – even if you purchase low tops – and their material tends to draw attention.
As such, thinking about how to wear Jordans requires that you have a little bit of patience.
You have to be able to contain yourself when it comes to your outfits. Let the Jordans do the talking while everything else does the walking. Your clothes and accessories should work alongside each other to showcase the shoes.
How you achieve that goal is up to you. You can do it by wearing single-colored outfits, rolling your pants to let the Jordans breathe more, or through intelligent color blocking.
Yet, you don’t want to look like a child who’s matching all their favorite colors. If you have neon green Jordans then don’t wear a full neon green outfit.
You won’t look coordinated so much as you do neurotic, like you’re afraid that somebody is going to think that you didn’t think about your outfit.
4 Outfit Ideas With Jordans
This outfit proves that Jordans for women look just as good as Jordans for men. It’s not a simple case of gender-swapping either, as this outfit takes the rugged sneakers’ appeal and applies it to a feminine context.
It has the right idea when it comes to how to wear Jordan 1s with jeans. The white and black Jordans give this earthy outfit a bit of an urban feel that’s embellished by the flared jeans that fall over the shoes.
You can always add more color when debating how to wear Jordans. This outfit is overflowing with bright colors, but the trick is to keep them in one area.
The relaxed-fit white t-shirt and grey sweatpants are both plain enough that you can get as creative as you like with your Jordans.
Choose red, blue, green, or even pink Jordans in an outfit such as this. As you can see, the model is wearing two entirely different colors of the same Jordan shoes, proving that there’s no limit to how much you can personalize your Jordans.
If you’re wondering how to wear Jordan 1s with shorts then look no further than this outfit. It goes outside of the standard look of basketball shorts and a hoodie for something different. It’s just as relaxed but much more exciting.
There’s plenty of teamwork between the colors on the shirt, shorts, socks, and hat. All the pieces and accessories match or contrast each other for an interestingly uniform look. This synergy gives the Jordans plenty of space to shine.
If you really dig this look then I advise that you wear less colorful Jordans. It’d be tough to work a pair of Jordan 1s in the royal blue colorway into an outfit like this because everything is neutral. But, that means that black and white Jordans look especially great.
I know I told you earlier to go easy on the colors in your outfit, but this look demonstrates ways to integrate more tones if you don’t want a monochromatic look.
The important thing about this fit is that all the colors are muted. The green is dark but it doesn’t impose upon itself.
Meanwhile, the hoodie is a light enough shade of pink that it doesn’t clash with anything else. This gives your Jordans the perfect canvas to promote themselves.
This isn’t a Jordans for men, and only men, outfit either. Girls can get in on this by using the same principles when they think about how to wear Jordans.
What Type Of Jordans Can You Get?
There are enough mainline Jordan variations that you can wear a new pair every other week in a year and still not wear them all.
That’s right, there are over 35 different editions of Air Jordans, and that’s not counting the collaborations with other companies and designers.
Combine that with the fact that many of these editions come in multiple colorways – for example, the Air Jordan 1s have over 20 different colorways – and you’re looking at one of the most expansive sneaker lines in history.
We do want to highlight some of our favorite collaborative sneakers, though, because when thinking about how to wear Jordans it’s important to consider how an exclusive product will change your outfit.
Here are some of our favorite Jordans off the top of our heads;
- Off-White x Jordan 4 Sail
- Dior x Air Jordan 1 High
- Public School x Jordan XII
And we couldn’t go without mentioning the famous Off-White x Jordan I.
How To Choose The Best Jordans
This is the hardest aspect about buying Jordans because so much of it depends upon your preferences and style. We can’t tell you which Jordans are best for you, but we can help you select the pair that contains the qualities you want.
First, consider your budget. Some Jordans are fairly affordable while others can retail for hundreds of dollars.
Whether or not those prices justify the shoes depends on how much you prioritize exclusivity, designer collaborations, and novelty with regard to your fashion.
Next, think about the quality of the shoes. Jordans have a rampant online following so there’s plenty of information from actual customers detailing how a particular pair looks, fits, feels, and holds up over time.
These testimonials are all demonstrative of a shoe’s quality and will tell you much more about them than you could discover by yourself.
On the subject of collaborations, it is worth taking a product’s rarity into consideration. Admittedly, we’re slightly too tame for some of the flashier Jordans, but some people would kill for a pair with Virgil Abloh’s touch.
How To Style Jordans
Beyond knowing how to wear Jordans is the issue of how you personalize them. There are so many ways to style them after you purchase them, each one opening up new avenues that you can use to make them your own.
For example, you can swap out the laces for a more dramatic look or keep the black laces for a modest appearance.
Also, think about how the height of your pants will affect your Jordans. You can roll your pants to show off the Jordans, though these sneakers are one of the few that actually look great if you drape a baggy set of cargos, for example, over them.
Finally, you can play around with the colors in your outfit to either accentuate or pair down your Jordans. An all-black outfit will always look good with Jordans but you can dress as boldly as like you.
Fashion Tips To Avoid With Jordans
Despite the versatility that makes styling Jordans a fun exercise in and of itself, there are a few hard rules that you should keep in mind. Stay away from these fashion mistakes to make the most out of your Jordans:
- Don’t wear ankle socks with Jordans as the shoes are too bulky. It’ll just look strange and imbalanced.
- Don’t wear another athletic brand on the lower half of your body. Adidas sweatpants and Jordans never look good together.
- Don’t pair Jordans with formal clothing. You can experiment a bit, but Jordans are too casual to slip into most antiquated pieces of fashion.
How To Take Care Of Jordans
We’ve all seen the lengths people will go to in order to preserve the integrity of their shoes. Fortunately, you don’t have to wrap your Jordans in plastic bags or spray them every single day in order to take care of them.
Proper maintenance is mostly a matter of common sense. You shouldn’t wear Jordans in rainy, stormy, or snowy weather and you should avoid wet and muddy grounds.
You can use a quick cleaning agent if you need to remove some small stains from them but it’s not worth fussing over.
Inevitably, your Jordans will start to crease if you actually wear them. There’s no way around that. You just have to accept the creases as a sign that you wear your shoes instead of keeping them locked away in a trophy case.
Best Places To Buy Jordans
It can be tricky to speak about the best places to buy Jordans because it depends on which pairs you’re searching for.
Sneaker stores like Foot Locker, Champs, Dicks, and Nike will have the latest Air Jordan models. However, you’re going to have to dig deeper if you want a vintage pair or a rare collaborative effort.
In those instances, I recommend checking out these reseller sites:
- StockX
- Grailed
- Goat
Final Thoughts
There will always be people trying to impose laws when it comes to how to wear Jordans. That’s only natural when these shoes have as many devoted followers as they do. I urge you to resist some of that dogma and find out what style works best for you.
There are plenty of ways to fit Jordans into your style and slot yourself into the zeitgeist that is Jordans fanfare.
Looking to up your fashion game? We’ve got you covered:
