Where each lifestyle sneaker shape comes from

Many men's lifestyle shoes here started life on a pitch, a court or a track, and that sport still shapes how they look and feel. Knowing the family makes a big range easier to read:

• Indoor football and training: the adidas Samba, born on the indoor football pitch, and the Gazelle, once a training shoe. The Gazelle Indoor pairs a suede upper with a gum rubber outsole for a retro look.
• Tennis court: the adidas Grand Court, rooted in classic tennis, and the VL Court 3.0 with a soft suede upper. These are clean, flat sneakers that go with most outfits.
• Basketball: the Nike Court Vision Low, inspired by old-school basketball shoes, the Air Jordan 1 Zoom CMFT 2 with Formula 23 foam, and the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star.
• Skateboarding: the Nike Charge Suede, described as a skate staple, and the Converse CONS AS-1 Pro, a low-profile skate shoe.
• Motorsport: Puma's BMW M Motorsport range and the adidas Handball Spezial Mercedes and Adiracer Lo Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.

Comfort first: slip-ins and cushioning

If comfort matters more than heritage, look at Skechers. Many Skechers pairs here, such as the Summits, Track and BOBS styles, use Hands Free Slip-ins, so you step in without using your hands, with Heel Pillow for a secure fit. Memory Foam cushioning appears on several of them. On the adidas side, the Grand Court 3.0 uses Cloudfoam cushioning.

Rain, leather and suede

Materials change where you can wear a pair. The On Cloud 6 WP has a waterproof membrane for rainy days. The Grand Court SE has a textured leather upper, while suede pairs such as the VL Court 3.0 and the Puma Suede XL give a softer look. VEJA's Campo uses ChromeFree leather.

For one pair that goes with everything, start with a white tennis-court sneaker such as the adidas Grand Court. Then browse white sneakers for men, Skechers men or adidas lifestyle.