Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Step Out in the Best Men’s High-Top Sneakers this Season for 2021

Fall calls for something a little bit different, something a bit tougher and more versatile on the footwear front. Fall calls for high-tops. Specifically, it calls for quality sneakers that blend comfort and classic looks with durability and an added flair to take on chilly, rainy autumn weather. 

The best high-top sneakers blend classic looks with unbeatable style, the kind that you only get when shoes are built to last. These are an upgrade from your low-top summer sneakers, with the sort of durability that fits right in alongside your flannel shirt and your selvedge denim, both of which are fall style classics, too. And since the style is rooted in old-school performance (think of the first basketball shoes, for instance), well, high-top sneakers look great any way you slice it. The time is now to acquaint yourself with a casual pair of kicks you can rock this season and well beyond.

Recommended Videos

Best Overall High-Top Sneakers: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star

High-top sneakers for men.
Converse / Converse

These shoes are an undeniable classic, the sort of sneakers that look good with pretty much anything and stand the test of time. Wear them with jeans or chinos and an Oxford shirt, then add a shawl cardigan for retro, office-friendly style.

Best High-Top Sneakers for Throwback Style: Reebok Royal Hi2 Sneakers

Reebok sneakers for men.
Amazon

There’s just something about these sneakers that calls to mind the ’80s or the ’90s, which makes them a fashionable throwback option. Add in black jeans and a grey T-shirt or crewneck sweatshirt for style that really lets these sleek sneakers stand out.

Best High-Top Sneakers to Wear With Jeans: Levi’s Stanton Waxed Sneakers

Levi's sneakers for men.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The thing with Levi’s is, the famed denim brand now make so much more than just jeans. Note these nubuck sneakers, with eye-catching detailing that pairs nicely with a slim pair of Levi’s jeans this season.

Best Canvas High-Top Sneakers: adidas Nizza RF Hi Shoes

Stylish sneakers for men.
Amazon

The sportswear experts at Adidas know a thing or two about making standout high-top sneakers. This canvas pair offers up an understated take on the classic “three stripes” design, all the better to wear casually with jeans this fall.

Most Sustainable High-Top Sneakers: Cariuma OCA High Sneakers

Sustainable sneakers for men.
Cariuma

Cariuma makes sustainability the name of the game with these sneakers, using ethical manufacturing practices that cut down on waste and utilize repurposed materials whenever possible. The result is a pair of timeless kicks you can feel great about wearing.

Best Investment-Level High-Top Sneakers: Tom Ford Black Cambridge Leather Sneakers

Luxurious leather sneakers for men.
MR. PORTER

If there’s a designer that can do it all when it comes to upgrading your essentials with everyday luxury in mind, it’s Tom Ford. Here, he takes the sporty high-top and turns it into something to be worn with a suit.

Other Sneakers We Love

TAFT Jack Sneakers

Leather high-top sneakers for men.
TAFT

Add some fall-ready design to your footwear rotation with these pleasing, super-cool mixed-media sneakers from TAFT. They’ve turned a suiting pattern into a cool accent for fresh leather kicks. Wear them to dressy dinner parties this season.

Nike Blazer Mid ’77 Sneakers

Nike sneakers for men.
Nordstrom

Nike turns back the clock with these cool-as-can-be, vintage-inspired kicks in a rich fall tone. Wear them with blue jeans and a grey henley for that added pop of fall color.

Vince Flynn High-Top Sneakers

Hight-top men's sneakers for fall.
Nordstrom

Take a minimal approach to your wardrobe with these crisply designed high-top sneakers. They can easily be teamed with tan chinos and a navy blazer for high-low office style.

Beau Hayhoe
Beau Hayhoe is a freelance men's style writer, consultant and PR pro based in Brooklyn. Beau's menswear and gear writing has…
The 11 best driving shoes for men to wear on the road
Our top picks for men's driving loafers
Driving shoes stacked

Are you a gearhead? Is the cockpit of a luxury sports car your favorite place to be? Do you constantly dream of the view in the windshield quickly becoming the view in the rearview? Then driving shoes are for you. But what if you're none of those? What if you are the regular everyman who wants a great pair of shoes to wear to the office or to a weekend get-together? The best men's driving loafers are still going to be your go-to shoes for the summer.
What are men's driving shoes?
While men's driving shoes are specifically designed to wear while driving, they're much more than that. Driving shoes take the profile of loafers, cut to hit below the ankles and made as slip-ons, and turned into a sporty style. Driving shoes are often made of suede or leather, but the soles are where things really get different.

Driving loafers often feature treaded rubber soles or rubber soles with small points or grippy pieces, the better to hug the pedals as you zip down the open road. Driving shoes are often lightweight and flexible, making them easy to wear while cruising down the highway and making them even easier to stow away once you reach your destination in record time. Most driving shoes are made with simple stitching and construction methods, making them closer to moccasins than traditional loafers (more on that in a second).

Read more
The 5 best men’s dress shoes to step into this spring
Step up your spring dress shoe style with these top choices
Crockett and Jones highbury shoe in black.

The age-old adage goes that the first thing a woman notices about you is your pair of shoes. You can tell a lot about a person based on their selection, especially when it comes to selecting a pair with a more formal outfit or tailored suit.

A pair of the best spring dress shoes ought to do the trick — and quite nicely at that. Dress shoes really are a must-have for today’s modern man, and with plenty of crucial dressing situations likely on the horizon — be it dressing for a summer wedding or figuring out how to dress for the office in the heat — you’re going to need a great pair of dress shoes.

Read more
The best loafers for men: These shoes offer a modern twist on a classic design
Pick up these flawless slip ons to elevate your shoe wardrobe

We know what you're thinking; loafers are grandpa's shoes. Well, not anymore, the best men's loafers have come back with a vengeance, and they are some of the most amazing shoes you can own. These low, laceless slip-ons look great with just about anything. But what are loafers to be worn with exactly? They are to be partnered with selvedge denim jeans, white T-shirts, oxford shirts, and more; they're about as classic as it gets.

We mean that literally—loafers have a rich history that dates back almost a century, with roots in 20th-century Ivy League style. Although today these shoes are synonymous with bourgeois leisure (and Wall Street bankers), they were initially worn by fishermen in Norway. The easy-to-wear silhouette made its way through Europe and eventually to America in the 1930s.

Read more