Buying Guide for Adidas Shoes for Women
Why buy adidas shoes for women?
If you’re an athlete or are fairly active, adidas makes quality athletic gear designed to give you the control and comfort you need to run longer, harder, and more confidently. But even if you’re not particularly into exercising, adidas has positioned itself as a go-to option for athleisure wear that can take you from yoga to a casual brunch with friends. More importantly, they make quality, durable footwear designed to last.
What should you consider when buying adidas shoes for women?
- Purpose: Adidas footwear falls into two categories—performance and style. The performance focuses on features such as cushioning support for running, better traction for agility, and durability, as seen with their Cloudfoam collection. Meanwhile, their casual fashion sneakers like the Grand Court, Superstar, and Stan Smith are meant for style even though they’re still comfortable.
- Comfort: In general, adidas shoes are pretty comfortable. But depending on how you use their shoes, some styles cater more to this feature. In particular, their athletic and performance shoes are intended for comfort, shock absorption, and breathability to exercise or engage in activities for extended periods without your feet being a source of distraction and discomfort.
- Style: Whether you pick performance or fashion footwear from adidas, they focus on a style. You’ll usually find that almost every style they offer comes in more than one colorway and sometimes in exclusive versions, making them a premium upgrade.
- Budget: Adidas isn’t the most expensive shoe brand in the world, but its sneakers are not in the budget category. While they can be affordable, for more fashion-focused purchases, you might want to consider whether the cost will be substantiated by how frequently you’ll wear the shoes.
Why is adidas so popular?
There are two reasons why adidas is popular—status and function. There’s no denying that adidas makes quality performance gear that helps athletes stay light on their feet and comfortable with every step. But thanks to celebrities like legendary Hip-Hop trip Run DMC and former tennis athlete Stan Smith, adidas went from being a run-of-the-mill footwear brand to a household name with equally coveted clothing.
Our Picks for the Best Adidas Shoes for Women
Pros: If you’re looking for a shoe that won’t look out of place in casual and intense workout environments, the adidas Cloudfoam series is a great place to start. Available in a wide array of colors and designs, these shoes are performance-focused with responsive footbeds featuring memory foam sock liners, breathable textile uppers, and durable synthetic outsoles. More importantly, the low-profile design means these shoes won’t look out of place outside the gym.
Cons: If you’re a hardcore athlete, these probably won’t be the shoes for you, especially for serious runners. Marathoners and cross country runners would do well to focus on higher-end running shoes. The adidas Cloudfoam collection serves as a bridge between a walking shoe and a low-impact performance solution.
Bottom Line: If you’re searching for a versatile sneaker that doesn’t look like a traditional gym shoe and will also look fine when running errands around town, this is a solid choice, thanks to a wide color selection.
Pros: For those who prefer the vintage variety of adidas footwear, the Grand Court is a solid choice that evokes the ’70s and ’80s. This is a casual tennis sneaker that’s designed for fashion and casual exercise. Because it’s a classic style, you’ll find a wide selection of styles featuring the classic tri-stripe design with a matching back heel color patch. This pick has leather uppers and durable rubber outsoles.
Cons: If you’re not a fan of white sneakers, the Grand Court will be a tough sell. While there are a few black and gray options available, for the most part, you’ll find that this is a white shoe with accents of color for the stripes and heel patch.
Bottom Line: Classic style purists will love this iconic adidas shoe with a low-profile design that works with pants, shorts, skirts, or dresses.
Pros: If you hear the word adidas and the classic Run DMC track “My Adidas” pops into your head, the Superstar Sneaker should be on your shortlist. This iconic full-grain leather shoe features the unforgettable clamshell toe design and mimics the tri-stripe and heel patch design found on adidas’s Grand Court and other styles.
Cons: Similar to other iconic vintage fashion sneaker styles from adidas, this is another pick that’s heavy on white leather with pops of color sprinkled in. If a smudge ruins your day, you’ll want to steer clear.
Bottom Line: For those who love the idea of vintage as modern, the adidas clamshell Superstar sneaker will reign supreme.
Pros: Performance and style can go hand-in-hand with the Postmove basketball shoe from adidas. While this isn’t an actual high-top shoe, the built-up ankle works to provide better support and stability as you move up and down the court. Meanwhile, you can choose from four classic color combinations.
Cons: Unlike some of adidas’ other styles, this one is limited in color choices. You’re limited to four styles—all of them mostly white.
Bottom Line: The classic adidas tri-stripe combines with a functional shoe design to ensure your mind is focused on your game.
Pros: For those who are upset that they missed out on the late ’90s and early aughts when platform shoes of the sneaker variety were having a moment, you can channel the early 2000s with the Nizza, a platform sneaker from adidas. This style combines the classic tri-stripe design with a built-up sole that measures an inch in height. You’ll like that the platform is uniform for better control.
Cons: While cute, these shoes aren’t exactly timeless. This isn’t it for those looking for a pair of shoes with extensive mileage.
Bottom Line: Fashionistas that get a thrill from chasing trends will love that what’s old is new with the return of platform sneakers.
Final Thoughts
Adidas is a brand that has endured, and for a good reason: quality and durability. By continuing to focus on their classic styles and creating performance sneakers that work in various situations, the brand has truly created shoes that can appeal to a wide array of shoppers.
