Skip Your Way Into Effortless Summer Style With New Keds by Oasis SS15 Footwear Collection
Take a journey through the American film cannon or explore TV fashion history and you’ll find that, for decades, the unimposing, streamlined, sporty but minimalist design of Keds slip-on and lace-up sneakers has been considered a crowning example of laid-back all-American style — which is why it was the footwear of choice for Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road, Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing, Tiffani Thiessen in Saved by the Bell, and Alyssa Milano in Who’s The Boss (to name but a few examples). With such a simple design, Keds’ canvas sneakers lend themselves to reinvention via striking colors, patterns, and prints. After several seasons of teaming up with Kate Spade, the brand has expanded its list of collaborators to now include fashion brand and e-tailer Oasis, which is known for its exciting and vibrant prints and on-trend but delightfully innovative designs.
The Keds by Oasis SS15 capsule collection, available exclusively at Oasis-Stores.com, encompasses four designs — two of them lace-up canvas sneakers with minimalist outsoles and the classic white contrast piping, and the other two slip-on canvas shoes with a chunkier sole and a bit of a skater edge. Fans of the traditional Keds Champion silhouette so adored by Baby in Dirty Dancing might appreciate the Keds by Oasis Perfectionist Lace-Up Shoe ($77 at Oasis-Stores.com), which features a classic nautical pattern with navy blue and white stripes but then modernizes the look via a pop of neon coral along the outsole (as seen second from top). For a country chic look, meanwhile, the collection incorporates the Keds by Oasis English Rose Lace-Up Shoe ($77 at Oasis-Stores.com), which features cornflower blue uppers emblazoned with a floral print that includes deep purple leaves and branches, honeysuckle pink and minty green roses, and scattered hummingbirds for a garden party-esque motif. The blue canvas uppers and dainty florals recall afternoons in the countryside and should look feminine and sweet with girly chambray, gingham, and eyelet dresses.
Those who, like me, possess a more adventurous sense of style, will likely gravitate to the slip-on styles. For a vacation-ready touch, try the Keds by Oasis Jetsetter Skater Shoe ($77 at Oasis-Stores.com) , which features denim-colored uppers adorned with an illustration of Hawaiian florals with crisp white spaces and pops bright of energizing chartreuse, fuchsia, and aqua blue. For a safari chic look, there’s the Keds by Oasis Style Hunter Skater Shoe ($77 at Oasis-Stores.com), featuring an all-over leopard print and a neon coral lining.
To show its customers the countless outfit possibilities presented by these four styles, Oasis hand-picked four street style bloggers and asked them each to create a look using a specific shoe, then suggest other garments (sold at Oasis, of course!) that would look great with that shoe. Audrey of Be Frassy, for instance, chose the Perfectionist shoe, with its preppy stripes, while Freddie of I Go By Frankie selected the Style Hunter skater shoe and created a look that deftly contrasted the shoe’s animal print with bold and splashy florals.
To see all four bloggers’ picks and their styling suggestions, or to cop one of the shoes, visit Oasis-Stores.com
