Mocha or Palomino: Guide To The Best Brown Sneakers

It takes a quick scroll on Instagram to realize that brown is one of the most popular sneaker colorways of 2023. Scroll for our guide to the best brown sneakers you can cop right now.

When it comes to sneakers, black and white have always been the go-to color options for almost everyone. Sure, gray is another fairly popular option that comes to mind. But in 2023, brown sneakers have become the new go-to neutral colorway for sneaker drops and popular collaborations. Brown has become the option for fashion-conscious sneakerheads especially with the popularity of brown Dunk colorways like ‘Cacao Wow’. Looking to cop a pair? Here’s your guide to the best brown sneakers you can cop today.

Origins on Instagram

Everything began on Instagram when curated color-matched feeds became a popular trend amongst aesthetically conscious individuals. As brown became the color of the season, influencers began to embrace sneakers with brown and eventually changed up their wardrobe and accessories to fit the kicks. No one was a bigger advocate of anything brown than rap icon Travis Scott.

The official color of Cactus Jack

It would be criminal not to mention Travis Scott when talking about the rise of brown sneakers in streetwear as he quite literally adopted the shade as his brand color. His collaborations with Nike and concert merchandise made the earthy hue incredibly covetable. So in demand that when Nike released the Air Jordan 1 “Mocha”, it quickly sold out instantly as it was regarded as an affordable alternative to S$2,000 Travis Scott Air Jordan 1. Seeing the success, Nike began exploring more releases that featured shade like the “Palomino” and “ Wheat”.

Time for brown kicks

Brown as a color is versatile and actually pretty easy to match. Ironic that it’s taken so long to be considered a viable sneaker color option. They pair well with cargos, pants, jeans and shorts of almost any color. Brown sneakers from brands like New Balance, Nike and Vans tend to be constructed out of brown leather or suede which can double up as kicks for more elevated or formal outfits.