A look at the new shoe on the scene, yoga sneakers.
One of the new buzzwords in athletic shoes is the yoga shoe or sneaker, which may seem a bit weird for an activity that is generally practiced barefoot.. However, the truth is that people wear a wide variety of footwear for yoga, including ballet slippers, jazz shoes and specialized “foot thongs.” The yoga sneaker is the sturdiest of these choices and is essentially a stylish, flexible athletic shoe that molds to the foot while also being durable enough to be worn outdoors. Because the shoes are extremely comfortable and more streamlined than a traditional athletic shoe, they are an increasingly popular trend with both those who do and don’t practice yoga, including celebrities.
Adidas , Reebok , and smartdogs all make stylish yoga shoes that are appropriate both in and out of the studio, but you should be sure not to wear the same pair for both! It’s bad form to wear streets shoes in a yoga or dance studio because while you might not be practicing barefoot, many other people often are.
Because traditionally yoga has been practiced barefoot the yoga shoe is a recent invention designed to cater to Western preferences while also capitalizing on the ever increasingly specialized world of athletic shoes. The yoga shoe itself has evolved form the dance sneaker, itself only a few decades old. The dance sneaker has the traction and support of a regular athletic shoe, but also includes a highly flexible sole that is often split to accentuate the shape of a pointed foot, breathable material, and a sturdy toe box to allow for pointe work.
The yoga shoe eliminates the toe box and has slimmed the sole down while also reunifying it. This creates a profile more similar to that of a slipper, but with extreme flexibility and strong support just like the dance sneaker. Made of breathable materials, yoga shoes let your feet breathe, wick sweat, and most importantly, can be tossed in the washing machine without much hassle — not something that can be said for most other high fashion trend items.
Because of their light weight, Yoga shoes make great walking shoes and are also ideal as shoes for the commuter that doesn’t want to wear high heels on the bus or subway. While new to the shoe scene, the yoga shoe will surely continue to evolve, possibly splitting off into in-studio and outdoor versions built around the same principles of flexibility, support and style.
