Good Finds #034: All things footwear, from Nike Dunks to New Balance and Birkenstocks

Stuff you should know about this week.

Jun 20, 2021

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Cruising into summer

In partnership with Buck Mason*

It’s not even the first day of summer, but it already feels like we’re deep in it. The heatwaves are coming, and I’ve got Buck Mason’s summer travel collection on rotation. Here are 3 random summer items you should scoop up for your next trip (wherever that may be). Thank me later.
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Alright y’all. I’m seeing so many good kicks surface over the last month, so I wanted to use this email and review what’s poppin’ right now.

It’s a mix of curation, inspo, what’s already been released, and what to be on the lookout for over the next few months.

Virgil’s “Dear Summer” Dunks

Let’s kick things off with the most controversial of the bunch.

If you've paid attention to the sneaker world at all, you know that a Virgil Abloh sneaker release is always… eventful. People have loved his previous work, but that consensus is changing. This collection of low-top Dunks—set for a release this fall—are stirring up all kinds of chatter, and my guy— THE sneaker aficionado—Mike Sykes weighed in on the sneaker community’s frustration.

“Any Virgil drop with Nike is an event. But it's hard to get excited about these dunks. They're bland and boring — the pairs give off this ‘copy & paste’ vibe that, even for a minimalist design, feels disappointing. We've seen so much better from Virgil before and that's why people hate these shoes so much.”

Subscribe to his newsletter, Kicks You Wear. Mike knows his stuff and always covers the sneaker business thoroughly, from top-to-bottom.

A nod to Alden…

My guy Osamu from Tokyo drew this dope illustration outlining all the Alden shoes he’s purchased over the years, and it’s pretty incredible.

Dude loves his Aldens!

The ever-faithful Clarks

Now, THESE are clean. Name a more iconic duo than desert treks and Wallabees?! I’ve worn these both for years and the quality is great. So comfortable, especially with the gum sole on these. I also dig the chocolate color on the treks and the light brown for the Wallabees.

They both feel more like Autumn boots, but whatever. Clarks are evergreen in my opinion, so you can’t go wrong.
Treks (Clarks)
Wallabees (Todd Snyder)
Price: both $150

Bodega x New Balance | “Here to Stay”

I… don’t mind these. They’re pretty fresh, and the color palette is on point. Out of the many collabs that Bodega (a Boston boutique) and New Balance (also Boston-based) have done together, but this one was special; it’s Bodega’s 15 year anniversary as a business.

They sold out fairly quickly this week, but you can grab them on StockX.
Price: $275 (or more)

Vans x Goodhood

Another banger on Goodhood. They rarely miss on the footwear side of things, and this one is no exception. I just love the design and thick sole on these OG Vans.
Grab them here:

Price: $90

Annnd more Vans 👀

Madhappy’s founder, Peiman Raf, teased out a Vans collab on social this week. We’ll see how the shoe turns out, but I do dig the subtle stitching on the side.