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Close to Original Air Jordan Colorways

Air Jordan

Close to Original Air Jordan Colorways

Do these look familiar? All the best Air Jordan colorways that are heavily inspired by OG looks.

Matt DeSciora

Michael Jordan has been retired from basketball longer than he was an active player in the NBA. But memories of the “GOAT’s” run with the Chicago Bulls won’t soon be forgotten so long as Jordan Brand continues to release Air Jordans in colorways with an OG-inspired look.

The new Air Jordan 4 “Red Cement” is a prime example of what we’re talking about: a revered Jordan sneaker in a colorway that could have easily been a part of MJ’s rotation in the 1980s and 1990s had it been released back then and not in the present day. The “Red Cement” Jordan 4 has the same white, black, and red color scheme as the Jordan 4s original “White Cement,” “Black Cement,” and “Fire Red” colorways, and the same cement-style patterning as the “White Cement” to bring the look full circle.

The Jordan 4 “Red Cement,” along with these other sneakers, fall under the “Close to OG Air Jordan Colorways” category that are keeping the memories of Jordan’s otherworldly accomplishments with the Bulls alive and well in 2023.

Air Jordan 4 “Red Cement”

As mentioned in the intro, the Air Jordan 4 “Red Cement” looks to several original Jordan 4s for design inspiration, but none more so than the “White Cement.” The colorway’s cement-style speckling is directly inspired by the detailing found on the Jordan 4 “White Cement.”

Air Jordan 3 “Red Cement”

Speaking of “Red Cement” colorways, the Air Jordan 3 with the same nickname is another Jordan shoe with an OG-style appearance. Released in celebration of the NBA All-Star Game’s return to Chicago in 2020, the “Red Cement” mirrors the color block as the Air Jordan 3’s “Black/Cement” colorway, but replaces the OG style’s black tumbled leather with Fire Red leather.

Air Jordan 1 High OG “Dark Marina Blue”

The Air Jordan 1 High OG “Dark Marina Blue” isn’t a carbon copy of the Jordan 1 “Royal” per se, but the two colorways are very similar in appearance. The “Dark Marina Blue” has a slightly altered color block compared to the Jordan 1’s original “Royal” colorway that actually resembles the Air Jordan 1 High ‘85 “Varsity Red’s” color scheme. Still, with its royal blue accenting, the “Dark Marina Blue” compares very well to the iconic “Royal” Jordan 1.

Air Jordan 1 High OG “Bred Toe”

In passing, the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Bred Toe” looks as if it could have been released in 1985 along with the other original Jordan 1 colorways. But a closer look at the shoe reveals that it’s actually a well-executed combination of the retro basketball shoe’s original “Black Toe” and “Bred” colorways.

Air Jordan 6 “UNC”

There are not one, but two Air Jordan 6s with original-style color blocks. Both, coincidentally, are “UNC” inspired colorways. The first example is the Jordan 6 “UNC” that features a black suede upper with Carolina blue accents ála the Jordan 6 “Black/Infrared.” The second example is the Jordan 6 “UNC” that has a white-and-blue color block designed in honor of the Jordan 6 “Carmine.”

Air Jordan 11 Low “Concord Bred”

The Air Jordan 11 Low “Concord Bred” is another shoe with a classic, original-style look. Elements from both the Jordan 11 “Concord” and “Bred” colorways appear on the shoe which means that, had the sneaker been around in ‘95 and ‘96, it’s highly likely that Jordan would have hooped in the “Concord Bred.”

Women’s Air Jordan 5 “Gore-Tex”

Few colorways are better suited for the “Close to OG Air Jordan Colorways” moniker than the Women’s Air Jordan 5 “Gore-Tex.” Inspired by the Jordan 5’s “Black Metallic” colorway, the “Gore-Tex” has a very similar black, white, and red color scheme as the former—complete with a reflective silver tongue—but updates its build with water-resistant Gore-Tex lining for functionality purposes.

Air Jordan 14 “Hyper Royal”

Remember Richard Hamilton? The former Detroit Pistons star hooped in several Player Exclusive Air Jordan colorways, one of which may or may not have inspired the Air Jordan 14 “Hyper Royal.” Coincidentally, the “Hyper Royal” is inspired by the Jordan 14 “Candy Cane” or “Chicago” colorway, which is the same shoe that also inspired “Rip’s” red-based Jordan 14 PE. Got all that?

Air Jordan 9 “University Blue”

The Air Jordan 9 “University Blue” is one of two Jordan 9s with an OG-inspired design. The other is “University Gold,” which has a Jordan 9 “Charcoal” type look. As for the “University Blue,” the colorway draws comparisons to the original “Chicago” colorway from 1994, just replacing the red accents with Carolina blue.

Air Jordan 12 “Chinese New Year”

In 2019, Jordan Brand kept up its tradition of releasing Air Jordans in special colorways in honor of Chinese New Year when it dropped the Air Jordan 12 “Chinese New Year.” Overtures to all 12 Zodiac signs combine into one uniformed pattern inspired by traditional Chinese patchwork called Bai Jia Yi on the shoe’s inner lining. On the outside, the Jordan 12 “CNY,” for short, features a color block inspired by the model’s original “Playoffs” style.

Air Jordan 13 “Black Flint”

Just as its name implies, the Air Jordan 13 “Black Flint” is a black-based take on the Jordan 13’s original “Flint” colorway from 1998. It replaces the OG’s blue mesh upper for, you guessed it, black mesh. The rest of the design is faithful to the original “Flint” colorway.

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