Sneaker Trend of the Year: The Air Jordan 1 Mid
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By Stadium Goods |Sneaker Trend of the Year: The Air Jordan 1 Mid
It’s true. No sneaker had a bigger year than the Air Jordan 1 Mid. Here are its 10 most essential colorways of 2021.
Matt DeSciora
The first thought that usually comes to mind when thinking about trends in sneakers isn’t about an actual shoe model, rather a popular colorway or type of design aesthetic. But if Merriam-Webster’s definition of “trend” is the barometer, “something that is currently popular or fashionable,” then you would definitely be in your right mind to call the Jordan 1 Mid the biggest trend in the sneaker game right now.
Since last January, no shoe has been released in as many colorways or appeared on social media as often as the retro basketball-slash-casual lifestyle shoe. Comfortable, stylish, and inclusive, the Air Jordan 1 Mid is often released in colorways that have never appeared on the Air Jordan 1 High or Air Jordan 1 Low, making it easy to gravitate toward.
The Air Jordan 1 Mid is the perfect entry-level choice for people looking to dip their toes into sneakers. The “People’s Air Jordan 1,” if you will. And it’s a go-to for collectors who appreciate the fact that the silhouette looks a lot like the mid-top Air Jordan 1 Player Exclusive that Michael Jordan wore as a rookie with the Chicago Bulls in 1985.
Whether you’re shopping for the sneaker lover in your life this holiday season, or looking to update your collection, the Jordan 1 Mid is a great entry into the Air Jordan collection. Whatever category you fall under, you’re likely to find an Air Jordan 1 Mid that suits your style.
These are the best Air Jordan 1 Mids of 2021.
While some Air Jordan 1 Mids come in wild colorways, others are designed in the more traditional Air Jordan 1 style, like the “Racer Blue.” The shoe’s simple white leather base with contrasting black leather overlays wouldn’t look out of place in 1985, the year the original Air Jordan 1 High and Low were released, and are still fresh in 2021, too. Add contrasting Racer Blue accents, and you have yourself a timeless looking shoe.
Air Jordan 1 Mid SE “Brushstroke”
You can catch the Air Jordan 1 Mid in more than just leather. On the “Brushstroke” colorway, white canvas takes the place of leather on the base, Cider suede dots the overlays, and artistic brushstrokes and paint splatters appear everywhere else.
Air Jordan 1 Mid SE “Electro Orange”
Like the Air Jordan 1 High and Air Jordan 1 Low, the mid-top version of Michael Jordan’s signature shoe is often arranged in colorways that mimic another old school basketball shoe of the same vintage: the Nike Dunk. The white and orange look of the “Electro Orange” is a spin on the Dunk’s “Syracuse” colorway.
Air Jordan 1 Mid “White/Pollen/Black”
The Steel City, Pittsburgh, PA, isn’t the official inspiration behind the tri-colored Air Jordan 1 Mid “White/Pollen/Black,” but it might as well have been. The three colors found on this versatile Jordan 1 Mid also appear on various Pittsburgh professional sports team’s uniforms.
Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid “Apricot”
A medley of materials—suede, leather, and mesh—appear in warm hues of rust, pink, and orange on the Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid “Apricot.” If it’s a luxurious look you’re after for the Air Jordan 1 Mid, you’ll find it with the “Apricot.”
Air Jordan 1 Mid “Heat Reactive”
This popular Jordan 1 Mid features a creative and eye-catching feature: panels with a special multicolor material that changes color when exposed to heat. And if you’ve been paying attention, you probably saw none other than Michael Jordan himself wearing a pair earlier this summer. Who can argue with that?
Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid “Kentucky Blue”
Peter Moore is the architect of both the Air Jordan 1 and the Nike Dunk, two vintage performance shoes born into professional and college basketball worlds, respectively, in 1985. So it would be apropos to find either shoe in a colorway that mimics the other. Such is the case with the Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid “Kentucky Blue,” a white and blue colorway inspired by the Dunk’s original “Kentucky” design from the throwback “Be True to Your School” pack.
How versatile is the Air Jordan 1 Mid? Take the shoe’s “Tan/Gum” colorway, for example, which can be paired with a wool topcoat for a smart-casual look as easily as it can with sweatpants on a chill weekend outfit. No matter what your vibe is, the Air Jordan 1 Mid is easily adaptable to any style.
Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid “Wolf Grey/Aluminum”
The “Neutral Grey” theme popularized by the Air Jordan 1 High and Low also appeared, albeit in a modified version, on the Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid in 2021. Styled with Wolf Grey leather panels, this colorway is also reminiscent of the white and grey color block of the Dior x Air Jordan 1 from 2020.
Air Jordan 1 Mid “Metallic Red”
At first glance, you may be thinking, what is “Metallic” about this colorway. Indeed, it’s not the kind of metallic finish we’re all used to seeing on an Air Jordan 1 bearing that distinction in its nickname, like the “Court Purple” Jordan 1 High from this year. But upon closer inspection, you’ll realize that this “Metallic Red” Mid goes with more of a matte finish to its slightly sparkly red accents. Whatever you want to call it, it’s one of Stadium Goods’s best selling sneakers of the entire year.