I Took Some ‘Jazz Sneakers’ for a Spin

I haven’t shopped atZarafor years, and it’s been even longer since I’ve tried a pair of its shoes. But while window-shopping for jazz sneaker options, these vaguely Van Noten-Prada Sport-looking ones immediately fit the bill. They have a good blend of a jazz shoe’s design and a sneaker’s function. They’re 100 percent leather, practically weightless and extremely flush to the ground (the sole height is just one centimeter), and their balance of comfort and aesthetics made them the easiest to wear of all the pairs I tested. Their slightly raised, subtly split rubber soles took me through 20,000-step days mostly without issue. They’re low to the ground, but I didn’tfeelthe ground with every step; in fact, I forgot I was wearing something with part of the sole missing. And they’re the nicest-looking of the bunch (in my opinion), with topstitching and lacing that span nearly the entire length of the shoe. I still reach for these the most.

I’m a loyal stripes over checks girl, and at first glance, this pair was furthest from my taste. But I ended up loving the metallic shade and asymmetric laces and had fun pairing them with a vintage trench to heated Pilates and on matcha runs. They’re the most supportive of any pair on this list, with an almost spongy feel underfoot. It took some getting used to that foamlike feel,but once I did, I was easily able to log many miles without blisters, even fresh out of the box. I wore them for several miles of errand running in Astoria and on a walk with a friend in Forest Hills (all in the same day) without issue. Their main drawback, though, is the triangular-shaped toe, which looksalmost bulbous and feels clunky if the shoes aren’t laced very tightly. I found myself nearly tripping in these a few times because of it.

These were easily the slimmest, lowest-profile pair of the group, and while I loved theveryarched sole and suede touches, they were too flat. It genuinely felt like I was walking barefoot when I had these on; I could really feel the dips and dimples of the sidewalk. Something about the body of the shoe being largely nylon made them feel somewhat slippery, too, even while fitting flush to my foot, and the cordlike laces came loose a little too often. I wouldn’t walk more than a mile in these.

These were surprisingly cute for a brand I hadn’t thought about in nearly a decade. They definitely look like more of a jazzshoerather than a sneaker thanks to their broguelike lacing and short leather tongue.I loved the look of the semi-see-through mesh but didn’t love how it made for a constrictive fit, especially coupled with the more rectangular toe. Stepping, bending. and arching my foot was more difficult than with the leather or nylon pairs, where the material breaks in and molds to your foot. Naturalizer did add some truly great comfort features that I wish other pairs on this list had, like a cushioned back to prevent blisters and a layer of cushioning on the heel and arch. But ultimately, these weren’t comfortable or sneaker-y enough to become one of my favorites.

These didn’t feel like a jazz shoe in person; to me, they’re just a low-profile sneaker. They have a full rubber sole, not a split one, and a more full-coverage body.That means theyarecomfortable: The full sole makes them more structured, and I could walk markedly further in them than any other pair (andI could wear socks with them, unlike all other pairs). But the style ultimately wasn’t “jazzy,” and it wasn’t for me.I’ve never really loved Stan Smiths (even despite the recent Carolyn Bessette Kennedy mania),and while I appreciate this slimmer reimagining of the classic, I didn’t find the silhouette especially flattering and therefore reached for them less than the other pairs.