I bought my first pair of Onitsuka Tigers on a bit of a whim, honestly. My sister had a pair, the ones with the little stripes on the side, and she wore them absolutely everywhere. So one afternoon I just caved and got a pair too.
And now… I have three pairs. 👀 Two sneakers and the ballet flats, which I did not even know existed until my friend Dana pulled hers out of her bag at brunch and I nearly fell off my chair.
The thing about these shoes is that they slot into almost anything. Jeans, dresses, trousers, silly little shorts. They just work. That low, slim profile is so easy to build a look around, and once you start you kind of can’t stop finding new ways to wear them.
So here are 20 ways to style them, from casual to a little dressed up, sneakers AND flats.
20 Ways to Wear Your Tigers This Season
Yellow Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers With Wide-Leg Jeans
There is something about a soft yellow shoe peeking out from under a big pool of denim that just makes me happy. Wide-leg jeans are my forever love and the yellow adds a little pop right at the hem where you need it.
Keep the top simple. A white tee or a plain knit tucked in loosely. The jeans and the sneakers are doing all the talking here and they do not need much backup.
Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 With Linen Trousers
The Mexico 66 is the classic, the one everybody pictures. And with linen trousers it feels a little more grown up, a little more put together, without trying too hard.
I wore this exact combo to a lunch date last summer and felt so easy in it. Beige linen, white sneakers, a striped shirt.
Yellow Onitsuka Tigers With White Maxi Dress
Okay so this is one of my absolute favorites. A long floaty white maxi dress with a bright sneaker underneath is such an unexpected mix and I love it for that reason. It takes a very pretty dress and grounds it, makes it wearable for a full day of walking around.
A yellow onitsuka tiger outfit built around a white dress is the kind of thing you throw on for a farmers market morning and end up wearing until sunset. Comfy, breezy, and just a touch playful.
Onitsuka Tiger Ballet Flats With Straight Jeans
The ballet flats. I told you Dana got me hooked. With a pair of straight-leg jeans, cropped just at the ankle, they are so chic in a very quiet way.
This is my running-errands look now. Jeans, a white button-up, the flats, and I feel like I made an effort even when I very much did not. Which is the whole point, really.
Onitsuka Tiger Ballet Flats With Satin Midi Skirt
A satin midi skirt swishes when you walk and it feels a little bit fancy, so pairing it down with the ballet flats keeps you from looking like you’re headed to an evening event when it’s two in the afternoon.
I like a slouchy knit tucked into the skirt for this one. The contrast between the shiny skirt and the sporty little flats is the good part.
Yellow Onitsuka Tigers With Black Tailored Trousers
Black trousers are so serious and so sensible. And then you add a yellow sneaker at the bottom and suddenly the outfit has a sense of humor.
This is a great one for anyone who has a slightly stricter office but wants a little personality down at the floor. Sharp trousers up top, cheerful shoes below. Nobody complains.
Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers With Boxer Shorts
So the boxer shorts trend snuck up on me, I will not lie to you. I saw it and thought no way, and then I tried it and thought oh, okay, actually yes.
Soft cotton boxer-style shorts with a fitted tank and low sneakers is such a lazy Sunday look. It reads relaxed but pulled together, and honestly it’s just really comfortable, which is what I want most of the time anyway.
Yellow Onitsuka Tigers With White Linen Shorts
White linen shorts in summer are non-negotiable for me. They go with everything and they feel breezy on the warmest days. Pair them with the yellow sneakers and a loose linen shirt and you’re basically dressed for a coastal afternoon.
I keep this combo on standby all summer long. It photographs well too, if that matters to you, which it sometimes does to me.
Onitsuka Tiger Ballet Flats With Slip Dress
A slip dress on its own can feel like a lot, a little too dressy for daytime. But drop the ballet flats underneath and it calms right down into something you can actually wear to a garden party or a casual dinner.
Add a small cardigan over the top if the evening turns cool. The flats keep it from tipping into fancy territory, which is exactly what you want here.
Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers With Trench Coat And Jeans
The trench coat is one of those pieces that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together even when you absolutely do not. Over jeans, with sneakers, it becomes an everyday hero instead of a special occasion coat.
I love the mix of the classic trench and the sporty shoe. It’s got that Parisian-going-to-the-shops feeling, and it works in almost any weather that isn’t pouring.
Yellow Onitsuka Tigers With Denim Maxi Skirt
A long denim skirt is having such a moment and I am fully on board. With yellow sneakers it feels fresh and a little bit retro at the same time.
Tuck in a fitted top and let the skirt do its thing. The yellow at the hem is the little surprise that keeps the whole look from feeling too washed out in all that blue denim.
Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers With Relaxed Suit
A relaxed, slightly oversized suit with sneakers instead of heels is my kind of dressing up. It says I care, but not that much, and I mean that as the highest compliment.
My husband once said this outfit looked like I was going to a very cool meeting. I was going to the grocery store. But I took the compliment and I ran with it.
Onitsuka Tiger Ballet Flats With Wide-Leg Trousers
Wide-leg trousers with ballet flats is such an elegant combination and it hides the shoe just enough to keep everyone guessing. The flats peek out with each step and add a little sportiness to an otherwise very polished look.
Go for a trouser that pools slightly at the ankle. A tucked-in tank or a fine knit finishes it. Simple and so easy to wear.
Yellow Onitsuka Tigers With Cargo Pants
Cargo pants had a big comeback and I am not mad about it. All those pockets, so practical, and the utility vibe pairs really nicely with a cheerful yellow sneaker.
Keep the top cropped or fitted so the volume of the cargos doesn’t overwhelm you. This is a great weekend-adventure outfit for when you actually need somewhere to put your keys and your snacks.
Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers With Pleated Mini Skirt
A pleated mini skirt has that sporty-schoolgirl energy and low sneakers just lean right into it. It’s youthful and fun and honestly it makes me want to go get an ice cream cone somewhere.
Pair with an oversized sweatshirt for the comfy version, or a tucked-in shirt for something a bit neater. Either way it’s a bounce-in-your-step kind of look.
Onitsuka Tiger Ballet Flats With White Trousers
White trousers scare a lot of people and I understand why. But when they work, they REALLY work, and with the ballet flats they feel crisp and light and a little bit expensive.
An onitsuka tiger ballet flats outfit built on white trousers is my go-to for a nice lunch when I want to look like I have it together. Add a soft blue shirt or a striped tee and you’re set.
Yellow Onitsuka Tigers With Butter Yellow Outfit
Butter yellow is everywhere right now and it’s such a soft, easy color to wear. Matching your yellow sneakers to a whole butter yellow outfit is a bold move but it pays off beautifully, all those warm tones playing together.
Think a pale yellow knit, cream trousers, and the sneakers tying it all up. A monochrome-ish look like this always feels intentional, even when you just grabbed whatever was clean.
Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers With Barrel Leg Jeans
Barrel leg jeans are that curved, rounded shape that felt strange to me at first and now I can’t stop wearing. They have so much character and the sneakers keep them casual and easy.
Because the jeans have such a strong shape, I keep everything else quiet. A plain tee, maybe a little cardigan. The jeans are the main event and the shoes just support them.
Onitsuka Tiger Ballet Flats With Tailored Bermuda Shorts
Tailored bermuda shorts have grown on me so much. They’re that nice in-between length, longer than regular shorts, and with ballet flats they look proper and pulled together.
This is a lovely warm-weather office look if your workplace allows it. Neutral bermudas, a tucked blouse, the flats. Neat as anything and cool enough for a warm morning.
Yellow Onitsuka Tigers With Navy Pinstripe Trousers
Navy pinstripe trousers feel a bit heritage, a bit menswear, and I love mixing that with a sunny sneaker to break up the seriousness. The stripes and the yellow together are unexpected in the best way.
Roll the hem up a touch so the sneakers get to shine. A simple white shirt on top and you look like you know exactly what you’re doing, even on the mornings when you really don’t.
