The Ultimate Guide to Autumn’s Most Stylish Trainers, Whatever Your Style

Functional and *very* stylish

A guest wears silver New Balance sneakers, a black leather bag, a beige turtle neck see-through long sleeved top, a black crop top, a black leather belt and beige high waist trousers outside Calcaterra show during the Milan Fashion Week
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Be honest with me—how many pairs of trainers are currently lined up in your wardrobe? The gym pair, the battered runners you actually run in, the sneakers you throw on for a quick shop run… and then, of course, your best fashion trainers. You know the ones: the box-fresh styles you reach for when styling everything from wool trousers to jeans, the sleek all-white leather pair that solves every smart-casual dilemma, and the nostalgic kicks you’ve clung to since your teenage years (thankfully, Converse are trending once again).

And yet, despite this rotation, you’re still wondering what the best trainers for women are right now. And, importantly, which ones should we be investing in for the autumn/winter season? Much like denim, trainers sit in that rare category of wardrobe staples that move in slow but steady trend cycles—shifting just enough to refresh your look, but never so drastically that they fall out of favour. So, in the theme of keeping things autumnal, you may want to swap out those bright white kicks for a trending brown shade or perhaps a chic suede. Both of which have been spied across the street style set at New York, London, Milan and Paris.

Now, in the theme of honesty, my own trainer tally currently sits at 12. Among them: a cow-print style from Nicki Hoyne, a silver Adidas pair softened perfectly with wear, and a brown suede Dries Van Noten style—the perfect autumn trainer, I would say. While my fellow Marie Claire fashion editor Clementina Jackson has nabbed the ever-popular yellow Onitsuka Tigers, as well as yet another silver pair (it seems we have a theme). So, between us—and years of trainer investments—we’ve compiled a considered edit of the best women’s trainers to buy now for Autumn/Winter 2025.

The Best Trainers To Invest In Now

The trending trainers

PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 28: Celine Duong is seen wearing a tan and cream trench coat, blue jeans and yellow and black sneakers with a black bag outside the Dries Van Noten show during the Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024/2025 as part of Paris Fashion Week on February 28, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Kicking off with what everyone wants to know—the trainers that are in fashion right now—and it's a mix of cult classics and new contenders. Dries Van Noten's suede trainers have become the trainer du jour for every cool girl, with their suede leather trimmings, they're a favourite among the fashion set *and* Harry Styles. Our beloved bright yellow Kill Bill–esque Onitsuka Tigers are still drawing plenty of attention, proving their staying power beyond the initial hype. And Adidas' Tokyo trainers have been getting plenty of airtime across current fashion weeks.

The brown trainers

street style brown trainers, grey skirt, grey top

(Image credit: Future/Getty Images)

Ask our junior shopping editor Amelia Yeomans about the chicest trainers for autumn and she'll swiftly point you in the direction of brown shades. Both polished and practical, they bring a warm-toned element to any outfit and are much easier to style than you may at first think. Just take a look at her guide to the best brown trainers to buy for extra inspo.

The vintage-inspired trainers

Lauren Cunningham wears burgundy Adidas Samba trainers and burgundy striped suit

(Image credit: Lauren Cunningham)

Vintage-inspired trainers are having a moment, not only because we're in love with the retro look, but because the most popular trainer brands are bringing back crowd favourites from years gone by. My current go-to? A burgundy Adidas Samba which I styled with a colour-coordinating suit for Paris Fashion Week—smart casual dressing at its finest.

The luxury trainers

Karin Teigl is seen wearing a yellow gold “Alhambra” necklace with a green gemstone pendant in a cloverleaf shape from Van Cleef & Arpels; an oversized cream-white fluffy jacket made of mohair and wool with large pockets from Herskind; underneath a multicolored, buttoned wool cardigan with round neckline from Gucci; wide-legged dark brown leather pants from Baum & Pferdgarten; a rectangular blue diamond-quilted leather bag with a gold logo closure and a shoulder strap made of a gold and silver chain interwoven with blue leather from Chanel; and brown suede sneakers with a brown sole and white cotton shoelaces from Miu Miu x New Balance

(Image credit: Future/Getty Images)

Luxury label trainers are now as recognisable as each brand's best-selling bag, with each famous fashion house vying for our attention. While personal preference of both look and label is key in this category, the current luxury trainers in pole position are Demna's recently launched Shift Trainers at Gucci, any Miu Miu style, since the brand's collaboration with New Balance became a bestseller, and Louis Vuitton's Sneakerina.

The suede trainers

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 13: A guest wears blonde hair pulled back into a low ponytail secured with a black hair tie, black rectangular sunglasses, a thin gold chain necklace and multiple gold rings with stacked gold bangle bracelets and a silver-toned watch with a dark leather strap, a short-sleeve collared tan cotton poplin shirt with a small tonal embroidered chest detail tucked into a matching high-waist full-length tan cotton poplin skirt with box pleats and a matching fabric belt with a gold-tone rectangular buckle, dusty lilac-grey suede and mesh lace-up sneakers with white laces and gum rubber soles, outside Altuzarra, during New York Fashion Week, on September 13 2025 in New York, New York (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

While suede may not be the most practical of fabrics—it's famously bad when in contact with water—it is certainly chic, especially for autumn. Case in point: Dries Van Noten's near sell-out suede trainers that have been spied on the feet of many a street styler—my own included. Just be sure to check the forecast before you step outside.

The minimalist trainers

@nlmarilyn wears trench coat, black bag and white trainers

(Image credit: @nlmarilyn)

Everyone should own a clean white trainer in their collection. Not only is it the easiest option to style (unless you solely wear all-black outfits), but their minimalist nature means they work for every occasion, slipping effortlessly into that smart-casual dress code.

The statement trainers

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 05: Barbara Inês wears black Lacoste polo neck top with white shirt underneath, grey wool Lacoste knitted beanie, grey pleated mini skirt, white Lacoste bag outside Lacoste during the Womenswear Spring Summer 2026 as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 05, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Statement trainers or fashion trainers are often the pairs that we don't wear everyday. Just like a statement bag or piece of jewellery, they're an item we call on to elevate an outfit, whether it's livening up a classic T-shirt and jeans or a simple midi dress. My own collection includes three pairs: a cow print, these green Adidas suede set, and a brown leather snakeskin style, all equally fashion-forward yet more comfortable than a heel.

The sports trainers

Elie Inoue wears a black tiered midi dress under a brown suede blazer with studded details, grey socks with silver sneakers, layered necklaces, and carries a black leather handbag outside Cecilie Bahnsen show during the Womenswear Spring Summer 2026 as part of Paris Fashion Week

(Image credit: Future/Getty Images)

A handful of trainer trends have come through in recent years all stemming from the classic sporty style of sneakers: the dad trainer, the chunky trainer, and the runner. So, if comfort is your core focus, this is the category to cop. Although, running gear isn't all this trainer style works with—skirts, suits and jeans are no longer off limits.

The animal print trainers

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 06: A model wears an oversized olive leather bomber jacket over a beige sweater with wide-leg black jeans, brown tote bag, and cow-print slip-on shoes outside Sacai show during the Womenswear Spring Summer 2026 as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 06, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Valentina Frugiuele/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Animal print accessories were a key focus of the Autumn/Winter 25 runways with everyone from Prada to Bottega Veneta stepping into the style, so it's no surprise the trend has seeped into trainers, too. Consider this your sign to take a walk on the wild side.

How to style fashion trainers

The key to styling fashion trainers is to rid everything you think you know about trainers from your mind. Gone are the days of styling them solely with leggings and jeans. Now, we're weaving trainers into every aspect of our wardrobe—pairing them with lace skirts, mini dresses, and even colourful co-ords. The more formal-fitting styles can even be worn with suits and blazers. No outfit is really off the cards.

How we curated our best trainer edit

As long-term trainer lovers and fashion editors, Clementina, Sofia, and I dug into our own archive of trainer buys to build this edit, while always keeping a sharp eye on street style snaps. If we don't have a pair in our own collections, we've spied them on a fashionable face (or I should sat feet) who does.

Lauren Cunningham is a freelance fashion and beauty editor covering runway reviews, fashion news, shopping galleries and deep-dive features. 

With contributions from