Best Sneakers

The Novesta Star Master remains exactly what a canvas shoe ought to be: simple, washable, inexpensive, and free of borrowed athletic technology. Its low profile works with chinos, denim, shorts, or a casual suit, while the slightly broad toe and substantial sole prevent it from looking insubstantial. The design has character, but it never asks to become the center of an outfit.

Novesta makes the shoe in Slovakia using a vulcanized natural-rubber sole, cotton canvas upper, metal eyelets, and a removable insole. The sole is pressed onto the upper rather than glued in the usual manner, leaving the small irregularities that distinguish the construction. A textured foxing strip gives the shoe definition, while the unlined upper keeps weight and complication low. There is very little here to disguise.

The fit runs broad at the forefoot and can feel generous, so consult actual measurements rather than ordering by habit. Canvas marks readily, but a brush, mild soap, and air drying restore it without requiring precious treatment. The removable insole is useful for airing or replacement. Support is modest, as expected, and long city walks may call for a more structured shoe.

Many sneakers are now technical equipment or speculative collectibles. The Star Master belongs to an older and more useful category: a democratic shoe that looks better once the white rubber dulls and the canvas relaxes. It is distinctive enough to avoid anonymity and ordinary enough to replace without ceremony. Choose ecru, navy, or black, wear them hard, and stop treating sneakers as investments.