A Love Letter to the Glittery Kate Spade Keds

The first Kate Spade Keds I ever had were a pair of navy glitter Champions. I took them from my sister, who used to work at Kate Spade. The first pair I actually bought for myself were the pure white glitter ones, the kind they market for weddings.

For me, they were never just about a single event. I’ve always been drawn to pieces that feel identifiably, unabashedly feminine—a uniform I can put on. These Keds are that feeling. They’re over-the-top feminine in the best way.

Wearing them always starts the same way: with a wave of self-consciousness. I need those first few minutes out in the world to get comfortable being seen in them. Then, once that passes, the confidence hits. My mood perks up and I feel sure about my choice.

The Rose Gold Pair

My favorite is the Rose Gold Glitter Champion. They look like an extreme, super-girly ballerina style shoe. The colors just work together really nicely; the rosy pink laces and trim pop off the main gold of the sneaker. The ribbon laces on all of these are the best design decision ever for them.

How to Style Them: Just Go Casual

The best bet is to just go completely casual and let them pop out. I really just love to wear mine with jeans. It brings down the overall vibe to make it seem like just a normal shoe. Yes they stick out, but if you're wearing them comfortably with other comfortable clothes, most people will just pick up on that.

Of course, they were designed for fancy events, like a casual footwear under a wedding dress, so you can't go wrong wearing them in coordinating colors with a fancier dress. The gold and black-trimmed glitter Keds looked really good with some tighter red denim pants. The rose gold Keds worked with skinny jeans, or popped really nice against a tight short black leather skirt. The navy glitter Keds worked with a few different coordinating colored skirts and dresses.

Where I Actually Wear Them

These Keds are my out and about Keds. If I'm not wearing my white Champions, it's going to be the rose gold Kate Spade Keds. I'll wear them to weekend markets, dates, hanging out with friends, clothes shopping and thrifting. It helps to wear the Keds you want to wear when shopping for more clothes to go with them.

I won't wear them if I'm doing anything super active. Partly because I don't want to wear them down too much, but they are also a little bit stiffer feeling compared to the plain colored champions.

The Newer Versions & The Collector Stuff

Keds now has their own "Celebration Collection." They use a densely packed sequin material rather than the glitter on top, so they sparkle just a little less. They don't necessarily look cheaper, but there are slight details that stick out as less visually interesting. The contrast in the trim and lace colors is less apparent, they don't use the ribbon laces, and they traded the classic blue Keds logo on the back for a white one. They scream copy to me, and it just makes me want the Kate Spade versions back.

                            Kate Spade Collaboration          Keds Champion Glitter Celebrations

There were other Kate Spade Keds, too—metallic leather ones, cool patterned canvas ones. I could go on about any one of the styles. But looking back at this collaboration, I think about how much they were able to do with it. They made way more versions of my favorite shoes than I had ever really even known. They are distinctly Keds and Kate Spade at the same time.

If You're Nervous

If someone is feeling a bit too nervous to let them shine, wearing them with a casual jeans look brings down the vibe. It makes them seem like a normal shoe that anyone could wear. Go to a farmer's market. Get coffee. After that first outing, it gets easier.

These shoes are a reminder that the best pieces aren't for one thing. They're for the life you actually have. They're for the Tuesday that needs a sparkle.

Which color would you start with?