You're wearing those shoes with that?

What kind of sneakers can I wear with khakis. Someone was telling me that all white sneakers look good. Will they go with a polo shirt or a button-down and khakis.

Aatish

We say... it depends on the khakis. If we're defining khakis loosely as any pants that are tan-colored, then there's a range. You can wear whatever sneakers you want with casual khakis - these are the baggy ones you wear on the weekends or your cargo pants or your tan twill jeans.

If you're wearing nicer khakis, though, it might be time to invest in some non-sneaker shoes. These are the khakis the business casual set wears to work, the ones that are slightly more expensive.

The bottom line is that khakis are almost as universal as jeans in that they go with just about everything. If you're trying to dress it up, put on the nicer shoes. If you're going casual, any sneakers are fine. (Well, maybe not the grody ones at the back of the closet that were once white but are now kind of gray-ish.) Same goes for the shirt. If you're just going casual, go with the sneakers, but if the button-down shirt is intended to make you look a little dressier, stick to shoes.

Speaking of shoes (and we're not trying to get all Queer Eye on you, this is just a pet peeve) black sneakers as a substitute for dress shoes was okay when you were 13, but not now. If you're an adult, nice shoes for special occasions are a good investment.

Aside: We sort of hate pleated pants, so if you're out khaki shopping, know that, contrary to popular opinion, flat-front khakis are actually more flattering than the pleated variety.

Related: Gothamist on the new Gap ads.