flat lay of a men's outfit with red nike cortez sneakers, a patterned short sleeve shirt and black twill pants

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Call it the JAW Effect. SG Madness 2024 finalist and The Bear star Jeremy Allen White may be singlehandedly (footedly?) responsible for the Nike Cortez sneaker renaissance happening right now.

Which is great! It’s a cool sneaker that comes in a variety of colors and fabrics, meaning there’s a pair for every guy out there.

Whether you’re a longtime fan feeling vindicated the rest of the world has caught up, or a footwear aficionado who’s interested in trying this classic sneaker for the first time, Team SG has you covered with style inspiration.

Below, check out a week’s worth of men’s Nike Cortez outfits featuring the iconic sneaker style.

How to wear Nike Cortez
flat lay of a men's outfit with red nike cortez sneakers, a patterned short sleeve shirt and black twill pants

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When going bold with your sneaker, you can keep the rest of your look neutral (without it looking boring).

This outfit would be great for a date, a concert, or meeting friends for a drink or dinner.

men's casual outfit with white Nike Cortez sneakers, light rinse jeans, and a light green band collar shirtmen's casual outfit with white Nike Cortez sneakers, light rinse jeans, and a light green band collar shirt

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I love the idea of treating your Nike Cortez sneakers like loafers — aka, use them to add a twist to an otherwise straightforward outfit.

You could also take this same outfit formula of a button-down and jeans and switch up any element. Wear darker jeans. Or an oxford shirt instead of a band collar. Trade the white Nike Cortez sneakers for a more vibrant color.

Basically? It’s hard to go wrong when it comes to this go-to everyday uniform.

flat lay of a casual men's outfit with light green nike cortez sneakers, tan chinos, a short-sleeve button down shirt and ribbed tankflat lay of a casual men's outfit with light green nike cortez sneakers, tan chinos, a short-sleeve button down shirt and ribbed tank

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You know how we feel about a ribbed tank here at SG HQ.

I also love the cuffed pants that help you show off your stylish sneaks.

flat lay of a casual men's outfit with blue nike cortez sneakers, grey shorts and a grey pocket t-shirt with tall nike socksflat lay of a casual men's outfit with blue nike cortez sneakers, grey shorts and a grey pocket t-shirt with tall nike socks

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Don’t overthink it. They’re sneakers, so wear them with your favorite shorts and a well-loved t-shirt.

Done!

dressy casual men's outfit with a burgundy knit polo shirt, black dress pants, and black Nike Cortez sneakersdressy casual men's outfit with a burgundy knit polo shirt, black dress pants, and black Nike Cortez sneakers

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If sneakers at the office works for you, here’s how to dress them up so you look polished and professional.

RELATED: What to Wear to Every Kind of Office

A knit polo lets everyone know you’re making an effort with your outfit, while the dress pants show you mean business.

Below, shop Nike Cortez sneakers:

The OG
black nike cortez sneakersblack nike cortez sneakers
Nike Cortez sneaker in black, $60
white nike cortez sneakers with black swooshwhite nike cortez sneakers with black swoosh
Nike Cortez sneaker in white, $90

First launched in 1972, the iconic sneaker looks pretty much the same now as it did then. The updates? A wider toe area and firmer side panels so you can more comfortably wear them all day long.

Nike Cortez textile
light blue nike cortez sneaker with navy swooshlight blue nike cortez sneaker with navy swoosh
Nike Cortez Textile sneaker in blue, $110
yellow and green nike cortez sneakeryellow and green nike cortez sneaker
Nike Cortez Textile sneaker in yellow ochre, $90

A revamped version of the original Cortez that maintains their retro appeal.

The textile helps prevent warping or creasing for a shoe that’s as durable as it is good-looking.

Nike Cortez 23 Premium Leather
white leather nike cortez sneakerwhite leather nike cortez sneaker
Nike Cortez 23 Premium Leather in white, $110
nike cortez 23 premium leather black sneaker with white swooshnike cortez 23 premium leather black sneaker with white swoosh
Nike Cortez 23 Premium Leather in black, $110

Jeremy Allen White’s go-to Cortez sneakers are the white-on-white pair above.

Our team also loves the black as a way to look and feel a little more dressed up in even a casual sneaker. When it comes to men’s Nike Cortez sneaker outfits, you’d look good in either. Or both.

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