Januworry is nearly over! It’s been one helluva month as we see in 2019, but I’m back with some sneaker goodness after we just got paid, because who doesn’t want to start the year with a new pair of kicks?!

2019 is set to be yet another amazing year for the sneaker industry – I’ve already got my eyes set on a couple of beauties that are coming soon – and I fully intend to boost my collection over the course of the year whenever possible.

There are plenty of expensive kicks out there for those of you with deep pockets, but this month I opted for a pair that is more our speed for this time of the year when money is short and friends are few. There is, however, a ridiculously sick array of footwear at Shelflife right now though.

So with that in mind, I’ve picked a pair that remind me of my youth when I had a short – and unsuccessful – stint as a BMXer. You’ve gotta love a pair of Vans, hey?

Vans Vault UA OG Mid-Skool
R1,499

I’ve always been a fan of Vans in general to be honest, they always seem to strike that nice balance between a skate shoe and a genuinely good looking casual sneaker. They’re iconic too, and seem to be making a massive comeback of late.

With this pair, in particular, I like the suede and canvas mix that they’ve got going on, and the all-white sole really pops in comparison to the darkness of the upper shoe. I also dig how the grey runs alongside the black and they look even better when they’re actually being worn.

My Take: 8.5/10
All in all, big fan of these. The colourway is sick, the style is cool, and the mid-level height I think is perfect for this shoe. I’m not sure if I could rock them myself – I haven’t tried a pair yet – but I know there’s plenty of you out there that would look killer in these!

SNEAK FACT!! – The original version of the Vans logo was designed by Mark Van Doren- the son of then President and co-owner, James Van Doren, at the age of 13. He designed it as a stencil to be spray painted on his skateboards.