Canvas sneakers steal the summer spotlight

This season, the humble canvas sneaker is back in the fashion limelight, offering a laid-back, lightweight look that's perfect for hot weather escapades.

Timeless versatility

Defined by the canvas vulcanized onto rubber outsoles, these classic kicks have been around since the inception of sneakers. And they remain everything a great summer shoe should be: relaxed, breathable, and begging to be worn in casual settings from the cabana to the backyard barbecue.

From iconic brands like Vans and Converse to up-and-coming labels, here are nine canvas sneaker options you might not have gotten your hands on yet – or an upgraded version of a longtime favorite.

Standout picks

Best Affordable Canvas Sneaker: Vans Premium Authentic Sneaker ($75)

Huckberry's OK, maybe you're already intimately familiar with a canvas Vans, but old favorites die hard. And the premium Authentics are a standout right now, with the parchmenty white upper and light blue foxing stripe. They read just as beachy as they do skate shoe, and they're $75.

Best Canvas Deck Sneaker: Morjas Deck Canvas ($200)

MR Porter We love Morjas's well-made, well-priced dress shoes, and we're thrilled with the deck shoe for much of the same reasons. It's a streamlined low-top made with a canvas upper, removable cork insole, and a grippy rubber sole if you're actually wearing them on boat or other wet surfaces. They're perfectly understated.

Most Packable Canvas Sneaker: Tretorn Nylite ($80)

J Crew Tretorn's signature Nylite shoes have been around since 1967 – once a luxury tennis shoe – and though we probably won't be hitting the courts in them, we can do just about everything else. These low-profile, lightweight, breathable sneakers are perfect for summer outings and vacations. They're easygoing, practical, and very thin, which we appreciate for packing purposes.

Most Fun Canvas Sneaker: Golf le Fleur 1908 Naut-1 Flower ($90)

golflefleur.com Leave it to Tyler, the Creator's Golf le Fleur to make a canvas sneaker a little more fun just because they can. This one is in the brand's signature boat shoe shape (made in collaboration with Converse) done with a white-ish canvas, thin green foxing stripe, and a few little flowers. There are standard laces and green rope laces, which lean in even harder to the nautical motif.

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