3 Ways LeBron James Styles the Nike Air Force 1

Nike Air Force 1s have become one of the most frequently worn accessories among street style icons in 2019. People with diverse aesthetics are wearing this shoe, and so is one of the most popular athletes of all time, LeBron James. Fashion inspiration is coming out of NBA pre-game tunnel looks, and the style ball is back in the players' court, especially for King James who has been wearing labels like John Elliott, Thom Browne and Kith. The best part? LBJ rotates between sophisticated minimal classics and youthful streetwear staples, like boldly printed hoodies, sweats and distressed denim. 

Despite having access to more shoes than almost any Nike athlete ever, James doesn’t just opt for the coveted, sold-out-in-a-second grails like Comme des Garcons x Supreme AF1s or OFF-WHITE sneakers. He’s still wearing versions of the heritage basketball shoe. These low-key kicks have accompanied some head-turning fits during the 2019 season. Not only is the majority of James’ Air Force 1 rotation readily available, but they’re also versatile for wearing with each of his different looks: utilitarian essentials, sophisticated sweats and mixing prints.

Here are LeBron’s top three AJ1 looks and shoppable options to cop his fits.

LeBron James is one of those athletes who is ahead of the trends. By the time everyone else has caught up, he’s already on to the next thing. Throughout the 2019 NBA season, James regularly featured military essentials like cargo pants and neutral rain jackets in his wardrobe. LBJ was regularly seen layering the look with a hoodie underneath, cargoes with a slim, tailored and cuffed fit and a pair of all-white Air Force 1s.

One thing that’s certain: James has established himself as a “brand guy” when it comes to his everyday wardrobe staples. While he wears a range of labels that span from high-end luxury icons to streetwear staples, one that he’s consistently spotted in is Ronnie Fieg’s Kith. Not only did James appear in Fieg’s Kith Sport fashion show several years back, but he also has his own three-part collaboration with Kith and Nike using his LeBron 16 silhouette.

Even before the game-changing project that bridged the gap between a performance basketball sneaker and street style design nuances, James was wearing all sorts of Kith staples, like the brand’s Williams Hoodie, plaid flannels and jogger-style sweats. 

For a more sophisticated variation of the head-to-toe sweats combo, layer on a denim jacket. James pairs his cozy classics with a light-wash denim jacket, tucking his sweats into two pairs of socks. Lastly, his “De Lo Mio” Air Force 1s match the red, white and blue tones.

Over the past several seasons, James has fully adopted an anything-goes mindset when it comes to the rules of fashion and style. Here, he paired a vintage Parson’s basketball tee with cuffed Brunello Cucinelli trousers, a Berluti belt and a classic pair of Air Force 1 sneakers in white and University Red hues for an emphasized sportswear appeal. 

The polarization of all these different styles is what makes this outfit so appealing. For example, James wears a vintage tee tucked into cuffed pinstripe trousers with contrasting socks. His vintage basketball tournament tee complements the nostalgia of his Air Force 1s.

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