In my mom of 2 littles era, I’ve found myself really appreciating elevated sweats and stylish sneakers! Any piece that is comfy and practical for running around in all day that’s also considered “trendy” is a big win in my book. New Balance has several good lifestyle sneakers that fit the bill, so I wanted to review 3 popular options! I was also finally influenced by friends to place my first Varley order, and wanted to share how some of their bestsellers fit a petite frame (I used code VARLEY10 for 10% off).
New Balance 530 (also sold here)
Starting with my favorite out of the bunch. The 530 is your classic dad sneaker and looks quite similar to the New Balances my father-in-law has been wearing for the past decades (is that a good or a bad thing? I’m not sure). While these feel relevant now for fashionistas, especially in more feminine color combos (mine are “moonbeam / sea salt”), I like that they’re less trendy than the other 2 sneakers in this post. The style feels more classic NB that you can wear for years to come.
Another reason I love these is the same as why elderly dads do – they have great cushioning and comfort. The style is also versatile for going from workouts to travel, and to more elevated smart casual looks with trouser pants.
Sizing: runs big IMO and the mens 4 / womens 35.5 feel more like a womens 6 to me. If you need a smaller size, their kids 530 starts in mens 3.5 / womens 35.
New Balance 327
These are the most sleek and lightweight NBs I’ve tried and have been very popular over the past 1-2 years. It feels easily wearable for a Millennial mom like me in my late 30s, with either good ole no-show socks as well as higher crew socks. Out of the 3 sneakers in today’s post, these do feel less substantial in terms of materials, weight, and overall construction – though as a result, they’re light as air.
Kids vs Womens: I tried both the womens and kids 327’s, and they feel very similar except the womens has a higher platform and wider chunky sole. I know that in general for sneaker brands, adult shoes are made with slightly better materials and quality than the same style in kids. While the soles were noticeably different in this case, the material quality didn’t seem to be so I went with kids.
Sizing: I found the womens to run true to size and I fit my usual 5.5. The kids sizing feels a little big to me. I was told that big kids sizing = mens sizing, and should be your women’s size minus 1.5. I got a kids size 4 which should equate to womens 5.5, but it is roomy on me and feels more like a womens 6.
New Balance 9060
I just love seeing these chunky 9060 sneakers on others, but they were not a keeper for me. Simply put, my style just isn’t trendy enough to easily pull off this look. They felt comfy during my try-on, but note that the soles are distinctly chunky, heavier, and wider set at the base. These felt true to size and a womens 5.5 or kids 4 fit me.
Varley Doublesoft Reviews
I’ve heard so many rave reviews about Varley Doublesoft fabric, which truly lives up to its name and feels heavenly soft and smooth! Their coordinating bottoms in xxs often sell out quickly, otherwise I would’ve grabbed the 25″ slim cuff pant to try as well. I only ordered Doublesoft sweatshirts to try this time plus their 25″ leggings, which fit me best in XS but I needed to fold extra hem length under.
The Keller half-zip pullover (pictured above in black) has sateen trim along the half zip and is a longer & looser pullover, though not long enough on me for any crotch coverage.
The Hawley half-zip (pictured below) is your classic relaxed pullover with drop shoulders and an oversized fit. The length is a tad shorter than the Keller, and felt easy to half-tuck.
3. The Davidson pictured below is a similar but shorter length pullover, which I Iove for petites and is one of my keepers instead of the two listed above. It has a slouchy relaxed fit as well, and a clean-cut “swan” style neckline instead of their usual fold-over neck. If you tend to wear makeup on your lower jawline or neck, I’d go with a darker color
4. I also got this unique Freya doublesoft tunic pullover (pictured below) which is a little longer in the back if you like extra coverage with leggings! It has a foldover neck and drawstring to cinch the waist. The fit is a little oversized on a petite frame, with the sleeves a little long on me as well. You can get a better look at the tunic in this video.