Axel Arigato Clean 90 Bee Birds: A Xennial's White Shoe Woe (and Love)
Alright, you lot who remember dial-up tones and the sheer existential crisis of choosing between Oasis and Blur, let's talk about the Axel Arigato Clean 90 Bee Bird Trainers. As a London-born xennial currently navigating the perplexing "sneaker" culture of North America, my initial thought was: "Clean? My 90s were anything but."
Yet, here I am, willingly lacing up these pristine white Swedish beauties. It's a constant battle. They're so incredibly soft, like walking on a cloud knitted from unicorn hair, but every single splash of coffee or stray dog hair sends my anxiety through the roof. My inner 90s kid, who rocked scuffed Vans and didn't care about anything, is screaming.
The "Bee Bird" is subtle, which, honestly, is a relief. It allows me to pretend I'm effortlessly chic, rather than someone desperately trying to stay relevant while secretly wondering where I left my Tamagotchi. I look at them and think, "Am I too old for this? Or just finally comfortable enough to embrace a bit of quiet luxury?" The answer is probably both, and I'm okay with that (mostly).
They go with everything, from my slightly-too-skinny jeans to the "relaxed fit" chinos I've adopted over here. They're a stylish, comfortable, anxiety-inducing paradox. And frankly, that feels pretty xennial.
If you're ready to embrace the terror of keeping white shoes pristine, but also crave supreme comfort and understated cool, these are your new best mates. Just don't blame me when you start carrying a stain-remover pen everywhere.
Disclaimer: Yes, that's an affiliate link. If you buy 'em, I might finally afford a decent pint back in London. Or, more realistically, another fancy coffee. Cheers!
