July’s best sneaker drops: Your guide to this month’s must-have releases

Our monthly series looks at the top releases from the best brands in athletic footwear. Whether you’re an avid sneakerhead or just looking for the perfect pair to complement your style, navigating the vast world of sneakers can be overwhelming. From understanding where to buy to decoding the latest trends, consider this your road map to finding the perfect pair.

The calendar has turned to July, which means half the year has passed. As we race toward the dog days of summer, the sneaker calendar is heating up to match the temperatures outside. Jordan Brand looks forward to the future while also acknowledging some of its greatest hits. New Balance continues its quest to dominate your everyday rotation. The WNBA is here to remind everybody that baseball isn’t the only major sport going on, plus Nike and Adidas look to become your go-to “I’ve got to run errands real quick” shoe.

Stella McCartney takes on the Adidas Taekwondo

While Adidas has welcomed new collaborators, such as CLOT, Bad Bunny and Lionel Messi, among others over the past few years, socially conscious luxury designer Stella McCartney has quietly produced solid work for the past decade. McCartney’s latest sees her apply Primeknit to the upper of the Taekwondo model while also removing the traditional three stripes, giving the shoe a different look from standard versions. Ladies, if you’ve been looking for a simple, everyday shoe with a touch of style that can transition from date night to business casual, this is it.

Release date: July 1

Retail: $140

Jordan Brand is pure money

When it comes to summertime footwear choices, nothing beats having a clean pair of predominantly white shoes. Returning for the first time in more than 15 years, the Air Jordan 3 “Pure Money” checks that box. Dressed in an all-white leather upper with the iconic elephant print transformed into a muted but clean silver, this shoe screams summer. Whether that means a cookout, a day in the park, shooting hoops outside, or just hanging with friends, you’ll likely see plenty of this shoe.

Release date: July 3

Retail: $205

END. and Y-3 serve Y2K nostalgia

Popular British retailer END. is celebrating its 20th anniversary. In the process, it has undertaken several collaborations over the past year. However, this collaboration with Adidas’ equally high-end in-house brand Y-3 takes us back to 2005 with the vintage Y-3 A3 Control model. Keeping things simple yet accurate to the original time frame of 2005, the A3 Control is dressed in a platinum leather upper, with emerald down the heel, and END.’s logo embossed right above the Y-3 on the back heel. The springy A3 cushioning system is fully present here to help complete the Y2K nostalgia package.

Release date: July 4

Retail: $350

A denim sneaker done correctly

Thirty years after its debut, the Air Max 95 goes denim. It’s never looked better than in this new collaboration between Nike and Levi’s. The footwear and apparel collection includes three color variations with the black being the better choice because white will get dirty and the blue runs the risk of someone donning a full Canadian tuxedo. All three colorways feature Levi’s signature red tag to the medial side and frayed edges along the upper’s patterned layers. To top off the rollout, Nike tapped Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers for an ad spot, which added another layer of cool to the collection.

Release date: July 11

Retail: $195

Nike goes Croc hunting

The Nike Reactx Rejuvn8, the company’s attempt to ride the foam clog wave, has taken the sneaker world by storm. A slip-on that sits in a weird space between being a slide/mule and a full-fledged shoe, while also featuring one of Nike’s softest cushioning setups. Every time this shoe has restocked, it’s been an instant sellout. If you’re still trying to see if they’re worth the hype or just good enough to get around during the dog days of summer, here’s another chance at them.

Release date:  July 11

Retail: $70

The Air Jordan turns 40

While there have been signature sneaker lines before it, no line has had the same level of on- and off-court impact as the Air Jordan. Returning for its 40th edition, this year’s version features a simplistic design with premium leathers and suedes. Arriving in a black, white, and gray color scheme, the simplicity of the design allows the shoe to transition seamlessly from on-court to off-court use, blending right in. Add two different types of Nike Zoom Air cushioning and you have comfort for all-day wear, no matter the environment.

Release date: July 12

Retail:  $205

The Climacool finds laces

Adidas has led the pack when it comes to big brands trying their hand at 3D-printed sneakers. Now, they’ve finally found a way to include another color besides the usual shade of off-white we’ve seen too often on products of this type. And not to mention, the Climacool Laced comes with actual laces and a tongue to help create a more customizable fit than the previous laceless version.

Release date: July 15

Retail: $160

The Nike Sabrina 3 makes its debut

After the prior two editions of Sabrina Ionescu’s signature shoe drew immediate comparisons to Kobe Bryant’s signature shoes, this year’s version helps put the sneaker line on a path of carving its own identity with a silhouette that isn’t as identifiable as being inspired by Ionescu’s relationship with the late Bryant. Dressed in a bright orange and yellow colorway, this pair immediately evokes the warm feeling of a summer sunrise or, for some, the sensation of the sun setting on their team’s hopes after Ionescu delivers one of her long-distance three-pointers.

Release date: July 18

Retail: $135

All-Star ready kicks

As the WNBA continues to grow in popularity, the league is finding new ways to capitalize on its well-known orange and white color scheme. Fans of The W know and love the iconic orange hoodie, and now we have a pair of shoes to match it. Nike offers its unique take on The W’s trademark orange by dressing the Kobe 6 Protro in orange, featuring silver accents across the swoosh and Bryant’s “Sheath” logo on the shoe’s tongue.

Release dates: July 18 

Retail: $190 

The return of the Jordan 8 “Aqua”

When it comes to the Jordan 8, two colorways immediately come to mind: a Chicago Bulls-inspired colorway, often referred to as the “Bugs Bunny” due to its connection to Space Jam, and the “Aqua” colorway. For the first time in a decade, the latter returns and is set to be more true to the original. This means a more authentic shape, and more importantly the colors will be closer to what we first saw back in Salt Lake City during the 1993 All-Star Weekend. If the shape and color don’t matter to you, then know this: We’ve only seen two retros of this shoe before this year. Don’t miss out if you’re a fan of the Jordan 8 or Jordans in general. It might be a while before they see the light of day again.

Release date: July 18

Retail: $210

The New Balance 991v2 continues its hot streak

By now, we’ve made it clear how much we appreciate New Balance’s 991v2. The latest edition features a mix of pink and brown suedes that evoke the feeling of a fading summer leading into fall. I would advise anyone interested in these to stock up on them and set aside a pair for when things finally start to cool off around September, so that you have a nice, clean pair to enjoy all the fall activities, much like you did during the summer with your first one.

Release date: July 20

Retail: $150

JJJJound gets technical

If it feels like we’ve been here with JJJJound and Asics collaborating on a running shoe, it’s because we have, as recently as a few weeks ago. What’s different this time is the two worked on the Gel-Quantam 360 instead of the more commonly used models. First appearing in 2015, the Quantam 360 was driven by the brand’s use of Vis-Tech, i.e. visible technology, as a core design element. Never one to complicate things, JJJJ’s take on the runner is simplistic – all-white mesh upper, an off-white sole and back-heel overlays, Gel cushioning and reflective webbing eyelets as the only pops of color found throughout. The collab kicks off Asics’ return to the Quantam 360 silhouette with more inline colors already set to follow.

Release date: July 26

Retail: $190

Nike delivers a “Frobe” Air Force 1

Few brands turn a random photo into wearable art like Nike. This special-edition Air Force 1 draws inspiration from a young, afro-wearing Kobe Bryant seen practicing in pajamas and baggy gear while recovering from a broken hand. Soft yellow leather takes center stage, with knit laces nodding to his pajama pants. Bryant’s signature replaces the traditional “Air” on the midsole, and his jersey number of 8 appears on the heels. Mamba-inspired details run throughout the shoe and packaging, making it a must-have for Kobe collectors.

Release date: June 24

Retail: $150

Caitlin Clark gets her own shoe (sort of)

Caitlin Clark’s short WNBA career has stirred up plenty of debate, just not when it comes to her kicks. The Indiana Fever star has worn various Nike Kobe models since her days at Iowa, and now one of her most frequent choices is available for you. Dressed in the primary colors of the Indiana Fever, this Kobe 5 arrives in midnight navy with hits of gold, making this a must-have for any fans of Clark. Consider it as an appetizer until her actual signature sneaker arrives.

Release date: June 30

Retail: $160