I don’t expect a whole lot from Jordan Brand these days in terms of material quality and craftsmanship. Even as retail prices increase at a more frequent pace than usual, you just never know what you’re going to get on either front. At this point, you cop and cross your fingers that your pair is in good shape when it arrives.

Let’s be clear….Air Jordan 1 Retros are ‘80s basketball sneakers that haven’t had any major tech updates since the original 1985 release. Because of this, you won’t get plush comfort from this shoe. It’s not a terrible option, just stick to styin’ and profilin’ in this shoe, or your feet will pay the price. On the bright side, they’ll feel better as you break them in.

Over three decades later, the Fake Jordan 1 High is arguably bigger than it’s ever been. While OG colorways like the “Bred,” “Royal,” or “Shadow” are still the gold standard for plenty of people, Jordan Brand hasn’t slowed up its efforts to add to the extensive catalog of colorways. These days, 60+ colorways of the 1 releasing in a year isn’t uncommon. 

 Are the OG color schemes still the best option? Pretty much. But there are still plenty of solid new colorways that you should not stray away from for the sake of a purist’s opinion. Wear whatever you like. The younger you are, the less the historical significance likely means to you anyway.

History is important though, especially for a shoe like the 1s. Do a bit of research. It will make your favorite pair that much more important to you. However, there are still 1s that are best left off your feet like these, for example. Leave these on the shelf, too. 

Yes, creasing is an inevitable part of wearing shoes. No matter how much you try to avoid it by walking around like a duck, eventually the toebox is going to show some signs of age. The good news is, Air Jordan 1s are one of the sneakers that don’t immediately look disgusting when they get a little creased up. However, we still don’t want the toebox looking like a balled up shirt you just pulled out from the bottom of your closet. 

One of the easiest ways to do this, believe it or not, is to make sure you are buying the proper size. Trying them on is the best way to find out, but generally speaking, 1s run a bit narrow. If your foot is wider, go up half a size. If there are two inches of space between your toes and the front of the shoe, size down.