Even though I don’t plan to buy New Balances one of the things that makes them appealing to me is the “I could see someone’s dad wearing these to a volunteer firefighter basketball game in 1991” vibe they give off

New balances were always loved by the Japanese. I got into New Balance just because of Japanese streetwear culture. There are also releases with colourways exclusive to the japanese market.

Props to Frugal for spending hours studying these shoes. There’s a ton that goes into each video behind the scenes and we see that!

This is the comeback of the “dad shoes” trend. It’s just like when everyone was rocking Air Monarchs and Fila Disruptors. It’s got that cool 90s-early 2000s sportswear aesthetic. It’s visually memorable, yet minimal enough to go with about any outfit

It feels like Japanese casual fashion has finally hit America and its American sized too

u know a trend is on the verge of dying when christian makes a video on it

being from the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, New Balance has always been seen as a cool shoe. glad to see it’s getting more recognition. on top of the 990s, i also recommend the 574s.

Bottom line: dads were two steps ahead of us in fashion

The connection he made between stan smith and the 550s was on point. There is nothing new under the sun.

I love these. Just old school basketball vibe. Not worth the hype or resell. But a great sneaker either way

i love new balance! it’s really difficult finding women’s shoes in a variety of widths, but they have everything. thank you for talking about them. 10/10 vid man

When I got New Balances they were really one of the most comfortable shoes i’ve worn while also giving me a nice extra height on it. The style is a cherry on top and is very much appreciated. I like the 608’s and the 2002r Protection Pack.

Cats from the DMV have been rocking NB’s for YEARS

I hate it for all the true balance heads who now are having to share their love of NB with “hypsters”. Up until last summer you could actually walk into a new balance outlet and all the 900s. Now all they have available is the functional runners

great analysis of the 550, I personally am kind of shocked with how majorly popular that model has become. when I saw it released for the first time in spring 20 I thought it looked great with the aime lookbook but I did not think it would take off and help elevate the brand as a whole. I have never particularly cared for this model compared to some of the others but I get the appeal

i actually was hoping you’d make a video on this. i jumped on the new balance thing a couple months ago after a general dissatisfaction with the general crop of stuff that nike and adidas was doing, and decided to put my fears of being goofed on to rest. i managed to catch a restock of the dtlr collab 2002Rs and they are the best shoes i’ve ever bought, hands down. they feel and look so good. i’ve never been a shoe guy really, but it’s started a whole love story with this brand, and i’m definitely going to dive deeper soon.

I’ve been wearing new balances for a while just cause it’s pretty casual shoe, and since 2020 wearing asics, from binge watching haikyu. Kinda feel like pretty soon asics are going to pop off in popularity here

Haven’t given frugal his props ina while, but damn I have to give it to him, so much research and analytics involved just for this video. Pretty dope

I get that “iykyk” feeling from my Vans Vault collection lmao. One of my favorite pairs to wear is my Vans Vault x Blends Old Skool Zips. They’re supposed to look like a motorcycle jacket (YSL vibes), and they honestly get complimented way more than some of my newer hyped up Jordans 💀

We can tell a lot of time and thought went into making this video and it absolutely shows! There's a lot of value in what you said even for those who do not necessarily wanna jump on this trend.

This was so fun to watch! I used to be very into Yeezys myself, but after these past few years, I got a bit bored with what they were releasing (with the exception of the Foams of course). But in 2021 I really started paying attention to New Balance, and I really like the models I have so far! I do have to admit that the 550s are my daily shoe right now tho :P It sucks we have to compete with the resell culture though, that really bites.

Really glad to see the influence of Japanese Americana finally making it over in a big way. I remember reading Popeye in 2014 and thinking damn, why don’t guys in my area dress like this? Lots of people here saying it’s a trend, but I think the look is constructed of such strong aesthetic principles that it’ll always look good. Hopefully it’s here to stay as a point of reference to return to from more daring ventures to the fringes of contemporary style.

990s have been a dmv classic for years and years. kinda wild seeing them come more mainstream/widely accepted

I'm subscribed to you for 2 years now despite the fact, that I hate most of male fashion nowadays - but you're the only youtuber I found interesting, and the only one that made me - even though I still dislike it - understand todays fashion. For that, and a lot of original entertainment that comes with it - thank you, Frugal :) Have a good day!

Crazy how people used to get bullied for wearing NB 😭

New Balance is so much more than the 550, hyped 2002Rs, and "dad shoes". I highly recommend diving into the world of the general release pairs, especially the Made in USA and UK models. There are so many readily-available GRs on quality-made models out there. That's one of the biggest reasons why New Balance appeals to me. Great designs, good quality, and actually being able to buy for retail. Of course, I too enjoy the 550s and there's no doubt how dope the refined future pack is, but New Balance is so much more than that.

Thank you for this video, Christian. I always find your videos really entertaining!

Their comfy and just pleasing to my eye. Def one of my fav brands atm.

I always liked new balance's design. Not too flashy and comfortable with a form factor that I personally like. Always my go to for casual fits.

The last few years i've just been buying classic silhouettes because they never go out of style no matter the trend. The only flashy shoes I buy now are Kiko Asics because in my opinion they are one of those "if you know you know" shoes.

I like fashion but if I ever got myself so invested in this I think I'd go insane and analyse way to much shit then I'd just get anxious and all weird about clothes, glad frugal is still sane and doing a great job at these vids still

this is the sign I needed!!! been lookin at them forever, then the vintage Skechers jammers I been wearing completely fell apart, and now it’s clear what my show destiny is…

it is so funny to compare the rest of the world VS the DMV's perception of New Balances. (+ DMV like the DC-MD-VA metropolitan area, not the department of motor vehicles). Like one of the themes for my HS spirit week was "DMV Culture Day" - everyone was wearing stereotypical black puffer jackets, white beaters, and gray 990s (just an exaggerated version of the average day in the DMV) 990s have never been clowned on by anyone I know as "dad shoes"... bc we're all always wearing them. we all know that they're comfy and they're a great everyday shoe. And they don't JUST go with the vintage look, i'd say they're v versatile. if ur scared of being judged for wearing "dad shoes" don't be too pressed, they're a genuinely good shoe. so comfortable. regardless, love seeing ppl get put onto new balances as they're coming more and more into the mainstream. say whatever you want ab their looks, they have a real history in the DMV, nd for that reason I find them so charming. i genuinely recommend them to people if u were thinking of getting a pair. once u get out there and start mowing a few lawns and they start getting stained with green grass clippings thats when they hit their peak Fr.

Bro i thought about buying some 547 rugged whites for a while and this vid convinced me i should buy em, thanks man

I've got the black color way of the 2002R and they are fantastic. Originally I liked the cloud one the best but having these in hand they are perfect for my wardrobe

This was way more of a revelation than I expected or was ready for and I loved it.

i changed out of my custom air force ones that i had made for my work uniforms into my special edition boston 574 new balances the other day and it was like i stepped into clouds. night and day the level of comfort. i love air ones, but i've been rocking new balance heavy lately. i got some dope china mask joints from 08 beijing olympics for super cheap they're worth like $200 the way i got them i paid like $40 and they're fire

I’ve got some basic new balances, and they’re the best. Go with everything and I’m always getting compliments. Unfortunately sometimes ppl will call them “knock off air forces”, anything that isn’t an Air Force 1 isn’t cool 🙄

Excellent analysis. Finally saw a pair of these out in the wild (at the zoo) and I must admit they are very cool. Something new to notice.

The 574s and 550s are amazing shapes and have great color ways. They are so good.

Got me convinced!

Just subscribed. Best thing I've done for current street fashion

Thanks Christian, I just bought some club c 85s after watching your video. Great work!

It’s insane how in depth you can get into a topic bro. This is next level.

i love how nb is becoming the "in" thing rn, but i got this lowkey feeling that reebok is gonna blow up too. Like instead of nike and adidas it'll be reebok and nb

Exactly, I like 550 but when I two pairs I stopped looking for more. Any new colorways would just do the same to my outfit

this kind of mental process for the shoes reminds me of the car scene. Moving towards classic cars with solid engines and building sleepers. Or the PC scene moving away from over the top RGB and now picking one colour or minimalist internals.

been a while since i seen once of your videos. glad to see you're over 1m subs. congrats!

The parallelism between Drain Gang and NB is just perfect (for now)

I think the other thing is that. They are comfortable. They are genuinely well made. So when people switch, they are more likely to stay

These videos are so goated.. keep it up bro pre consistent! Make some arxy updates aswell

i think another thing that gave new balance a lot of crossover appeal is their collaborations with joe freshgoods. he been able to tie a lot of different histories together with his shoes so far and they been some of the most hyped releases in recent memory.

I genuinely am surprised this is considered breaking. Me and the boys thought we were late into the game in '06 when we kickstarted with them. Leeds, UK - great city, pretty much a non-entity fashion-wise.

as a dmv resident, it’s nice to see a more niche (yet just a big) brand take the spotlight.

Even better, they are really good for running or working out in general

the music in this video is on point frugal !

It is funny how a couple years ago new balances were dad shoes and now people are switching up to pretending this was always their vibe

Im a cnc engineer and i bought 990s for work recently these hauex’s comfy as shit n theyre easy to go out in if i can swing home after work (blue collar drip most of the time dickies pants and a tshirt so shit aint too bad tbh)

The 990v2 in grey are the best ones New Balance EVER released. Glad I have a pair of them and some version 3s. Most comfortable shoes no question about it.

One of the smoothest transition to your sponsor, and it's enjoyable to watch.

I’ll definitely flex the fact that I’ve been wearing NB for 4+ years because I used to get clowned on for it back then lol

I've got the Adidas Forum 84 Lows as my daily shoes right now, they give the same vibe as the 550's without the hype pricetag. Great alternative for anyone on a budget.

the way you snuck that squarespace ad into video was amazing

I love your hair so much OML

NB isn’t gunna die imo, they’ve been around for minimalistic outfits. just main stream rn

990's are comfy as hell but the 550's are just hype! You seem them everywhere.

i was really into nb in middle school when i was running track bc they have the nicest running shoes, left it for nike, and now jack harlow got me in the nb hype once again

Dis my first time watching ur channel in a while and omg you look so good dude

I liked new balance 550s early 2020 and it felt good until they found it. I still like the 993s tho.

I just want to live in a world where I can buy a damn pair of sneakers for retail. The fact that now even the bb550s are going on stock or goat for like 300% over retail is nuts tbh.

Love this general sam , Sneaker rant ,Subscribed

First time watching your vids and I fw how you do it

New Balance shoes are actually high quality unlike Nikes or Jordans.

hmm interesting! gonna buy these with a baggy pants :)

What a great atypical review!!!

u should make a vid abt the drainer style, its not documented at all and its hard to find info abt it so i think it would be a fun challenge 4 u

It's really funny because I'm not into fashion at all but I bought them last year at resale price before the hype because I really liked the design lmfao

i can't believe i just watched someone compare 550s and drain gang

I remember falling in love with New Balances in like 2016 when I walked into a New balance outlet and found the 998 Explore By The Sea. And while I couldn't get them cause they were too big it made me so enamored by the brand forever. And while I don't have a pair of the 2002r or 550 cause I just feel like I have other stuff for that I love the ones I have now from my 993, to even the slept on foreign models like the made in england 1500s and 920s. I don't have a made in Japan pair yet but I at least have the made in USA 1300s. Though the best part I'm seeing as New Balance rises to the top is more care placed in insoles. Finally I don't need a surgeon to make Jordans comfy. Now if only they could also copy letting us just buy better insoles the brand already makes I'd say the NB trend is a total success

Man...Really loving this video.

I looked into getting the jjjjound 992, and then felt my soul pass away looking at these prices

As already pointed out here in the comments, I think a lot of the hype has to do with Japanese Americana making a lot more waves in North American street style. I remember getting turned on to new balance in a big way when I spent some time in Tokyo back in 2018. I think New Balance (especially the 550s) will fall out of the popularity they're seeing right now, but I don't think the brand will disappear. Japanese Americana is here to stay imo and so I think silhouettes like the 990s will be here to stay too.

i’ve been debating on buying the white and red 550s and you convinced me

the hair looks sick!

In the DMV EVERYBODY has been wearing 990s for years

The new af1s/dunks

Damnit.... I've seen 3 videos and haven't laughed so hard while learning in a long time. I have subscribed.

got me with the sick ass product placement! It came out of no where!

I wanted to buy sneakers for the first time last week. Bought a second pair of brown dress shoes instead so I can cycle them and reduce the wear and tear on my favorite pair. Dress shoes are the way my guys. Every half year you pay 20€ to the local shoemaker and basically get a brand new pair

I love how we are all part of this community that considers something “dying off” once everyone starts hopping on the trend.

I wear the classic NB 500 and they're the comfiest pair of shoes I have ever worn, recommend for anybody with foot problems.

I just ordered my first pair of nb 997h can’t wait to check them out

This video while insightful was over the top. It doesn’t take hours of research to understand why New Balances are carrying some weight. It’s a simple product that’s carved out their “niche”. Unlike the dunks, off-white, and Yeezy in your face colorways and design, New Balances are just simple. This is a cycle we’ve seen time & time again. Wear what you like, not what is “hype”.

These things are like Dunks for people who grill for their extended family on Fourth of July

Yoooo super excited for you!!!

New Balance makes some dope skate shoes too. Both for actual use and style. Best part is I don't think there's really a resell market for it so you can go to a skate shop and BAM wall full of NB for retail

We been on new balance in Baltimore for years, my parents had me in new balance in elementary and I’m 24 now. They been a good shoe but people just make anything hype these days. Let’s be real when did new balance ever have resale value??

I remember growing up getting made fun of for having to wear NBs because of my wide feet, now everyone is trying to hop on the wave

Being from Baltimore, New Balance has always been popular, runners in general, but especially the 990s. With NB being super hot right it’s like a NB renaissance here with hella people wearing all the 99 family sneakers, 2002r, and obviously 550s

just stumbled across your channel, turns out you are a GREAT communicator so kudos just wanted to point that out