This second group is for people who want the actual running shoes, not just the look. I will not make any promises about what a shoe does for your feet or your pace, and neither should a shopping page. I can tell you how they look, and they look great.

The GEL-Nimbus is the easiest place to start. ASICS says it launched in 1999, and that its name comes from the cumulonimbus cloud, evoking lightness and softness. Here are the Black & Navy Gel-Nimbus 10.1 Sneakers and the White & Black Gel-Nimbus 10.1 Sneakers. Black and navy is the one I would pick for a dark denim and sweater day, because it reads almost like a dressy shoe from a distance. The white and black pair is cleaner and goes with gray sweatpants, a slip skirt or cropped trousers.

The Gel-DS Trainer is the most fun to style, and there are five in this group: the Gel-DS Trainer SP sneakers, the Gel-DS Trainer SP mesh sneakers, and the Gel-DS Trainer 14 in Off-White & Silver, in Off-White and in White & Black. The mesh version looks lighter and works with a pair of shorts and a long shirt when the weather is warm. The Off-White & Silver Gel-DS Trainer 14 is the one that looks best with a bit of tailoring, like a pleated trouser and a crisp shirt.

The Gel-Cumulus 16 shows up three times, as three pairs of Gel-Cumulus 16 sneakers. I treat these as the quiet ones in the group. They are for someone who wants a trainer look without a lot of shine. The GEL-Kinetic FR sneakers and the Novablast 6 sneakers round it out, and I would wear them with the same easy outfits. Novablast is a name here, and so is Kinetic. I only use them to tell the shoes apart.

A tip for anything in this group: try them on with the socks you actually wear. Check that your heel does not slide when you walk across the room, and that the toe box does not pinch at the end of the day. A running shoe that looks right in your outfit is only half of it.

The last group is the one I wear most on regular days. These are the off-duty styles, and they are cleaner, flatter and less technical than the runners above. Think of them as the shoes for when you want something low-key under a pair of trousers.

The Japan S is the one I reach for first, and the fitting-room test is simple: lace it up and check that the white looks clean against your trouser hem. There are two here, the White Japan-S Sneakers and the White Japan S Sneakers, and they are the closest thing in this edit to a classic court shoe. White ones work with almost anything: a denim skirt, a long linen dress, a pair of wide chinos. If you only want one pair from the whole edit and you do not like loud shoes, this is where I would look.

The Skyhand OG, here in Off-White & Pink, is softer and a bit more playful. That pink is subtle enough to go with navy, cream and brown, and I think it looks especially good with a gray sweatshirt and straight jeans. Nunobiki has two here, the Gel Nunobiki Sneakers and the Off-White Gel-Nunobiki Sneakers, with a Gel-detail lace-up pair alongside. I would wear the off-white Nunobiki with a trench and a mini skirt. The Gel-Stratus MC sneakers and the Hypersync sneakers are the other two. I would style them the way I style the Japan S, with plain trousers and a simple top.

What I would skip: wearing the bulkiest shoe in this group with a very fine, floaty dress, because the proportions fight each other. I would also skip a bright white pair on a rainy walk to the office unless you are happy to clean them. Go for the Off-White or the pink pair if you want something forgiving.

Here is how I choose. I begin with the outfit I wear most, and then I pick the group. If it is jeans and a plain top, I go for a 2000s runner, because the shoe adds the interest. If it is trousers, a skirt or a dress, I go for the off-duty group, because those shapes are calmer. The running models sit in the middle, and I like them best on a weekday when I want to walk a lot and still look put together.

Color is the next step. White, cream and off-white go with everything. Gray and graphite look sharp with black and navy. Pink and silver are for the days when you want people to notice the shoes first, and they look very good with a plain denim set.

Before you buy, do a short test at home. Walk up and down a hallway, check where your jeans hem lands, and look at the shoe from above and from the side, with your outfit on. If you like it from both angles, keep it. I think it is one of the easiest brands to build a rotation around, because the same GEL name turns up in so many shapes, and each pair has its own mood. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Back 70 Sneakers and Chloe Sneakers Make The Case For A Soft Shoe.