Brooks began in 1914 in a small factory in Philadelphia that made ballet slippers and bathing shoes. Not a running shoe in sight. It took until 2001 for the company to say it was now focused on one thing: running. I like a brand that admits where it started.

That single focus is why the Brooks Glycerin makes sense to me. Brooks is based in Seattle now, and the Glycerin is the soft one in the lineup, the shoe you pick when you want the foam to do the talking. The big change came with the 22, the first core Glycerin to use DNA TUNED nitrogen-infused foam. The 23 refines it with larger cells in the heel for the landing and smaller cells in the forefoot for the push-off.

The first eight here are all Glycerin 23, and the colors are where it gets fun. The Black/Black/Ebony is the one I would pair with leggings and an oversized gray crewneck for an October morning. The White/Oyster/Silver looks clean with a long trench and straight-leg denim. For something softer, the Pink/Harbor Mist/Yucca and the Coconut/Sand/Skyway both read like a neutral with a wink. The Tofu/Creme/Chocolate is the cozy one, great with cream knits and brown socks. The White/Mulled Grape/Clear and the Elderberry/Peppercorn/Clear are the moodier fall picks.

The upper is a triple jacquard mesh, so check the fit across the toes and at the heel before you commit to a color. Walk around in the socks you actually plan to wear.

GTS is Brooks shorthand for go-to support, and it means the shoe has GuideRails technology, which is meant to help your body keep to its natural motion path and limit excess motion. If your knees and feet do not track perfectly, or your old pairs wear down on the inside edge, this is the section to read.

The Glycerin GTS 23 keeps the plush Glycerin feel with that extra structure. The Black/Grey/White is the easy daily one, good under tailored trousers on a commute. The Coral/Peach/Spellbound and the Spellbound/Yucca/Pink are for people who want a little color against gray sweats. The White/Harbor Mist/Metallic has a quiet shimmer that works with a puffer vest. The Black/Peach/Nightlife and the Nantucket Breeze/Rain/Clear are the cooler-toned options. The Glycerin GTS 21 in Coconut/Aqua/Autumn Sunset is the previous generation, with a soft coconut mesh and an orange heel. The Adrenaline GTS 25 in Sand/Coconut/Skyway is the stability classic, which first launched in 1999.

Try them on at the end of the day, when your feet are at their biggest, and look at the heel in a mirror. The shoe should sit straight, not lean.

What I would skip: a stability shoe if you have no reason to need one. If your gait is neutral, the regular Glycerin does the job.

Glycerin Max 2 is the maximal one, with a tall stack and a GlideRoll Rocker that is built for smooth heel-to-toe transitions. The foam is the same nitrogen-infused DNA TUNED idea, just a lot more of it. It looks bigger on the foot, so think about proportions before you buy.

The look works best with something that has volume of its own. The Blazing Bell/Pink/White is the loud one, and I would let it carry a plain black set. The White/Coral/Peach and the Oyster/Argyle/Cyber Pink both sit well with wide-leg sweatpants and a cropped quilted jacket. The Grey/Coconut/Metallic and the White/Black/Chateau Gray are the easy ones, the ones that go with everything in a fall closet. The Black/Peach/Clear is sharp with black tights and a long coat. The Nantucket Breeze/Chrome/Blue is a cool, icy pick, and the Tan/Purple/Green is the odd one out in the best way, an earthy tan with purple and green.

When you try a rocker, walk on a hard floor, not carpet. You want to feel the roll forward through the step, and you want your heel to stay put in the shoe.

What I would skip: the Max 2 for a long day on your feet if you want a low, close-to-ground feel. It is a tall shoe, and it should be chosen on purpose.

Brooks has been adding options to the Glycerin family since the Glycerin 20, which brought nitrogen-infused foam together with a GTS version and a new StealthFit option. That is how you end up with a section like this one, a mix of shapes that all share the same soft DNA TUNED midsole.

The Glycerin Flex is the lighter one, with strategic flex grooves in the outsole and a sock-like nylon upper. I like the Flex in Black/White for errands, the Harbor Mist/Poppy Seed/Pink for a gentle pastel, and the Skyway/Cyber Pink/Blazing Bell for people who want a bright pop. The Glycerin StealthFit 22 in Almond Peach/Almond/Portabella has a knit sock-like upper in warm neutrals, which I would wear with a camel coat and ribbed leggings. The Glycerin 22 in White/Limpet Shell/Amparo Blue is the previous generation, white with aqua mesh and a pink-fade midsole. The Glycerin 23 comes in three more colors here: White/Purple, Tan/Purple/Green and White/Open Air/Nightlife.

Check the sock-like upper by pulling the shoe on without loosening the laces much. It should hold your foot without squeezing, and the flex grooves should bend where your foot bends.

What I would skip: a sock-fit shoe if you have a high instep and need room. A classic upper may be kinder.

DNA LOFT is the foam Brooks introduced in 2018, first appearing in the Glycerin 16, and Brooks called it its softest cushioning material ever. The newer version, DNA LOFT v3, is nitrogen-infused, and it shows up across the rest of the cushioned range. That is the thread through this last section.

The Ghost Max 3 in Coconut/Chateau Grey/Blue and in Apricot/Apricot/Super Pink are high-stack shoes with a rocker sole, and they accommodate orthotics, which matters if you wear them. The Ghost Max 4 in White/Rose/Rutabaga and Grey/Nantucket/Rain Washed use an engineered mesh with the same assisted transition. The Ghost 18 is the everyday neutral trainer, here in Star White/Cyber Peach/Grey, a soft peach with a slate logo, and White/Black/Rose Gold, which is the quiet one. The Adrenaline GTS 25 in Peach/Echo/Coconut and Oyster/Pink/Green brings GuideRails support with a 10 mm offset.

If you wear inserts, take them to the fitting room and swap out the factory insole to see how much room is left. A pair of shoes can feel perfect until the orthotic goes in.

What I would skip: Ghost Max if you want the lowest, lightest feel. Choose the Ghost 18 for that.

I would begin with the question of support. If your gait needs it, go to the GTS options. If not, the Glycerin 23 is the plush default, and the Max 2 is for the days you want the most foam.

Then I would pick the color for the coat you wear most. A black pair for the commute, a cream or pink pair for weekends, a purple one for the days you want a little personality. Check the heel and the toe box, and walk on a hard floor before you decide.

Brooks started with ballet slippers and bathing shoes in Philadelphia, and now it makes some of the softest shoes around. Not a bad pivot. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Slippers, Flats and Slippers Worth Wearing Past the Front Door.