A Guide to the Best adidas Forum Shoes — And Why Everyone Should Own a Pair.
Olivia Cigliano
Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD
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adidas basketball sneakers carry a legacy of game-changing performance technology, but one heritage shoe from the brand’s history has been adapted from the court to the streets as a modern style staple. The best adidas Forum shoes are practically plucked from the past, sporting quintessential 1980s-era retro appeal in a chunky, comfy design.
Similar to the lot of trending adidas sneakers, such as adidas Sambas, Gazelles, and Stan Smiths, this archival style is popular for its throwback design. However, it offers a different attitude compared to the streamlined silhouettes from the Three Stripes. Forum shoes are nothing short of a statement piece — whether you’re curating a high-fashion ‘fit or simply slipping on the sneakers to run errands or walk the dog. The shoe’s natural high-contrast colorways, luxe leather construction, and athletic strap closures do all the talking in adidas Forum shoe outfits, making it a distinctly effortless sneaker to incorporate into your rotation.
Forum shoes are made to be exceptionally supportive, too — they’re performance shoes, after all. adidas released the Forums in 1983 to provide ankle support and stability on the basketball court, and today’s iterations maintain those essential features with upgrades like rubber cupsoles, recycled construction, and textile lining for added cushioning. Plus, the footbed is wider than other adidas walking shoes, so it’s a great option for those with wide feet, bunions, or other foot conditions that benefit from extra wiggle room.
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The Forum silhouette boasts a long list of fans nearly as iconic as the shoe itself, including A$AP Rocky, Hailey Bieber, and Kendall Jenner. Most notably, Bad Bunny’s Forum collaborations skyrocketed the shoe to its all-star status in recent years; previous iterations now go for upwards of $400 on resale sites. Although the musician is busy adding his touch to other adidas styles like the quietly coveted Taekwando and recently released Gazelle Indoor shoes, adidas restocked a small selection of Bad Bunny x adidas Forum Low Buckle Shoes over the summer that, unsurprisingly, sold out — but certainly drummed up hype for what’s to come from the successful team-up (could there be a new Forum collaboration soon?).
As striking as the adidas Forum shoe appears, it is a simple solution for injecting a fresh, sporty vibe into any outfit. Take your pick between the range of iterations and colorways below, then keep reading to learn more about the silhouette’s history and grab styling inspiration from editor-curated Forum shoe outfit ideas.
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The History of adidas Forum Shoes
Like many popular street sneakers, the adidas Forum was born as a basketball shoe. Renowned French shoe designer Jacques Chassaing had a heavy hand in bringing the original style to life in 1983. He spent months observing famous basketball players through games and practices and looked for ways to create an even better basketball shoe than adidas’ popular Top Ten sneaker. With watchful eyes and conversations with coaches and players, Chassaing realized that many basketball shoes didn’t support the ankle. As a result, the adidas Forum was born.
The first adidas Forum silhouette in 1984 was the Forum High. The style stood out with its innovative velcro system that protected the ankle, a patented Dellinger Web (nylon netting around the midsole designed to absorb any shock), and quality leather uppers and straps. That same year, the shoe received a very public stamp of approval from Michael Jordan, who wore them during the Olympic basketball trials in the USA. Quickly, footwear fans everywhere yearned for the shoes, and adidas unveiled low- and mid-top versions in order to keep up with the growing demand.
In 2020, adidas revived its revolutionary basketball shoes under its adidas Originals line and re-introduced the adidas Forums. Skaters and sneakerheads soon adopted the silhouette, helping transition it from the basketball court to an everyday casual shoe. Celebrities and influencers have helped the adidas Forum stay relevant for almost 40 years. Kendall Jenner, A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, and many more A-listers have been spotted wearing the style over the years with everything from jeans and graphic tees to sweatsuits.
Forum shoes, whether the Forum Low, Mid, High, or platform iterations, have been the focus of numerous collaborations over the years, partnering with streetwear brands like Shoe Palace and Bape, fictional characters like Hello Kitty, and food brands such as M&M’s. More recently, adidas designed a popular holiday trio of sneakers inspired by “The Grinch” in fall 2023 and teamed up with Packer last spring on a range of muted pastel colorways to dress the Forum Low.
The Different Types of adidas Forum Sneakers
- adidas Forum Low: The Forum Lows launched in the ’90s to complement the high-top styles. These kept the same snug, secure feel around the ball of the foot but with a shorter ankle. They feature a leather and synthetic upper for durability, a terry lining for comfort, and a classic rubber cupsole. While the shoe is offered for both men and women, the men’s style differs from the women’s because it includes the velcro ankle closure, while the women’s style just has laces. The adidas Forum Lows have been getting bolder makeovers over the past few years, seen in collaborations with Bape and Bad Bunny, where the style is crafted with camouflage patterns and orange with navy colorways.
- adidas Forum Low Classic: The Forum Low Classic forwards the OG model with fresh trend appeal. This updated silhouette is slightly more streamlined, donning nubuck and full grain leather uppers with retro gum rubber outsoles.
- adidas Forum Low AEC Shoes: For sneakerheads who love a lived-in-looking sneaker, the Forum Low AEC adds stylish flair to street style. They boast the same features as the classic Forum Low but have been designed to look distressed, as seen in the pale yellow soles and hand-treated leather uppers. Plus, they are partially made with recycled materials, so they carry on a vintage vibe inside and out.
- adidas Forum High: Keep it classic with the shoe that started it all: the adidas Forum High. The Forum High is the OG forum shape with a high ankle, plenty of support, and a shock-absorbing sole. The Forum High 84 (re: its launch in 1984) is the shoe’s original shape and style, but is redone in high-end leather.
- adidas Forum Bold: adidas Forum Bold Sneakers are thick, chunky, and everything you want in a sneaker. The Bold is a female silhouette with the feel of a Forum but is done up in an even chunkier platform outsole. These are often dropped in bright, bold colors to match the standout aesthetic.
- adidas Forum Mid: The adidas Forum Mids hit that not-too-high, not-too-low sweet spot. They have more ankle support than the Low but with the vintage yet modern look of the High. Many Forum Mid styles have been re-designed with upcycled plastic waste called Parley as part of adidas’ promise to produce more sustainable sneakers.
- adidas Forum Low ADV: adidas made over its basketball sneaker for skateboarding with its Heitor Forum 84 Low ADV, created in collaboration with pro skateboarder Heitor da Silva. They’re made with an EVA midsole and a subtle but cool upper.
- adidas Forum XLG Shoes: The Forum XLG shoe takes chunky sneaker trends to the max. Platform rubber soles and high-contrast colorways define this bold sneaker. Compared to the similar Forum Bold silhouette, the XLG is more robust in profile, with added elements like X overlays and double-layered tongues.
How to Style adidas Forum Shoes — adidas Forum Shoes Outfit Ideas
adidas Forum Low CL Shoes
Shown with: adidas Adilenium Season 2 Washed Bomber Jacket ($128), adidas Basketball Cargo Sweat Pants ($85), adidas Adicolor Classic Round Bag ($32)
adidas Forum Bold Shoes
Shown with: adidas Adicolor Classics Loose Firebird Track Top ($80), adidas Adilenium Season 2 Washed Oversized Trefoil Tee ($47), adidas Corduroy Tartan Wide Leg Pants ($100), adidas Saturday Hat ($15)
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Meet the Author
Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes shopping content on the best-rated footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Olivia received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She wrote this guide to the best adidas Forum shoes in October 2024.
