Auralee x New Balance 990v4
This was a shoe that I've been waiting for since they leaked it at PFW & I'm really excited to finally have them in hand. Some shoes fall short in hand when it comes down to the end product, but these definitely lived up to the hype. Big shout out to the homies who came thru with the assist at the last minute, I can't thank you enough.
Materials: like most NB made products, the quality of these is excellent. The panels on the upper is a soft, taupe suede that has a nice color change as you brush across it. Underneath the suede is a š¤ perforated panel that gives the taupe a nice contrast. Transitioning to the back heel, there's a mocha suede that wraps the heel counter with a dark š¤ NB badge sitting pretty in the middle. My favorite feature of this design is the šµ hits that were added in on the tongue tag and on the midsole. On the midsole it has a taupe color that runs through until the middle & transitions to a light šµ, followed by a darker shade of šµ on the translucent encap panel. Lastly, for branding, there is Auralee branding stamped on the light šµ insole of the left shoe & NB on the right pair.
Sizing/Comfort: the v4 has a nice combo of squish & stability that is pretty easy to wear for long days out. After 1 or 2 wears, they break in really nice. For sizing. I'd recommend going a half size down for a snug, 1to1 fit. I personally tried a 7.5 & 8, & the 7.5 was great, but I preferred the 8 due to needing a little bit of space for my toes.
Overall Opinion: this pack was an excellent pack and I kinda wish it came in before I did my SOTY because this is definitely a contender for the top 5 in a SOTY conversation. The šµ pair is my favorite out of the pack but this one is excellent as well. If you do happen to have a šµ pair in an 8 lmk lol