Hearts Where the Stars Should Be

Flowers die by Thursday. Chocolates are gone before you’ve processed the guilt of eating them. And a gift voucher is just a receipt with romantic intent. If you want to give someone something for Valentine’s Day that they’ll actually keep, give them shoes.

Converse put out two collections for the occasion—"Sucker for Love" and "Love the Progress"—both built around the Chuck Taylor All Star and the Chuck 70. The first line swaps the classic Converse star for small heart details, quiet enough that you might wear the shoe for a week before anyone notices. The second collection drops the subtlety entirely, which is also fine. Sometimes you want the shoe to say the thing.

Colorways include red, blue, and something in the beige-yellow-white range that sounds questionable on paper but probably lands. Prices fall between €65 and €110 depending on the model. Considerably more honest than a voucher.