Sneakers are supposed to be less expensive than your fancy-schmancy heels, right? Well, it would depend on just how much you want your comfy kicks to make a statement. We already knew that Jimmy Choo was making sneakers, but did you know they were $600 a pop? We have no doubt that the wealthy and celebs will willingly drop that much (we know that Michelle Obama already does this). Yet the trendy sneaker market seems to be getting more pricey in general, in part due to the resurgence of the ‘80s basketball trainer as a fashion item (thanks, Kanye). Remember the days when you could spend $40 for a cute and colorful pair? Now, even we admit that we’ve on occasion spent over $100 for some very chic sneakers that we felt we just had to have.

What about you—if you fall in love with a pair of sneaks, how much will you spend on them? How much is just too much? [Times Online]

The Gap and Keds are as American as capitalism and the Electoral College, so it’s about time the two fashion entities get together to create a line of all-American footwear. The shoes will be designed by Gap’s Patrick Robinson and will be right in-step with the faded denim and pastels that will be big this summer. (Don’t worry if you’re more of a glam girl, because Keds has also teamed up with Alice + Olivia for a limited-edition sparkle line.) There’s no word regarding prices of the Gap-inspired line, but the shoes will debut in the summer most likely at a pop-up shop in NYC, which means they’re sure to hit eBay shortly after for those of you in other parts of the country. [Racked]

Jimmy Choo has been in the news a lot recently, but not for the brand’s stunning high heels. There’s the fragrance, H&M collab, and along with the news that “ChUggs” are currently in production comes a first image of Jimmy Choo sneakers. Yes, sneakers. Everyone’s toes need a bit of a break from the sky-scraping heights of stilettos, don’t they? We say: how thoughtful of Choo. As part of the pre-fall 2010 collection, eight pairs of sneakers will be released in low and high top form. Of course, the trademark snakeskin will make an appearance, along with a suede version, meaning these are way more of a dress-up style. You weren’t expecting the tennis shoes to be gym-style, were you? [Elle UK]

Runners who prefer going barefoot are less likely to experience serious injury than their shod peers, according to new Harvard research. Researchers found that barefoot runners land on the balls or middle of their feet first, which causes virtually no impact collision. Runners wearing shoes hold their feet differently, and their heels tend to hit the ground first. “Most people today think barefoot running is dangerous and hurts, but actually you can run barefoot on the world’s hardest surfaces without the slightest discomfort and pain. All you need is a few calluses to avoid roughing up the skin of the foot,” said Daniel Lieberman, one of the researchers. He and his colleagues studied runners who always wore running shoes and runners without shoes. They found that the barefoot runners had a springier step and used their calf and foot muscles more efficiently. But don’t abandon your running shoes just yet. The transition has to be gradual in order to strengthen the calf and foot muscles. Evolution is in the barefoot runner’s favor though, since humans have been running long-distance for millions of years. The modern running shoe wasn’t even available until the 1970s. [Reuters]

Old-school sneaker line Vans might be more masculine by design, but has long since become unisex by reputation, seeing as the skater boy kicks are just as popular with the skater girls. (Or any type of girl, for that matter.) Now the company is coming out with a new model for its spring collection made just for women. “The Sophie” brings the sneaker to a slightly fancier level by streamlining the design and adding the teeniest, tiniest of heels. Styles include the traditional Vans checkerboard, a black and white saddle shoe, or a blue faux denim.

What do we think of the Sophie? Prefer your Vans the way they are? Check out pics from the rest of the line after the jump! [PSFK]

Check it: Nike special-edition Air Max sneaks, featuring Andy Warhol’s iconic pop art imagery of Marilyn Monroe. [Inventor Spot]

Class, please observe:

Up top: Opening Ceremony’s limited-edition “Where The Wild Things Are” Keds, featuring zebra stripes or leopard prints on pony hair. They run for $125 a pair. [Style.com]

Down below: Some pre-existing Keds that are awfully similar (no fancy pony hair or anything) and will only set you back $60. [Zebra print, Zazzle; Leopard print, Zazzle]

So, students, is this a total rip-off? Please discuss. And yes, this will be on the final (receipt, that is).

Nike has released a new version of the SB Dunk Low inspired by Will Ferrell‘s Ron Burgundy character in “Anchorman.” We’ve seen very few things as fugly as these shoes. Was it really necessary to have burgundy suede, striped polyester, tan suede, white leather, and a bright yellow Nike Swoop all on the same sneaker? I think not. Ron Burgundy’s suits were a joke and should have stayed that way. Thankfully, the Will Ferrell sneaker will only be sold in Japan, so we won’t have to witness a wanna-be hipster trying to rock them. [Fashion Indie]

Reebok showcases the Top Down model in its latest offerings paying tribute to Jean-Michel Basquiat, the famous NYC street artist of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The sneakers feature several of Basquiat’s signature, Neo-expressionist paintings on turquoise ($99.56) and black/white ($113.78) backgrounds. They’re part of the fall 2009 collection but are already available at Colette. I’m not sure I’d wear these—I’m not a b-girl, you know—but I’d surely enjoy having these on a shelf as art.

Hot on the heels of his sneaker design collaboration with Nike, Kanye West has debuted another one with Louis Vuitton. The collection, simply called, er, Kanye West for Louis Vuitton, features five distinct sneakers which range in colors from solid red to pastel shades. West mixed the usual suspects when it comes to sneaker materials like leather uppers and cotton laces with felt trimming. And while they might look like your standard sneaker, the signature Louis Vuitton logo on the soles and tongues let you know that these are luxury kicks. So does the price! The shoes, available at Louis Vuitton stores, cost between $840 and $1140 depending on the style. If your guy, really, really, really wanted these, would you buy them for him? It’s a recession, so I’m thinking I’d download the picture and frame it nicely for him instead.

For the man on a Missoni: Converse, the iconic old-school kicks, are about to get a major designer upgrade thanks to a collaboration with Missoni. The collection, “Premium Chuck Hi Missoni” for Spring 2010 takes the basic hi-top and slaps the classic zig-zag print on them to create two varieties—one with black laces and purple-grey material, the other with white laces and an earthier pink-brown combo. The news leaked when Tai Missoni spotted wearing a pre-released pair. Now, when will we get the ladies’ version, please? [HighSnobette, WWD]

While we think some celebs, like Michelle Williams, deserve more privacy in their lives, we’re secretly a little happy the paparazzi snap them as they go about their business so we can see what they wear when they’re not walking a red carpet. Michelle Williams always looks so cute and casually put-together when she runs out for coffee, and we love how her shoes look as though she’s walked 1,000 miles in them. Want similar sneaks? Pick a pair from the 10 after the jump, then wear them every single day this summer, making sure not to avoid puddles or mud.

Christian Louboutin is known for his uber-sexy, red-soled heels, but now he’s venturing into the world of sneakers—at least he’s staying true to his leopard print fixation. No word on where to buy these or how much they cost, but the pumps sell for an average of $800 at fine department stores and boutiques, so we’re guessing these would be comparably priced. Would you fork over that kind of money for these kicks? [Fashion Indie]

Clearly, we’re not sneaker women because we can’t find a pair of kicks that are stylish and make us feel as sexy as a pair of stilettos. But these by New Balance for Nine West are just plain fun. And with our feet firmly planted on the floor and no need for posing, we might actually have some fun too. Oh yeah, and they’re also good for when we want to pretend to go to the gym. [$89, NineWest.com]