When Did Nike's Grade-School Section Get So Good?

It’s every small-footed sneakerhead’s biggest hack - but shopping in the grade-school section is starting to look better than ever. With more and more people starting to get into sneakers, we’ve seen brands manage to cater to people of all ages, sizes and tastes, and thanks to that, many key sneaker styles are much more accessible than they used to be.

This year, we’ve some of the hottest releases going dropping in small sizes, with Dunks, Jordans and certain Air Max styles all making up the numbers. If ‘shrink it and pink it’ isn’t quite your vibe, it’s always worth scouting out this section for more unisex colourways. Sure, the materials used will often be a little different to a style’s adult’s-size counterparts, but when we’re saving a good £60 or so, we’re not ones to complain.

Generally, GS sizes run up to a UK 6, so the options should provide a fair few female sneakerheads with plenty of bargains to choose from. Here, we’ve suggested some of our favourite pairs that are available to shop at Nike right now, so scroll to see our picks.

We’re kicking this off with a serious heavy hitter because if you’re a women’s UK6 or under, you can snag the Air Max 97 “Silver Bullet” for under £100. One of this year’s hottest releases, this shoe celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, and it still looks just as timeless as ever. Designed by Christian Tresser and inspired by mountain bikes and water droplets, it’s an absolute classic and a pair you shouldn’t be sleeping on.

Next up, there are some great Dunks to be found in the GS section, but the Dunk High Aluminum is easily one of our favourites. Here, the classic high-top Dunk has been scaled down to be small-foot friendly, and with a couple of sizes left in stock, its a pretty good bargain. Made from leather and staying true to the shoe’s original design, this pair sees a white base come dressed with baby blue overlays, while a pre-yellowed midsole adds to the shoe’s retro vibe.

Bruce Kilgore’s Air Force 1 is easily one of the most versatile sneakers on the planet, and there are a fair few pairs to be found in this section, too. And, as the shoe fits a little bigger, even a 6.5 might be able to squeeze their feet into these. We’re currently loving this Next Nature pair that sees the style get a sustainable upgrade - but it’s really the pink Swoosh that’s sold it to us!

Finally, we’re big fans of Nike’s Air More Uptempo silhouette, and this “Gradient Pink” colourway has been on our radar for a while. It’s arguably better than any of the adults’ Uptempos available right now, and much more purse-friendly. We love the 90s vibe that this pair gives off, and the gradient-coloured base comes complemented with white and cream overlays to ensure these will still pair with anything.

Which pair are you picking? Let us know, and head over to Nike to shop the rest of the GS section.