Emily is looking for “cute, casual, athletic-inspired sneakers for fall,” and I am happy to oblige. (You should know that I take any sort of please-help-me-shop question as a challenge; I love to spend other people’s money help nice people find cute clothes.)

Here are six options, all in the mid-range in price, all practical and comfortable. All six pairs are available at Piperlime, which offers free shipping (toss pieces from other Gap Inc. stores in with your shoes and they will ship free, too).

Puma Cabana Racer, $65, Puma Speeder Mesh II, $62

Saucony Jazzy Lo Pro, $53, Adidas Sailing Light, $70

Asics Ultimate 81, $65, Asics Ultimate Tiger, $65

A couple of tips about athletic-inspired shoes:

These are not actual athletic shoes; if you’re planning to run or walk in any way that is more serious than chasing down an escaping toddler, these are not the shoes for you, even though most of them are made by athletic shoe companies. For power walking or running a 5K, get some proper workout shoes. Please.

Athletic-inspired shoes are not meant to be work with skirts or dresses. Ever. The end. Pair these with some great jeans or a perfectly fitting pair of yoga pants (if you must), but don’t toss them on with a skirt. Athletic shoes are meant to be worn with casual, athletic clothes; that might be whatever you tail gate in, or it might just be whatever you’re wearing to wrangle the baby. It’s not a dress, though.

(Although now I feel compelled to say that yes, you can wrangle a baby in a dress! Just not in a dress paired with a cute pair of Adidas.)

What should you look for in athletic-inspired shoes? Many of the same things you look for in other types of flats: Cute colors, flattering shape, comfortable fit. Don’t default to your ratty old running shoes; round out your casual wardrobe with actual casual shoes. Keep the old New Balance runners for gardening.

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