Ever since Sean Penn immortalized a pair in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the Vans slip-on has been the definitive summer sneaker. Introduced in 1977, they're timelessly cool; sturdy enough for ...

(Michele himself also wears Vans checkerboard slip-ons in his everyday life.) Up close, you can see the stamp of the Valentino logo—hinting that there's more to these shoes than initially meets ...

And they were stretchy enough to turn most lace-up shoes—from low-top Vans to high-top Nike Air Flights—into slip-ons that glide on or off your feet in seconds without untying or retying the ...