Brown is the New Black: My Love Affair with Nike’s Earthy Tones

I’ve been a sneakerhead since before it was cool to admit it. Back in the early 2000s, I’d spend hours scrolling through forums and camping outside stores for releases. Now I just stay up late refreshing websites like everyone else. Times change, but my obsession with kicks hasn’t.

Last weekend, I was doing my usual late-night browse through upcoming releases when I noticed something: Nike seems to be having a love affair with brown lately. Not just any brown – Baroque Brown specifically. And it got me thinking about how this rich, earthy tone might look on one of my all-time favorite silhouettes, the Air Flightposite.

The Flightposite Fantasy

Let’s get one thing straight – there’s no official announcement for a “Baroque Brown” Air Flightposite. Trust me, I’ve checked. Repeatedly. Maybe too many times. My wife definitely thinks so.

What we do know is that the Flightposite is coming back in a “Triple Black” colorway on February 28, 2025, with a price tag of $240. Yeah, that’s not cheap. I’m already preparing my explanation to my better half about why I “absolutely need” another black sneaker.

But here’s where my imagination (and maybe wishful thinking) kicks in. With all these Baroque Brown releases popping up, wouldn’t a Flightposite in this colorway be absolutely fire?

Brown is Having a Moment

If you haven’t noticed, brown is seriously trending in Nike’s lineup. The Nigo x Nike Air Force 3 Low features this beautiful Baroque Brown combined with Fir, Hemp, and Pecan. I saw a pair in person at my local sneaker spot last week, and let me tell you – pictures don’t do them justice. The richness of that brown under store lighting made me stop in my tracks.

Then there’s the Travis Scott x Nike Shark-A-Don in “Baroque Brown.” Classic Travis move – taking something unexpected and making everyone suddenly want it. I still remember how he single-handedly made the Air Jordan 1 “Mocha” impossible to get. I spent three hours in an online queue for those only to take an L. Still salty about that one.

Why Brown Works So Well

There’s something about brown sneakers that hits different. They’re not as common as your blacks, whites, or even reds, but they’re so much more versatile than people give them credit for.

I wore my brown Air Max 90s to a wedding last summer (don’t judge – it was a casual outdoor thing), and got more compliments on them than my buddy got on his actual wedding outfit. Sorry, Tim.

Brown has this warm, natural vibe that works with almost anything in your wardrobe. Jeans? Check. Khakis? Obviously. Even with shorts in the summer, a brown sneaker adds this grown-up touch without trying too hard.

Imagining the Baroque Brown Flightposite

So what would a Baroque Brown Flightposite even look like? In my head, it’s this deep, rich brown that showcases the shoe’s unique ribbed texture. Maybe with some subtle gold accents on the swoosh and zipper pulls. The zippered shroud that makes the Flightposite so distinctive would take on this almost wooden appearance in brown.

I can almost feel them on my feet already – that snug, bootie-like fit that made the Flightposite ahead of its time when it first dropped in 1999. I was in high school then, drooling over them in Eastbay catalogs but nowhere near able to afford them.

Will It Ever Happen?

Look, I don’t have any insider info (though Nike, if you’re reading this, I’m all ears). But given the current trend cycle and Nike’s pattern of exploring colorways across different silhouettes, I wouldn’t be shocked if we see something like this drop eventually.

For now, I’m keeping an eye on that “Triple Black” release coming in February 2025. It’s classic, it’ll go with everything, and it’s the kind of sneaker that still turns heads 20+ years after its original design.

But between you and me? I’m holding out a little hope for that Baroque Brown version. I’ve already cleared a spot on my shelf. Right next to the “Olympic” Flightposites that I finally snagged on eBay last year after wanting them since I saw them on TV during the 2000 Olympics. Some dreams take time.

In the meantime, I’ll be breaking in my newest brown addition – a pair of Baroque-adjacent Nike Dunks that my teenage nephew called “dad shoes” until his friend said they were cool. The circle of sneaker life continues.

Are you feeling the brown sneaker trend? Or are you holding out for something else? Drop a comment below – I reply to everyone, usually while I’m supposed to be working.