Having a comfortable, go-to shoe that goes with nearly everything in your closet is a must-have for me. I’ve been wearing Old Skool Vans for as long as I can remember, and I think everyone needs a pair of Vans in their closet.

Vans are timeless, comfortable enough to travel or walk long distances in, and look just as good with a summer dress and denim jacket as they do with jeans and a winter coat.

I love them so much that I ordered a few customized pairs a few years ago, and want to share more about the process as they make a great gift, the process is simple, and can be worn daily. If you have a pair of Vans, you know that they hold up for years and don’t lose their comfort, so they’re definitely worth the price.

how to order customized vans

You can order customized Vans through the official Vans website. They walk you through the process step by step, and you go back to different customization aspects as you go; they’re not final until you purchase.

If you’re not a big fan of Old Skools, they also offer the option to customize slip-ons, Authentics, the Sk8-His, or a few other models. You can also customize slip-ons or Authentics in kid or toddler sizes.

The process is easy to follow and there are tons of adjustments you can make (everything from eyelets to laces, and you can upload your own photos, too) so you can really get as creative as you want.

I kept my customizations super simple and just changed the stripe on the side. I wanted the inverse of what I typically wear (black with a white stripe) for one pair and then a small pop of color that would go with different outfits without overpowering them, and that would feel slightly more elevated to wear as opposed to getting a brightly colored pair of shoes, which can make me look younger than I am.

custom vans pricing

My regular Old Skool Vans typically run for about $70. The customized pair has a slight price increase, as they start at $90, but factoring in how much you can customize, they’re worth it and I wouldn’t consider them to be overpriced.

how fast do custom vans ship?

According to the website, Custom Vans take about 2-5 weeks to ship. I found that it took about two weeks to create, and then another week to ship, so they arrived slightly ahead of the 5-week estimate.

Custom Vans make a great gift, especially for guys who are typically harder to shop for, but I would aim to order them at least six weeks before you need them to be on the safe side (especially during the busy holiday season).

Learn more about the customization process and order your own pair here.