White Elevator Sneakers no37 vs. no39 Compared | The 7cm and 6.5cm Difference and How to Choose

“I want a pair of white elevator sneakers. Should I go with no37 or no39?” The 2 white-based sneaker models added in 2026 look so similar that it is easy to get stuck choosing between them.

To get straight to the point: choose no37 (7cm lift, ¥12,980 tax included) if you want line tape to give your footwear some character, and no39 (6.5cm lift, ¥13,980 tax included) if you want a clean, plain white look. The 0.5cm height difference is too small to tell apart, even standing side by side. The right way to decide is by “design” and “the clothes you want to wear them with,” not by “height,” and in this article we sort it all out by the numbers, in the order of height, price, size, design, outfits and care.

First, the numbers. Material, country of manufacture and size range are shared; the only 3 points where they differ are height, price and design.

The price difference between the 2 models is ¥1,000, and no39, the lower of the two, is the pricier one. Since price and height are not proportional, there is no need to pick one over the other because of a ¥1,000 gap.

Occasion suitability is also identical for the 2 models. Both are ◎ for dates, everyday wear and all-day walking around town, so they work exactly as you would expect from a weekend shoe. Golf is △: usable, but we recommend another model. Formal occasions, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, job hunting and business are × and not suitable. If you need shoes to go with a suit or formal wear, choose from the dress-shoe styles rather than the sneakers.

The short answer is “it is practically impossible to tell by looking when standing side by side.” For a person who is 170cm tall, the math works out to the equivalent of 177cm in no37 and 176.5cm in no39. That 0.5cm is easily absorbed by posture, hairstyle and the distance between you and the other person, and it does not change where their eye line falls.

Keep in mind that your usual sneakers also have some sole thickness, so the “felt difference” when you switch normally seems a little smaller than the stated height. This applies equally to both models, so the conclusion of the comparison does not change. If you also want to see other models in the 7cm range, the 7cm UP Elevator Shoes and, for the 6cm range, the 6cm UP Elevator Shoes collection pages are handy.

Since height does not set them apart, the deciding factor is design.

In terms of staying discreet, both models have a sole in the same white as the upper, a color scheme that makes the sole thickness less noticeable when seen from the side. A black sole tends to show its thickness as an outline from the side, whereas white on white looks continuous with the upper. The reasons people notice and how to prevent it are covered in Do Elevator Shoes Look Obvious? 5 Causes and How to Choose a Discreet Pair | Picks by Occasion.

White sneakers work best when paired with dark-colored pants. Because the bright footwear stands out, keeping your pants in dark colors like black, charcoal or navy lets the line of your legs extend cleanly and turns the white of the shoes into a “focal point.” With light-colored pants and white sneakers, on the other hand, the legs and feet blend into one, the contrast disappears, and the clean look of the white is wasted.

Both no37 and no39 have a synthetic leather upper. Synthetic leather is easier to wipe down with water than suede or natural leather, so keeping it white is not difficult. The basic rule is “do not let dirt build up.”

Care methods for each material are summarized in How to Clean and Care for Elevator Shoes | Tips to Make Synthetic Leather, Suede and Cowhide Last.

For a comparison of the whole sneaker lineup by height, see Elevator Sneakers Compared: How to Choose Between 5 cm, 6 cm and 7 cm. This article narrows the focus to the white-based models. Added to the comparison are no01 (5cm lift) and no06 (7cm lift), the leading white-based models.

All 4 models are × and unsuitable for formal occasions, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, job hunting and business. For golf, no06, no37 and no39 are △: usable, but another model is recommended. no01 is × for golf. If you plan to wear them on the golf course, choose the Japan-made cowhide golf sneakers no28 and no31 (both 5cm lift), which are rated ◎ for golf.