6 Controversial Shoe Traits Style Folks Love in 2025

This yr, the style world’s shoe sport is something however tame. When you’ve been hoping for a quiet second with some glossy ballet flats or trusty Adidas Sambas, 2025 simply might need you eager for the great previous days. As an alternative, the streets are brimming with controversial shoe tendencies which can be equal elements eye-catching and truthfully head-scratching.

From footwear that aspire to be farm-animal couture to people who may simply establish a 2016 time traveler, these six controversial shoe tendencies are stirring up sturdy opinions. Love them or detest them, there is no denying they have people speaking—together with trend individuals, who’re snatching all of them up this yr. Whether or not you are all in for the daring, weird appears of Tabi slippers or nonetheless reeling from the return of sock footwear (who knew that was a factor?), one factor is obvious: The footwear of 2025 are right here to make a press release.

Sock Sneakers

I by no means thought I might see the day when sock footwear have been again in type, however alas, right here we’re. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the type since shopping for Balenciaga’s Pace Knit practically a decade in the past, however after seeing the comfortable leather-based and silk types on influencers and runway fashions throughout Carven’s F/W 24 present, I can not deny I am curious in regards to the type and prepared to provide it one other go this yr.

Tabi Sneakers

Love them or hate them, Tabis are right here to remain. Originating in Japan, the type has principally been related to high-fashion label Maison Margiela, whose split-toe types are available in varied silhouettes like ballet flats, boots, and Mary Janes. If the web’s divided response to the viral New York Tabi swiper is any indication, this type will nonetheless be divisive in 2025.

Leopard Sneakers

Leopard print was one of the crucial fashionable patterns in 2024, and though you’d count on a shoe model to be universally beloved, leopard-print footwear have stirred up controversy. Whereas critics say patterned footwear is usually a bit tougher to type, trend individuals are leaning into the eye-catching sample and pairing it with easy trousers and straight-leg denim, emphasizing that the wrong-shoe principle is 100% correct.

Chunky Sneakers

Though chunky loafers and boots would possibly initially scream 2016 to you, this as soon as outdated type is slowly making its manner again. Whereas trend is catching on to the ultra-sleek sock-shoe pattern, different fashion-inclined people are leaning in the exact opposite route, pulling out their previous creepers and platform boots in the course of the winter.

Boat Sneakers

Maybe it is simply my trauma from carrying boat footwear for greater than a decade whereas attending elementary, center, and highschool, however boat footwear weren’t on my agenda for simply wearable shoe tendencies. Certain, Miu Miu debuted the type early final yr, however it wasn’t till not too long ago that the effortlessly cool type has been catching on among the many trend crowd. Fact be instructed, I am into it!