economie

8 of Gen Z’s worst shoe trends, according to millennial stylists

October 22, 20240
Dale theorized that kitten heels’ popularity is tied to companies issuing RTO mandates.

Chris Smart/Shutterstock

BI previously reported that the “office siren” is a “corporate aesthetic” characterized by ’90s and 2000s styles like pencil skirts and red lipstick.

For Dale, the kitten heel being back is how she knows “we’re in trouble.”

She theorized the rise of the kitten heel’s popularity is tied to some companies’ efforts to encourage employees to return to the office.

RTO mandates have become common among many major employers, including Apple, Google, and Disney, and in September, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that corporate employees must return to their offices five days a week, up from the previous mandate of three days.

“The kitten heel being back shows me that they are desperate for every single person to get back in the office,” Dale said.

Washington agreed with the theory, saying she thinks the trend is related to trying to make offices cooler. “Like, ‘Oh, I have this cute outfit. Where am I going to go with it? To work,'” she said.

But Dale finds the trend problematic and suggests it could be pressuring young female graduates into thinking they have to dress a certain way in the workplace.

Golden Goose sneakers are overpriced and overrated.
To Dale, purchasing from luxury brands in 2024 indicates you’re paying for likes on social media.

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Staff/Getty Images

Accessories have long been promoted as a more accessible entry point to luxury goods. Unfortunately, according to the stylists, luxury prices and names don’t always equal luxury quality.

Dale told BI she purchased a pair of Gucci platform loafers in 2023 that scuffed on her first night wearing them. Meanwhile, her vintage Gucci loafers from the ’80s “look brand new.” Gucci did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.

To Dale, purchasing from luxury brands in 2024 indicates “you’re paying for Instagram likes, you’re paying for TikTok likes. You’re paying to show off at this point.”

She said fashion cycles also move significantly faster than they used to, which has led to momentary trends and corresponding designer pieces. She pointed to the hot-pink Valentino Garavani Tan-Go Platform Pump, which originally retailed for $1,400, and was ubiquitous during the “Barbie” craze of 2022-2023.

“They really pimped out that Valentino shoe. They were like, ‘We’re going to give this to every single person on Earth,'” Dale said. “But because we have access to every photo all over the world, at every time, people were burned out in a month.”

“The way that fashion is set up now, it’s not sustainable in any way, shape, or form,” she added.

Valentino did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.

The Nike AlphaFly is meant for professional runners, not fashion.
Washington told BI she doesn’t know why hiking boots are popular.

encierro/Shutterstock

“In the 2000s, people were wearing snowboard gear, and no one was snowboarding,” Washington said. “No one was using the goggles, right, so it was just a prop.”

So it’s possible hiking boots are Gen Z’s version of the trend.

“I don’t know why running, hiking, all of those sneakers are now super popular with high fashion,” she said, adding, “But hey, if you want to buy expensive hiker shoes and you’re not hiking, that is on you.”

Comfort doesn’t quite make up for the quirkiness of the Tabi.
Ballerina sneakers were an unnecessary continuation of the ballet flat trend.

SSENSE/Rombaut

Ballet flats are one of this year’s hottest shoe trends, seen on everyone from Hailey Bieber and Meghan Markle to Sofia Richie Grainge and Olivia Rodrigo.

But a more unexpected variation has risen in popularity: the ballerina sneaker.

Rombaut’s Silver Boccaccio II Ballerina Flats originally sold for $415 as an SSense exclusive.

“I get the point it’s supposed to be a sneaker and a ballet flat, but did we need it?” Washington said.

Rombaut did not reply to Business Insider’s request for comment.

Gen Z probably should’ve let cowboy boots stay in Nashville.
Dale said “it’s so weird” seeing cowboy boots become mainstream.

Christian Vierig/Contributor/Getty Images

Dale, who’s located in Nashville, said “it’s so weird” seeing items like cowboy boots, cutoff shorts, and oversized hats “trickle into the mainstream.”

But what’s different with Gen Z is their ability to experiment with fashion on a much larger platform than millennials ever had.

“I feel bad for Gen Z because they’re trying to figure out who they are, they’re trying to see what sticks,” she said. “But they’re doing it to hundreds of thousands of people every day and then everything that they do is up for criticism.”

“So I never want to tell the girl that she’s going to regret wearing the cowboy boots and the trucker hat, but she will,” Dale added.

Millennials on the other hand, “had the privilege” of trying out trends privately, she said.

“The big thing that everyone needs to think about is why are you wearing these?” she said. “If it doesn’t pique your genuine curiosity and you’re just like, ‘Oh, well, I guess that’s what we’re doing,’ that’s when it’s never a good idea to wear a trend.”