While the preppy redux may have softened its grip last season, it’s once again charting a course through our wardrobes – this time via our winter footwear. The latest archival revival to surface? Boat shoes.
Yes, those boat shoes. With their practical sailing origins, they were first designed in the 1950s by Sperry, featuring a non-slip sole made for navigating slick boat decks. In the decades that followed, they drifted ashore and became a mainstay in the wardrobes of affluent, lake-dwelling Dads – those who wear quarter-zip knits and own boats they occasionally remember to use. Fast forward to now, and boat shoes have shed their dockside exclusivity. They’ve been swept into the quiet luxury current, styled with wool trousers, ribbed tights, oversized coats, and just maybe, a vintage cable-knit scarf borrowed from someone’s Upper East Side uncle.
The first chill of revival came via Miu Miu’s SS24 show – models in retro swimwear and sensible layers, boat shoes anchoring each look. JW Anderson’s offering followed suit, pairing them with mini skirts and heavy coats, a play on contrast that made the shoes feel fresh again. Bally echoed the sentiment, styling them with tailored outerwear and soft leather gloves. And according to Instagram’s resident trend analyst, @databutmakeitfashion, the boat shoe has been steadily gaining traction since April 2024. Call it ironic prep. Call it cold-weather coastal. Either way, the boat shoe is docking for winter.
Of course, it’s not the first time fashion has developed an affinity for dad shoes in some variation. In recent years, we’ve seen New Balance sneakers, mules, and loafers rise fall in fashionable favour. Beyond footwear, the likes of jorts, brown leather jackets, and rugby shirts are also all items once exclusively found in men’s wardrobes that have experienced a fashionable renaissance in the last decade.
Read to embrace boat shoes? Set the trend in motion with seven styles we’re shopping this season, below.
