Ugly sandals, ‘old people’ walking shoes: millennials and Gen Z are choosing comfort over looks

The walking shoe appeals to younger consumers because it is relatively uncommon when most in their generation are focused on the oversaturated sneaker market

Footwear is the latest retail sector that working from home has transformed, having already fuelled the comeback of tie-dye, the day gown and lingerie

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Uneek shoes from Keen. Footwear “that you could pilfer from a retirement-home denizen” is becoming popular with millennials and Gen Z-aged men.

Business Insider

Published: 5:15am, 4 Mar 2021Updated: 5:15am, 4 Mar 2021

Walking shoes are getting new life in the soles of millennial and Gen Z men.

From Keen’s Uneek sandal to the Merrell Jungle Moc, 20- and 30-somethings are donning footwear “that you could pilfer from a retirement-home denizen”, The Wall Street Journal wrote recently.

The trend is born out of the desire for comfort over looks in the work-from-home era, according to the newspaper. “People just want to be a little bit more cosy,” Stefano Gugliotta, the 29-year-old behind the Obscure Sneakers Instagram account, told the Journal. “I think that practicality is what people are gravitating toward right now.”

Footwear is just the latest retail sector that the work-from-home economy has transformed, having already fuelled the comeback of tie-dye apparel, the rise of the day gown and a renaissance of the lingerie category.

Salomon sneakers have been embraced by fashion lovers.

In December, both UBS and Bank of America noted the uptick in sales for footwear retailer Nike during the pandemic. Its web traffic was up by 36 per cent for its first quarter, and then up 40 per cent for the next three months, per Bank of America.