The shoes that marked our adolescence are returning

During the years when Tumblr dominated the digital landscape, the almost defunct blue platform often became the favored space for bold expressions of style and limitless individuality. Amidst this sea of animated GIFs, aesthetic backgrounds, and poetic texts, an emerging fundamental element was the fascination for shoes, even the "ugly" ones. Whether echoing past trends or featuring bold new creations, footwear was central to declaring one's faction on Tumblr and beyond. Specifically for us millennials, it was about Converse, creeper shoes, and Bekett. Do you miss them? We do too. So, it's incredibly fortunate that these mid-2000s trends are making a comeback.

The creeper shoes, returning thanks to Rihanna

The creepers - once the punk shoes of the Sex Pistols and Vivienne Westwood - made their appearance on the feet of trendsetting celebrities like Rihanna. It was in 2015 when the pop star launched her creeper sneakers in collaboration with Puma. The model was so successful that it was named Shoes of the Year at the Footwear News Achievement Awards the following year. Like all on-trend shoes, the creeper craze spared no one, from fashion enthusiasts to celebrities. Now, the pop star has reintroduced them, and it's no coincidence. The sneakers that changed the very concept of sneakers are back. To stay.

The indie cult of Converse 

Before the creeper shoes, before the neo-grunge, even before AM by the Arctic Monkeys and the music of The 1975, there were them: the Chuck Taylor Converse, preferably high tops. Avril Lavigne was their quintessential spokesperson, and even we, who wanted to be like her, dreamed of turning a tulle skirt and a pair of black and white sneakers into a part of our personality. These sneakers were and are much loved for their versatile and casual style, to the point that probably each of us has had at least one pair. Bonus points if they had the USA flag on them.

Thanks also to the brilliant mind of Heidi Bivens - the costume designer of the HBO series Euphoria - Converse shoes are back. First on her characters' feet, paired with faded blue jeans and oversized T-shirts sourced from who knows where, then also on ours. After all, we're facing a true classic, perfect for a character with the grunge attitude of someone with bigger problems to think about than Rue Bennett. And for us too.

The ugly cool of Isabel Marant Bekett

@hmhl2014 so glad i didnt get rid of mine #isabelmarant #tumblr #2014 #sneakers #isabelmarantbekett #itgirl som original - ved

Lastly, even though we didn't quite expect this, the unique and inimitable Isabel Marant Bekett shoes are back too. In 2010, the suede sneakers with a wedge incorporated into the upper and Velcro closure made their triumphant entrance into the fashion world. They were worn by Beyoncé in the Love on Top video, sported by Gisele Bündchen, seen on Kendall Jenner's feet. After low-rise jeans, glittery hair extensions, and all the eccentric y2k combos, in 2024 fashion continues to behave like a perfect ring-bound novel, and they too have returned among us, more alive than ever. After all, the charm of ugly shoes will never go out of style, just look at the Crocs and Birkenstock phenomenon. We love to hate them and love to wear them. So welcome back also the Bekett.