Welcome to 'boots-only summer,' the viral TikTok fashion trend
The countdown to summer is on, and while last year's brat summer was fun while it lasted, we're turning our attention to the latest TikTok trend taking the internet by storm: boots-only summer. Yes, boots as in soccer cleats.
Spend a few minutes scrolling on social media and you're likely to encounter a video with the hashtag #bootsonlysummer that features someone wearing a casual fit (baggy jeans, a hoodie, a bubble skirt, et cetera) with soccer cleats.
The trend appears to have originated in the United Kingdom and is catching on in other parts of the world, North America included. Earlier this month, Spanish singer Rosalía was spotted before the Met Gala wearing a T-shirt, ball gown skirt and New Balance cleats. Internet personality Noah Beck also hopped on to the trend, sharing a video with his 33.5 million TikTok followers. And rumours of a walkable version of Adidas's beloved F50s were recently leaked.
But incorporating soccer cleats into your everyday wardrobe isn't new. It's a practice that was popular back in the 2000s, says Daniel-Yaw Miller, a New York-based sports and fashion journalist and the founder of SportsVerse, a twice-weekly newsletter.
"As kids in the U.K., it was a customary — and an albeit wild — fashion choice to pull up to school or your friends' birthday parties wearing casual clothing like jeans but paired with football boots," he told CBC Life, adding that classic styles like Nike T90s and Adidas Predators were considered cultural currency.
Boots-only summer, however, appears to be the natural progression of the soccer-inspired fashion movement we've been witnessing over the past few summers. We've seen the street-style set donning jerseys, the rise of the Adidas Samba, and fashion houses from Miu Miu to Louis Vuitton releasing their own interpretations of soccer shoes.
Toronto-based stylist Kyla Akey considers boots-only summer to be closely related to the blokecore fashion trend — an esthetic inspired by football culture in the United Kingdom — but feels it's ultimately a TikTok fad. "This trend just isn't feasible and reliable in the long run, but it's definitely a fun statement for a one-off wear or fun photo," she said.
Anyone who's ever worn cleats beyond the field will surely agree it's not the best idea. "Boots have studs which make them very impractical to wear throughout a day on any other surface that isn't grass," said Miller. "But if anyone out there is doing it, I respect the commitment."
The soccer-fashion trend probably won't be dying down anytime soon, especially with the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, which is being hosted by three North American countries. "I expect the proximity between football and fashion to become even more entrenched," said Miller. He also foresees countless more collabs between these two industries in the months leading up to the event.
So what exactly should you look for if you're a fan of the football-boot style but aren't keen on clomping around in them? Akey suggests opting for a statement sneaker that has a sporty yet elevated feel to it, like the Fenty x Puma Avanti LS, the Puma Mostro Perforated or the Nike Air Max Dn. All great options if you're in pursuit of the ultimate assist to a soccer-inspired fit — minus the risk of rolling an ankle.
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