Move over, Adidas Sambas—another recently rediscovered sneaker is about to take over. Slip-on Vans (specifically the checkered ones you owned in high school) are trending on TikTok and popping up on stylish celebs like Emily Ratajkowski and Morgan Stewart McGraw, meaning it’s only a matter of time before they’re everywhere. Want to get ahead of the curve? Invest in these unisex, summer-friendly sneakers now—they’re only $60.
Vans have always been popular, but they’ve faded into the background in recent years, replaced by sportier picks like those inescapable Sambas, sleek Onitsuka Tigers, and royals-beloved Vejas. Now the tide is turning back to the breezier, more easygoing Vans. We should have seen this coming: They’ve been hiding in plain sight ever since Hailey Bieber and Megan Fox wore laced kicks from the brand.
The timing makes sense: We’re entering a mass reimagining of early-2010s style, with indie sleaze, emo, and twee on the collective mood board for spring and summer. Although Vans first introduced the silhouette in 1979 and Fast Times at Ridgemont High cemented its place in pop culture three years later, the Classic Slip-On’s most recent heyday started in the late aughts. Whether you were into scene music, fell hard for the swag era, or pretended to know how to skate, you probably had a checkered pair on standby. (We definitely did.)
How to style slip-on Vans
These days the SoCal staples are easy to style with pieces that feel on trend for 2024. (No more black-and-white studded belts and emo side bangs, folks.) Take a cue from Stewart McGraw, the woman behind the recent avalanche of Vans-related TikToks, and pair your Vans with quiet-luxury staples: striped button-downs, pleated trousers, and retro sunglasses. Keep things low-key with a denim miniskirt or straight-leg jeans—wide-leg options look better with more formal footwear—topped with a white T-shirt and chunky earrings. And if you’re headed somewhere fancy, slip-on Vans can add a streetwise edge to romantic wedding guest dresses and oversized suiting alike; keep your makeup and accessories high-minded to sell the contrast even better.
And if you’ve never owned Vans before, welcome to the club. We love that they have breathable canvas uppers and are outfitted with grippy, durable soles that can handle all-day wear (or kickflips, for that matter). Best of all, they look great with some scuffs, stains, and even holes; as on a well-loved pair of white sneakers, these imperfections are signs of life. Wear them bare or with no-show socks in summer, then add your heaviest socks to keep them warm through winter.
Where to buy slip-on Vans
Vans now offers Classic Slip-Ons in a vast array of colors, patterns, and heights, meaning there’s a perfect option out there for just about everyone. (Trust us, we checked.) Start building your collection with our favorite pairs of slip-on Vans below.
Save on the slip-on Vans trend with these Vans promo codes, Nordstrom promo codes, Free People promo codes, and Amazon promo codes.
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