Ahoy! Boat Shoes, a Polarizing Summer Flat, Are Here to Stay

Footwear is getting freakier by the day.

Whether it’s stars like Kylie Jenner embracing split-toe Tabi flats, or Irina Shayk wandering around the streets of New York City in full-on water shoes, the hottest accessories of the moment are not meant to be traditionally pretty. Polarizing is more like it: There is something fresh and cool about finishing off a look with an unexpected shoe, and all your favorite trendsetters are getting on board with the movement. This summer, though, celebrities are embracing one of the trickiest shoes of all: boat shoes. Yes, the kind that preppy frat bros love to wear. Hear us out.

Sure, the boat shoe may have unglamorous roots. They became really popular in the 1930s, when Sperry created the first boat shoe by carving grooves into the rubber sole of a standard shoe. This innovative design made them favorable for sailors, who needed shoes with grip on wet surfaces. Eventually, the silhouette evolved to feature a leather upper and laces, and during WWII, they were even adapted by the U.S. Navy for their sleek functionality. They have become more of a lifestyle shoe in recent times, and continue to be a hit with frat bros, students on college campuses, and yes, sailboat owners. But that’s all changing now.

This season, designers have been presenting boat shoes on the high-fashion runways—proposing the shoe as something that can be a chic addition to your best preppy looks. At Loewe, luxurious leather styles were paired with sculptural skirts and leather overshits; at Monse, they were styled in a more casual context, with silky PJ sets. Even off the catwalk, designers like Simon Porte Jacquemus have even been spotted incorporating them into their own wardrobes. Though it is a much-bemoaned shoe associated with bro culture, the fashion world is welcoming the boat shoe with open arms—you could say they are setting sail on the trend. (Sorry.)

The question is: What makes the boat shoe suddenly so attractive? If you look at the new designer interpretations, there have been subtle updates to make them feel more modern and aspirational. Miu Miu has done them in bleached and distressed leathers; Jacquemus has updated them in supple suedes; Bottega Veneta added a hefty lug soles to the silhouette. Their new allure also lies in how they’re being styled. The bad rap boat shoes get is often due to their association with bad khaki shorts and polo shirts. Styling is much more polished as of late, though. Emma Corrin, for one, wore their boat shoes with a pleated mini skirt and layered belts. Think: Less nautical, more sleek.

So go ahead—hop onto the boat shoe trend. And consider styles that feel slightly off-kilter and updated. The end result, as the fashion plates above show, is that it can be a surprisingly cool summer staple. Ahoy!