Millennials who grew up on MTV music videos, sketchy LimeWire tracks downloaded on iPods and an Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8r Boi” ringtone for their Razr flip phone likely had a pair of Vans—specifically, the Classic Slip-Ons in checkerboard, which retail for $60. The cool, edgy and comfortable sneaker has remained a classic since its inception in 1977 (hence, the name), but hit a peak in the early aughts, especially with consumers in Southern California and skateboarders.
Fast forward the VCR a solid 20 years to 2024—except now those VHS tapes evolved into TikTok videos—and you might find yourself hit with a wave of déjà vu like I did the other day. Knowing full well that fashion is cyclical and the trends of today emulate the ghosts of our past—take, for example, the return of Carrie Bradshaw-approved Y2K rosettes, low-rise jeans, baggy jorts, heart jewelry and the beloved ‘going out top’—I should have seen it coming. Yet nothing prepared me for the black and white sneakers of my childhood suddenly deemed back in style by social media content creator Cat Ward, whose ‘This Not That’ video racked up nearly 200,000 views. Overcome with a wave of nostalgia and excitement, I was left to wonder: Could the Vans checkboard classic slip-ons of yesteryear replace the ongoing Adidas Samba craze?
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It appears so. In fact, these lace-less shoes began to trend on TikTok after Morgan Stewart McGraw filmed an OOTD video for Instagram in March, donning the checkered slip-ons with trousers and a tailored button-down. Last summer, Emily Ratajkowski sported the throwback footwear on the streets of New York City. As the hard-to-get Adidas Sambas reach their peak, it’s not lost on this writer that other sporty kicks are vying for that number one spot, such as the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, Puma Palermo and Nike V2K. As Gen Z is starting to adopt the ‘retro music’ of millennials’ past, from No Doubt to Sum 41 to Alanis Morissette, their approval of the checkboard classic Vans is nothing short of ironic.
