The Race for 2025’s Shoe of the Summer

With the summer right around the corner, trendy styles have started to emerge, giving us a good idea of what shoes are forecasted to become popular this year.

The summer is a great time to show off your shoe closet, but it is also one where trends and weather can limit what is deemed wearable. Every summer, defined shoe trends seem to take social media by storm. Over the last few years, we have seen extremely defined shoe trends that turn one shoe into an iconic look.

But what is a summer shoe?

A summer shoe is designed to be lightweight and breathable, typically (but not exclusively) made from materials like canvas or mesh. These shoes are usually low-cut and come in bright or neutral-toned colors, reflecting the summer vibe. The ability to wear the shoes with shorts is also important. Shoes like boots, high-top sneakers, and insulated shoes are not typically worn in the summer.

This raises questions about what to wear in the summer besides flip-flops and tennis shoes. But there is a huge world of stylish yet comfortable summer shoes out there.

In years prior, we have seen the rise and fall of many shoes that have inserted themselves as fashion staples, like…

2024’s Shoe of the Summer

Undeniably, the shoe of the summer in 2024 was the Adidas Samba OG.

This shoe was seen everywhere last summer and quickly rose to take the title of the shoe of summer 2024. Its clean, low-cut silhouette, simple colors, and wearability turned it into a widely worn and iconic shoe.

Sambas checked all of the boxes for a summer shoe because it is lightweight, stylish, low-cut, and wearable. However, there are undoubtedly more versatile shoes out there than just the Sambas.

Categories of summer shoes

Athletic shoes, tennis shoes, sandals/slides, clogs, loafers, and oxfords are all considered to be summer shoes. They all follow most of the guidelines of what a summer shoe is, and they are some of the most popular shoe categories we have seen in the last few years.

Each of these categories has its own respective “trendiest shoe of the season,” but one category never fails to come out on top for the trendiest shoe of the summer.

It is hard to choose which shoe will prevail because they all serve a unique purpose and have different advantages over one another.

For example, oxfords and loafers are the formal choice for the summer. While they check the box of being low-cut, they are not necessarily breathable or lightweight. This does not make them a non-summer shoe, but it does limit their wearability.

On the other hand, clogs, sandals, and slides are not formal.

Weighing these factors is important in deciding what the shoe of the summer will be, which is why we have to look into the individual shoe itself, not exclusively its category.

This brings us to what will be the most popular shoe in each category in 2025.

My athletic shoe choice

Asics, New Balance, and certain Nike models have been on the rise all around social media for the last couple of months. Take, for example, Acics like the Gel-Kayano 14 and the Gel NYC.

Price: $140

This chunky 2000s-inspired shoe style has seen a major resurgence over the last few years. And the Asics Gel-NYC showcases that style beautifully.

Not only are these shoes functional, they are lightweight and an easy choice to throw on and go. The Gel-NYC has great wearability, allowing anyone wearing them to coordinate their closet with them easily. The Gel-NYC models feature both great neutral and bold color palettes that are attractive and eye-grabbing.

The Asics Gel-NYC has great potential to become the shoe of this summer and, in my opinion, takes the cake for the athletic shoe category.

Asics makes other great shoes as well, as seen in this video.

My tennis shoe choice

The Adidas Sambas owned the tennis shoe category last year, so it should not be a surprise to see something similar happen again this year. But because the Sambas have become so oversaturated, people have started moving on to other models of Adidas, like the Gazelles.

Adidas has started to dominate the tennis shoe space that once belonged to Nike. The unique silhouettes and palatable colors that Adidas has started releasing on models like the Sambas and Gazelles have brewed excellent summer shoes.

Models like the Adidas Forum 84s and Campuses have been very popular and viewed as a more stylish choice than some other popular shoes. However, one Adidas shoe just can’t be beat.

The Adidas Gazelles will take the tennis shoe category for this summer.

Price: $120

While the Gazelles look very similar to the Sambas, they are unique in their own way. They offer a similar but alternative look to a shoe that has had great success.

Adidas currently has 25 different colorways in this shoe, offering something for everyone. They offer different sole and upper combos featuring neutral looks, bold shades, and even a platform version. These shoes check almost every box of the ideal summer shoe. They are lightweight, come in bright or neutral colors, are breathable, and are low-cut.

It is hard to see a world where Adidas doesn’t claim this category again given how popular the Sambas became last year. Naturally, the Adidas Gazelles get my pick for the tennis shoe category.

My sandals, slides, and clogs choice

This category is an essential shoe for summer. Sandals, slides, and clogs are perfect to slip on and go during the summer, with their breathability, ease of use, and comfort. They offer the greatest wearability and comfort of all the categories, but they do have their downsides.

However, they limit you to not being able to walk for long distances, appear formal, and limit versatility.

This, of course, excludes one brand and one specific model.

It is no surprise that Birkenstocks made their way to this list. They are a staple in footwear, but they have only become stylish in the last few years. Birkenstocks’ success in my eyes comes from the high-quality materials they use, with a mix of cork, suede, and metal typically making up their shoes.

In recent years, one specific model has gripped this category of shoes, and it seems to keep growing more and more popular.

That model is the Birkenstock Boston.

Price: $165

All the downsides of the sandal category seem to disappear with this shoe. The Bostons offer a more stylish and versatile alternative to typical sandals and slides. You can wear them with or without socks, with pants or shorts, and can dress them up or down. Because of their versatility, clogs have seen a huge spike in footwear popularity.

You can slip them on with almost any outfit, and they just work. They still bring the comfort and ease of use as sandals do. Yet they bring so much more to the table.

And I can say this from experience, I have had a pair of Bostons for the last 3 years. They have become one of my favorite shoes of all time, and they are easily my most worn shoes. They are extremely comfortable, and I never have to think about whether they match or not. It is not often that I will rebuy a shoe when my current pair is done, but the Birkenstock Bostons are different.

All these reasons add up to why the Birkenstock Bostons will prevail as the shoe of the summer for this category.

My Oxfords and Loafers choice

This category is necessary for the summer. This is the only category that is truly formal and will be worn as such. While they are not lightweight or breathable, they are still low-cut and come in natural or bold colors.

In the last couple of years, we have seen a resurgence of formal wear in streetwear, starting with grandpa-core a few years ago. The resurgence started with the craving for vintage and has grown to become a popular fashion style.

Bringing us into an era of vintage, people started looking for older styles that could be spun into new ideas. This came with things like cardigans, dress pants, ties, and suit jackets becoming mainstream streetwear garments.

And along with these garments, footwear followed.

Now, we see loafers and oxfords on everyday streets. And one brand that stands out in popularity is Dr. Martens. More specifically, their Oxford-style shoes have ballooned in popularity.

Price: $150

These offer a sleek, simple look that can be worn with almost any outfit. Dr. Martens also offers a universal iconic look with their yellow stitching that is hard to replicate.

While a basic pick, some of the collaboration models with this shoe and alternative colorways led me to pick this for the shoe of the summer for this category.

And the winner is…

Weighing all the options and truly defining what a summer shoe is, my pick is not easy to make.

But if I had to make a decision, it would be the Adidas Gazelles. Basic, I know, but hang in there with me.

The epitome of what a summer shoe is boils down to wearability and comfort. And the Adidas Gazelles do the best job of that. They also offer so many colorways and unique looks that it is undeniable that they will have the biggest reach.

We are also coming off of Sambas being the shoe of the summer, which gives me even more evidence to make this pick.

While this is not the flashiest or the most fashion-savvy pick, it is the most educated one. The Adidas Gazelles will be seen everywhere this summer and will pick up where the Samba trend left off.

What is your choice for 2025’s shoe of the summer? Do you agree with me, or do you think another shoe has the strongest case?