Prep Revenge: Boat Shoes Take the Lead This Spring (Shoe Edit Pt. 4)
love it or hate it, these are the best I’ve seen
The forever-preppy staple is back—and better.
According to Google Trends, boat shoes are having a five-year high. They always spike in June, but last summer 2024 marked a peak not seen in half a decade. And we’re still rowing lol.
Leading Day 4 of my spring shoe edit is a standout collab: the Jacquemus x Timberland boat shoe.
Timberlands have seen no shortage of F.I.T.-level reimaginings over the years—from rhinestone-studded customs to conceptual runway moments. (I recently saw Timbs slippers on IG—nasty work.)
But this? This might be the first Timbs collab I’m actually excited about.
Jacquemus resurrected the polarizing boat shoe in butta yellow. Yes, butta—as in the beloved NYC nickname for that golden-wheat Timbs shade that lived on stoops and mixtape covers.
No stranger to big collabs (don’t forget his partnership with Nike just a few year ago), Jacquemus then had the nerve to Pantone-match one of the top trending colors of the year and remixed it into something unexpectedly fresh. (Pantone was not ready).
The Met Gala thigh-highs Timbs that Raul Lopez of Luar custom designed for Myha'la were a fashion fever dream (for some), but this boat shoe? Cultural borrowing meets color theory meets native New Yorker personal history.
From Nantucket to Newark, this collab is fire. But note: There is a waitlist on the Jacquemus site, so I suggest you try your luck on the Timberland site, or both!
In the meantime, distract yourself with other spring shoes, like mesh or thong sandals, if you need an immediate wardrobe refresh.
Off the red carpet, there’s something undeniably charming about seeing toddlers in boat shoes. Super random, I know!
I guess it’s that perfect blend of miniature adult style and pint-sized swagger that triggers a cute overload. Boat shoes, with their classic preppy polish, signal a kind of wholesome, put-together energy that feels both nostalgic and aspirational.
On toddlers, they evoke a playful twist on grown-up, serious fashion: tiny humans in traditionally adult shoes = instant delight. Plus, there’s something about the way toddlers strut in them—wobbly yet confident—that makes it all the more endearing.
Whether it’s cultural imprinting from A&S (Abraham & Straus) and Macy’s catalogues past or just the appeal of clean, well-designed simplicity, these boat shoes hit that sweet spot between function and fashion.
Beyond this collab, two-tone colorways, unexpected textures, and hybrid mutations (boat-loafer, boat-mule, boat-driver) are navigating fashion waters with amplified soles and architectural details. The prep staple finally graduates from New England summers to year-round relevance.
The others in my edit are of the suprise and delight nature. Ones that might intrigue any skeptic (like how I was with jellies). The chosen are few.
My spring shoe edit, pt. 4: Boat shoes, but make It 2025:
Veronica Beard’s boating loafer and the two-tone and Jeffrey Campell’s in mauve (sold at Nordstrom)
Jeffrey Campbell’s other staple-worthy offering with a chunky sole
Miu Miu woven chocolate stitch
Sandro Paris Leather Boat Loafers in black and off white; but you can swipe the tan and green suede sold on Farfetch
What I’m reading
I took my Rothy's boat shoes with me to Europe and was actually the best packing decision I made