My Coolest Colleague Just Told Me This "Dated" Trainer From the 2010s Is Back

When you think about the 2010s, there’s probably a whole host of things that come to mind. Topshop was in its prime, cracked nail polishes were all the rage and many of us were wearing slip-on Vans. Most often seen in the brand's iconic checkerboard or solid black canvas upper with a gum sole and reinforced toe box, these shoes were on heavy rotation amongst some of your favourite emo boy bands of the decade (think Fall Out Boy, Sum 41 and—brace yourself—Panic! At the Disco) as well as, of course, skaters since their inception in the '70s. But it was the Tumblr-infused "indie sleaze" era that created the trickle-down effect that made these once Avril Lavigne-coded shoes a more readily worn trainer option.

Naturally, with trends moving as fast as they do these days, slip-on Vans are creeping back into favour as quickly as they fell out of it towards the end of the 2010s. How do I know we’re due for a Vans renaissance? Well, we’ve all been aware of an indie sleaze comeback for some time; the Alexander McQueen skull-print scarf was worn by Charli XCX when headlining Glastonbury, the Napoleon jacket has started appearing again and skinny jeans are making their way back to the mainstream. But it wasn’t until the coolest member of the Who What Wear UK team said she felt they were about to make a comeback that I started to notice some of my favourite influencers wearing them with jeans, replacing some other go-to trainer styles like the Adidas Samba.

Vans even had a presence at Milan Fashion Week. During Alessandro Michele’s autumn/winter 2025 show (his second for Valentino), alongside pussy bows and navy, satin, shearling-trimmed jackets, pairs of chilli-red Vans sloped down the runway. However, let's be honest: in recent years, high-fashion collaborations with streetwear brands have become a dime a dozen (Adidas x Wales Bonner, Nike x Jacquemus, Nike x Sacai… the list goes on), so I wouldn’t blame you if it bypassed you that these shoes were on the up.

Furthermore, Zoë Kravitz, queen of the cool-girl capsule wardrobe, also has a pair in her collection, as do Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski. With the style breaking out on Google yesterday and searches up 195% year-on-year on Depop, it's clear that the social shift towards a deliberately undone, slightly grungy attitude is shining through in the best way.

Whether paired with winter whites, offset with khaki trousers or finished with your favourite pair of jeans, these shoes lend a timeless nostalgia which still feels a little cool. If you’re looking to dive into the trend or are just curious to see the colourways that are popular now, keep scrolling for the coolest checkerboard slip-on Vans to choose from.

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