5 Dated Sneaker Trends Were Pausing and the Ones Were Buying Instead

Personally, I don’t like talking about dated fashion trends. Because what’s considered stylish is wildly subjective. For instance, the funnel-neck jackets I love might feel a touch criminal to you, but I couldn’t imagine a chicer jacket for winter 2025. It’s for this reason that I wholeheartedly support the idea of a personal capsule wardrobe. When curated well, it will fit your personality, and more importantly, personal style, which means the only person who can truly decipher what’s “in” and “out” is you.

The same goes for dated sneaker trends in winter 2025—while the Adidas Sambas, for example, continue to reign supreme as a popular sneaker choice, with so many fresher silhouettes being released in 2025, I’m personally yearning for an alternative.

At times, it feels like popular sneaker styles come in waves. After all, it was only a few years ago that chunky sneakers adorned with monograms were the go-tos (think the chunky Gucci Ryhton or the ever-popular Balenciaga Triple S). Although there’s a maximalist timelessness to these sneakers, the sleeker and more pared-back styles seen at Miu Miu and Dries Van Noten are becoming cult favorites among fashion people, paving the way for a more low-key style to gain popularity, which are logoless and have a slimmer, elongated frame.

After noticing the shift in the sneaker-sphere, a mere few weeks ago, I tried on hundreds of fall sneakers beloved by you and Who What Wear editors alike, and it seems we’re all on the same wavelength with the colors, silhouettes, and brands we all seem to be gravitating toward. That said, for further clarification, I reached out to my fellow editors, and even though we can be an indecisive bunch, there are five sneaker trends we’re unanimously hitting the pause button on for now, and others we’re buying into instead. Scroll to discover them.

5 “Dated” Sneaker Trends and the Ones We’re Loving Instead

1. Skipping: Chunky Sneakers

Style Notes: For winter 2025, shopping editor Florrie Alexander says they’re “setting my high-top sneakers aside in favor of a 2025 favorite: the low-profile sneaker.” With a capsule wardrobe filled with relaxed denim and smart denim, she’s using their retro edge and streamlined look to complement her staples more.

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2. Skipping: Neutral Sneakers

Style Notes: Now, neutral sneakers have always been a classic choice, but in winter 2025, we’re no longer playing it safe and are instead choosing bright colors. Adding visual interest, senior shopping editor Marina Avraam, who’s “always kept her sneakers fairly minimalist,” is all about letting them be the moment this year. She tells me, “My most-worn pair so far this year has been my yellow Onitsukas” for their versatility and ability to add, as she puts it, “polish and pizzazz to the simplest outfit.”

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3. Skipping: Laceless Sneakers

Style Notes: Now, I know what you’re thinking: Dad sneakers? My mind, like yours, was instantly brought back to the once-popular Balenciaga Triple S trainers, which now feels like a fever dream. But editorial assistant Brittany Davy is turning to “cooler” dad sneakers, which will make her staples feel a little more elevated and edgier. From the Salomon Gore Tex to the Reebok Club-C, there are so many chic styles to choose from.

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4. Skipping: Metallic Sneakers

Style Notes: You heard it here first: Animal-print sneakers are set to be the next big footwear trend of 2025. We’ve seen the rise of tactile cow-print leather bags, and who could forget the ever-popular Damson Madder leopard-print jeans, which soared in popularity last year?

But in winter 2025, it’s sneakers grabbing our attention. Take it from SEO writer Ava Gilchrist, who is “leaving my metallic shades for my party heels and leaning into the sultry animal prints that are currently making the rounds.” Her top picks? “The Dries Van Noten snakeskin pair is currently a top runner, but there’s also a jewel-toned-blue-and-beige pair from Wales Bonner that’s piquing my interest.”

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5. Skipping: Chunky Sneakers

Style Notes: As a previous sneakerina hater, over the past few months, I’ve been significantly humbled by the excellence of this trendy shape. Part ballet flat, part trainer, it adds a fun kind of polish to jeans and makes tailored trousers feel more casual. Personally, I’m swapping classic flat sneakers like Sambas for this cool silhouette.

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This post originally appeared on Who What Wear UK.