Why Dudes Are Wearing Soccer Cleats on the Sidewalk Now
StyleWelcome to #BootsOnlySummer—a.k.a. the blokecore trend taken to an illogical extreme.By Tres DeanMay 14, 2025GQ: Getty ImagesSave this storySaveSave this storySaveSoccer has been tightening its grip on the sneaker world for a minute now. One of 2025’s hottest releases has been Nike’s street-ready retro of the classic T90 footie silhouette. Messi has his own Adidas Samba colorways, and the Stripes are giving the lifestyle version of the Predator silhouette a real push for mainstream dominance. Even Reebok got in on the fun last year with a rerelease of their archival Hammer Street, an old-school streetball silhouette brought back as an everyday wear staple. All the momentum in the world is going the way of the beautiful game, but there’s long been a slight hitch to the sport fully taking on the role of basketball and running shoes. With both of those sports, you can ostensibly walk from the court or the track to the grocery store or coffee shop without so much as untying your laces. If you’re booted up for a pickup game of soccer, well, your cleats gotta come off before you leave the pitch.What a new social media sneaker trend presupposes is…maybe you don’t.TikTok contentThis content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.Enter #BootsOnlySummer, a trend that initially took off thanks to footie fans on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These folks ignored the impracticality of wearing studded boots on asphalt surfaces or tiled floors and instead embraced it as a pure vibe, wearing them with baggy jeans, pleated shorts, and sweats alike. What started as a gimmick for social media quickly took on a life outside of it: Rosalía was spotted in a pair of New Balance 442 Pro FG V2s cleats on her way to a Met Gala fitting, trotting across a New York City sidewalk and almost certainly audibly clicking and clacking as she did. Did the hotel hosting her for the fitting make her take them off to preserve the wellbeing of their carpeting? We may never know.The day before the Met Gala, Rosalía clacked her way up to the Carlyle in New Balance 442 Pro FG V2s cleats. The Hapa BlondeWhile #BootsOnlySummer, which feels like blokecore taken to an illogical extreme, might be onto something aesthetically—the contrast of techy, metallic cleats with a ruffled skirt or cutoff Dickies is certainly a look—it leaves a lot to be desired from a practicality standpoint. Anybody who’s ever taken the pitch in a pair of boots will tell you they’re not exactly designed for comfort when you aren’t rushing up and down the pitch.TikTok contentThis content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.Boots fit tight by necessity, and if you take a few dozen steps in cleats on a sidewalk, you’ll be longing for polyurethane soles and cushy Nike Zoom units. It’s also not great for the longevity of your cleats. Spikes wear down when exposed to materials other than dirt and grass, and a good pair doesn’t come cheap. Getting off a few quick fits in them might cost your rec league team a trophy this summer—or at least cost you a couple hundred bucks when you end up needing a replacement pair.Still, #BootsOnlySummer doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. If it can hang on until next year, participants will even be rewarded with the release of the Adidas FP50 Adiframe. These boots come equipped with a translucent sole that can be slid on over their spikes for off-pitch wear. Trends come and go quickly in the sneaker scene, though, so by then we may be onto only playing soccer in Crocs.
Soccer has been tightening its grip on the sneaker world for a minute now. One of 2025’s hottest releases has been Nike’s street-ready retro of the classic T90 footie silhouette. Messi has his own Adidas Samba colorways, and the Stripes are giving the lifestyle version of the Predator silhouette a real push for mainstream dominance. Even Reebok got in on the fun last year with a rerelease of their archival Hammer Street, an old-school streetball silhouette brought back as an everyday wear staple. All the momentum in the world is going the way of the beautiful game, but there’s long been a slight hitch to the sport fully taking on the role of basketball and running shoes. With both of those sports, you can ostensibly walk from the court or the track to the grocery store or coffee shop without so much as untying your laces. If you’re booted up for a pickup game of soccer, well, your cleats gotta come off before you leave the pitch.
What a new social media sneaker trend presupposes is…maybe you don’t.
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Enter #BootsOnlySummer, a trend that initially took off thanks to footie fans on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These folks ignored the impracticality of wearing studded boots on asphalt surfaces or tiled floors and instead embraced it as a pure vibe, wearing them with baggy jeans, pleated shorts, and sweats alike. What started as a gimmick for social media quickly took on a life outside of it: Rosalía was spotted in a pair of New Balance 442 Pro FG V2s cleats on her way to a Met Gala fitting, trotting across a New York City sidewalk and almost certainly audibly clicking and clacking as she did. Did the hotel hosting her for the fitting make her take them off to preserve the wellbeing of their carpeting? We may never know.
While #BootsOnlySummer, which feels like blokecore taken to an illogical extreme, might be onto something aesthetically—the contrast of techy, metallic cleats with a ruffled skirt or cutoff Dickies is certainly a look—it leaves a lot to be desired from a practicality standpoint. Anybody who’s ever taken the pitch in a pair of boots will tell you they’re not exactly designed for comfort when you aren’t rushing up and down the pitch.
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Boots fit tight by necessity, and if you take a few dozen steps in cleats on a sidewalk, you’ll be longing for polyurethane soles and cushy Nike Zoom units. It’s also not great for the longevity of your cleats. Spikes wear down when exposed to materials other than dirt and grass, and a good pair doesn’t come cheap. Getting off a few quick fits in them might cost your rec league team a trophy this summer—or at least cost you a couple hundred bucks when you end up needing a replacement pair.
Still, #BootsOnlySummer doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. If it can hang on until next year, participants will even be rewarded with the release of the Adidas FP50 Adiframe. These boots come equipped with a translucent sole that can be slid on over their spikes for off-pitch wear. Trends come and go quickly in the sneaker scene, though, so by then we may be onto only playing soccer in Crocs.
