Okay, so I was tidying up my closet the other day, found some old pictures, and it got me thinking about those Balenciaga sneakers. You know the ones, the big chunky Triple S things, and those sock-like Speed Trainers. They were absolutely everywhere a few years back, right? Felt like you couldn’t scroll Instagram or walk down a busy street without seeing a pair. It made me wonder, are people actually still wearing these things? Are Balenciaga sneakers still in style?
My Little Investigation Process
So, I decided to do a bit of real-world checking, just out of curiosity. Didn’t do any deep dives into fashion reports or anything fancy, just used my own eyes and ears, like I usually do.
First step: Just paying attention when I was out and about. I started consciously looking at people’s feet over the last couple of weeks. Running errands, grabbing coffee, walking through the park. Honestly? I didn’t see many pairs of the really iconic, super-chunky Balenciagas. Like, maybe one or two pairs of Triple S the entire time, and they looked kinda worn, part of a regular outfit, not like someone trying to make a huge statement like before.
What I did see a lot of:
- Loads of Adidas Sambas and Gazelles. Seriously, they’re everywhere.
- Nike Dunks and Air Jordans are still going strong, especially the retro styles.
- New Balance is still very popular, those comfy dad-shoe vibes.
- Saw quite a few pairs of Salomons and similar technical-looking trail runners.
- Even some simpler Onitsuka Tigers or classic Converse.
Second step: I did a quick scroll through social media. Not following specific ‘hypebeast’ accounts, just my usual feed, maybe checked a few general fashion tags. Again, Balenciaga sneakers weren’t front and center like they used to be. Loads of posts about the sneakers I mentioned seeing on the street, but the Balenciagas? Not so much. If they did appear, it felt less… loud? Maybe styled differently.
Third step: I was near a big department store last weekend, so I popped into the shoe section. They still had Balenciaga sneakers, of course. But they weren’t positioned right at the entrance like they might have been during peak hype. They were just… there. Alongside other designer brands. Didn’t see a crowd around them or anything.
So, What’s My Takeaway?
Based purely on what I’ve seen myself, going through these simple steps:
They’re not ‘out’ completely, but the massive hype wave has definitely crashed. You don’t see them everywhere like you used to. The stranglehold they had on the ‘it’ sneaker spot? That seems to be over.
It feels like other styles, often less bulky and maybe a bit more classic or practical (like the Sambas or New Balance), have taken over the mainstream spotlight. The people still wearing Balenciagas might be die-hard fans, or maybe they just genuinely like the shoes and aren’t chasing the hype anymore, which is cool too.
So, are they still “in style”? If “in style” means the absolute hottest, most talked-about sneaker everyone needs to have right now? Then I’d say, based on my own eyes on the street and online, probably not anymore. They’ve settled down. Maybe they’ve become more of a niche luxury item than a widespread trendsetter. Just my observation from looking around!
