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The once buttoned-up footwear choice is getting a laid-back revamp.

After its March 2025 drop sold out within hours, the viral Sperry x Aritzia boat shoe just got a limited restock, and is once again on the brink of sell-out.

From Miu Miu to Loewe to Bally, some of the most notable designers are also welcoming back the preppy — and divisive — boat shoe. Otherwise known as a deck shoe or boat loafer, this footwear category saw a resurgence on the Spring/Summer 2024 runways, and has since been spotted on the feet of fashion‘s most in-the-know figures.

Steve Madden Sag Leather Loafer

First invented in 1935 by Paul A. Sperry, the style was born out of necessity, serving as a safe and practical non-slip solution. His namesake brand, Sperry (known as Sperry Top-Sider until 2015), truly became synonymous with the signature shoe.

Over the years, the once humble footwear choice took on a new life as a bit of a status symbol. While the possession of boat shoes is no longer a marker of wealth for its association with yacht ownership, per se, the streamlined silhouette now serves as a status symbol for a whole new reason: the biggest fashion houses are bringing them back.

Loewe Campo Leather Boat Loafers

By Anthropologie Lug Boat Loafers

Traditionally worn without socks and paired with a preppy wardrobe, the leather loafers are getting a “cool girl” makeover, often seen styled with scrunched, slouchy socks and more relaxed silhouettes. And, sometimes, the typical leather construction is thrown out the window altogether — take Loewe’s raw denim pair, for example.

Here are a few more favorites that make us wonder: Will boat shoes be the 2025 equivalent of mesh ballet flats?

Jeffrey Campbell Yachting Day Boat Shoes

Miu Miu Bow Canvas Leather Boat Shoes

Related: Dolce & Gabbana and Havaianas Reteam After First Flip-Flop Collab Sold Out in 24 Hours