Ever since, sport slides have slowly become an iconic style, despite their humble, practical origins. Part of it is the simplicity of the design— a band crosses the upper part of the foot, the contours of the foam cradle the sole. They’re easy to wear, easy to clean, and have nice, simple lines. They had a moment in the 1980s and 90s when it seems like every suburban kid suddenly got signed up for soccer classes. And now 20 or 30 years later, those kids are grown up and have turned what used to be a post-practice shoe into a fashion statement.
Look no further than young tastemakers like Kanye West, who helped make athletic wear cool outside the gym, and Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook wunderkid who famously has a closet full of hoodies, sport slide sandals, and jeans. They’re just a few of the celebrities who have brought sport slides out of the locker room and made them a part of everyday apparel.