Gen Z and Millennials are trading in “hyped-up sneakers” for the practical, comfy walking shoes their grandparents usually wear. 

Gen Z and Millennials are trading in “hyped-up sneakers” for the practical, comfy walking shoes their grandparents usually wear. Because of the pandemic, young people have started prioritizing comfort over “presentability or panache.” During lockdowns, many have opted for more comfortable clothing like loungewear and athleisure—and they want comfy feet as well. Previously dubbed ugly by most young wearers, practical walking shoe brands like Merrell’s Jungle Moc, Keen’s “springy, elasticized” Uneek sandal, and the “extremely gray” Journey Mesh by San Antonio Shoemakers, are being “co-opted by spry 20- and 30-somethings.” (WSJ)