In recent years, fashion styles from the ’90s and ’00s have made their way back into today’s revolving door of fashion. One hard hitter from hip-hop, sports and skate culture. Some staples include baggy jeans, graphic tees, and, most importantly, sneakers.
The 20-year rule theorizes that former trends return every 20 years. This rule states that people begin to feel a collective sense of nostalgia towards old trends after a certain amount of time. These trends eventually resurface as a result.
One specific brand that has been trending recently is Adidas. After being considered “cheugy,” someone or something that is slightly out of date, trying too hard to be trendy, or just a bit basic and cringey. certain shoe models have become exceedingly popular amongst Gen Z.
Casey Cundiff, a female sophomore at Griffith High School, consistently dresses in streetwear style. When asked why people are starting to stray away from Adidas main competitor, Nike, Cundiff said, “People are starting to realize that some shoe brands, like Nike, are overhyped and want to branch out to different ones.” “I’ve seen lot of different brands worn, such as New Balance and Converse, DCs, and of course, Adidas.” She added.
Many wearers of streetwear style opt for a retro-style sneaker or a skate shoe. Brylie Bridges, another female sophomore from Griffith High School, said, “I like the comfort and style of the Campus 00s. They are easy to wear for long periods of time because they have a lot of cushioning.” The Campus 00s and Samba shoe models are two good examples of what someone interested in streetwear fashion may buy.
Adidas Sambas and Campus 00s are currently two of the most popular shoes, especially among high school students. The Samba was the first shoe created by the Adidas brand, originally created in the 50s to be used for an indoor soccer shoe. The Adidas Sambas quickly evolved into a more casual, everyday shoe. The Adidas Campus was originally released in the 70s as a basketball shoe name the “Tournament.”
The shoe was rebranded in the 80s as the Campus to streetwear outfits, which were becoming popular at the time. In 2022, the Campus 00s were released, which remodeled the Campus once again. This time, the shoe was made bulkier, with thicker soles and laces. Many colorways were created as well.
The main reason for these two shoe models becoming popular is because of internet influence. Since the rise of TikTok back in 2020, teenagers all over the world have looked to the app for inspiration. Towards the end of 2024, TikTok influencer Demetra Dias became popular for her clothing style. Staples in her closet included Adidas Campus 00s and Sambas. This influenced many teenage girls on the app to buy these shoes.
Many celebrities have collaborated with the brand, such as Pharrell Williams and Bad Bunny, who have both had multiple shoes created in their name. When limited items like these come out, people try to buy them as fast as possible. A lot of people do this for the purpose of reselling these editions on websites like StockX and GOAT where they can charge people higher prices.
When reselling sneakers online became popular back in 2015, StockX and GOAT were the two sites that dominated the market in fact; they still dominate it. Today, fashion is all about getting the latest brand drops and fitting into short-lived trends. Venders tend to buy shoes from brands for people interested in fashion. People want to own items that others do not in order to feel a sense of individuality, which the catalog makes easy.
With the Adidas brands’ variety of styles and never-ending ideas, it is unlikely that the Adidas wave will crash anytime soon. New and old styles can quickly be found on reselling sites. Even when Adidas shoes do eventually faze put, the 20-year tule always recycles.
