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Dad Shoe 101 is the “class” created by Dad Shoe Deals to teach you all about dad shoes. We strive to offer in-depth answers to questions like, “Who made dad shoes popular?”
Lesson Plans
- We’ll present the question, “Who made dad shoes popular?” and touch on the growing popularity of dad sneakers in general.
- We’ll list 50 celebrities who have been at least partially responsible for increasing the popularity of dad shoes.
- We’ll discuss how specific celebrities like ASAP Rocky, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Drake, LeBron James, Kanye West, and others have popularized dad shoes. We’ll also give flowers to a few who have gone above and beyond to make dad sneakers stand out.
Who Popularized Dad Shoes?
The history of dad shoes dates back to 1982, when the now-classic New Balance 990 was introduced. Because of this, you might assume the answer to the question, “Who made dad shoes popular?” is Jim Davis.
Davis — who is, not coincidentally, worth a whopping $6.4 billion as of 2026 — purchased New Balance in 1972 and helped the brand develop the 990 a decade later. He pushed the brand’s designers to collectively come up with the best running sneaker possible. He has also overseen many of New Balance’s subsequent dad shoe releases. This further highlights just how important Davis has been to the rise of dad sneakers over the last 40-plus years.
Still, we would argue that Davis didn’t act alone in pushing dad shoes to the forefront of sneaker culture. Dad shoes designers, such as Steven Smith (New Balance 990 series) and Jason Mayden (Nike Air Monarch IV), deserve credit, too. So do many of the other most popular dad shoe brands. This includes Nike, Adidas, Asics, Saucony, and others that have made massive contributions to the dad sneaker industry.
We would also argue that the various celebrities spotted wearing dad shoes have taken the dad sneaker trend over the top. From Steve Jobs and Kanye West to Kendall Jenner and Rihanna, tons of celebs have embraced the best dad shoes of all time. They have made Regular Joes and Jills feel comfortable stepping out in them. They have also continued to slip their feet into dad shoes time and again. This has kept them cool, ensuring they wouldn’t fizzle out like so many other sneaker-related fads.
Here are 50 celebrities who can all claim to be correct answers to the question, “Who made dad shoes popular?”
Adele
The British-born singer typically performs barefoot during concerts. She switched things up for a show in Germany in August 2024, due to a torrential rainstorm. She requested a pair of New Balance 530 dad shoes when her feet started to get wet and cold (see the third slide in the IG post above).
Adele has also been seen wearing these same NB dad sneakers while sitting courtside at NBA games with her fiancé, Klutch Sports Group founder and NBA superagent Rich Paul. She’s a fan of the New Balance 2002R as well.
Paul, meanwhile, has partnered with New Balance in recent years to create several Klutch Athletics-branded NB sneakers. They include reimagined versions of the New Balance 550, New Balance 2010, and New Balance AC Runner.
Jennifer Aniston
The Friends actress often favors the Adidas Samba OG, which isn’t really considered a dad shoe, over other footwear options. Aniston is also known to lace up other “cool” sneakers, such as the Reebok Classic AZ and the Nike Cortez Leather, that don’t necessarily fall into the dad sneaker category.
Still, it’s her love for the New Balance 574 Core that has overshadowed her other footwear choices. This has suggested she’s a big fan of dad shoes.
ASAP Rocky
The Harlem rapper, producer, actor, model, and fashion designer has teamed up with both Under Armour and Puma in the past to put out his own dad shoes. He dropped the AWGE x Under Armour SRLo in 2018. Rhen, he headed to Puma to unveil new versions of the Puma Inhale, Puma Mostro OG, and Puma Mostro 3D.
Rocky has also been photographed wearing Asics dad shoes, like the Asics GEL-Nimbus 9. He’s one of the few celebrities who made dad shoes popular from numerous angles.
Hailey Bieber
The makeup mogul, model, and socialite is no stranger to getting caught out in a pair of New Balance 530 dad sneakers. She has also been spotted rocking the New Balance 725, as well as other dad shoes like the Salomon XT-4, the Balenciaga Triple S, and the Nike Air Max 95.
Justin Bieber
The Canadian pop singer has followed his wife Hailey’s lead, popping out in dad shoes like the New Balance 550 and the Balenciaga Triple S. He also launched his new fashion brand Skylrk in July 2025, which features some dad shoe-inspired footwear.
Camila Cabello
The Cuban-American singer, actress, and activist collaborated with Japanese footwear brand Grounds in November 2024. Together, they released the wild, dad shoe-esque Grounds Moopie. Prior to that, she also launched a Skechers marketing campaign in August 2017. She spotlighted a new Skechers Hi-Lites collection, marking her first official foray into the dad sneaker universe.
Timothée Chalamet
The Interstellar, Dune, and Marty Supreme actor donned Alexander McQueen Runner dad shoes on the red carpet at the 2018 Beautiful Boy premiere. He infamously paired them with a powder-blue suit. He has also frequently worn less-pricey dad sneakers, such as the New Balance 997 and the budget-friendly Tretorn Jack.
Chance the Rapper
The Grammy-winning rapper once poked fun at Steph Curry over his dad shoe-ish Under Armour Curry 2 Low “Chef.” His barbs followed the social media roast the Golden State Warriors superstar faced after UA released initial images of it. However, Chance has also been known to occasionally rock dad sneakers, including the Adidas Yeezy 500 and Adidas Yeezy Boost 700.
Pete Davidson
The self-proclaimed “King of Staten Island” once referred to the dad shoe craze as “ridiculous”. But in the same breath, the Saturday Night Live alum admitted he was “gonna buy ’em and wear ’em anyway.”
This proved true in July 2025, when the dad-to-be wore a pair of Nike V5 RNR dad shoes to a movie premiere. He also followed it up by wearing a pair of Under Armor UA Sola dad shoes shortly after.
Plus, in March 2026, Crocs revealed it was naming the comedian a brand ambassador. What could be more dad than that?
Celine Dion
The Canadian singer is a self-proclaimed “shoe freak.” She shocked Barbara Walters during a 1999 interview by revealing that she owned more than 1,000 pairs. Since then, her massive collection has grown even larger, reaching more than 10,000 pairs. It has forced her to rent warehouse space in Las Vegas to store them all.
Dion has spoken about her appreciation for the dad sneakers that Reebok and Nike released throughout the 1980s and 1990s. But her biggest flex came in 2020 when she stepped out in New York City wearing Balenciaga Triple S dad shoes. They complemented the rest of her bright Balenciaga streetwear perfectly.
Drake
The Canadian rapper, singer, and actor snapped photos with fans in 2017 wearing classic Nike Air Monarch IV dad shoes. About 5 years later, he also borrowed a few pages out of the dad shoe playbook while designing his NOCTA x Nike Hot Step Air Terra, which was released in March 2022. It made him a rather unlikely answer to the question, “Who made dad shoes popular?”
Hilary Duff
The pop culture icon hasn’t been shy about showing love to dad shoes. She’s frequently spotted wearing them when photographed by the paparazzi in Los Angeles. The New Balance 327, the Reebok Club C 85 Vintage, and the Salomon XT-Whisper appear to be her favorites.
Jennifer Garner
The 13 Going on 30 actress has long been a fan of New Balance dad shoes. She prefers the New Balance 993 and New Balance 880. More recently, she has also become fond of Brooks running sneakers, many of which are also considered dad sneakers. She has routinely worn the Brooks Ghost 16, Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23, and Brooks Glycerin 22.
Kaia Gerber
The 2018 Model of the Year winner at the British Fashion Awards — and the daughter of the legendary Cindy Crawford — has quietly assembled one of the strongest dad shoe collections of any celebrity on this list. She has dabbled in Nike dad sneakers, such as the Nike V2K Run.
Yet, New Balance dad shoes seem to be her bread and butter. She has been seen wearing the New Balance 530, the New Balance 550, and the New Balance 990v5.
Selena Gomez
The former child actress-turned-singer, producer, and businesswoman has been credited with wearing the “coolest dad sneakers.” From the Puma Phenom Lux, part of her 2018 collaboration with Puma, to the Steve Madden Verdict, to the Dior D-Connect, she tends to wear more obscure dad shoes than her celebrity counterparts.
Bella Hadid
The accomplished model has laced up dad shoes from many brands, including Adidas, New Balance, Nike, and Puma. Some of her most notable appearances in dad shoes have featured her wearing the Adidas Falcon, the New Balance 550, and the Balenciaga Triple S.
Gigi Hadid
Just like her younger sister Bella, the equally accomplished model and television personality has a love for dad shoes. It helped her land a partnership with Reebok in early 2019. This led to her releasing dad sneakers like the Reebok Classic Leather Double and the Reebok Freestyle Hi Nova Ripple.
Gigi also regularly wears more outside-the-box dad shoes. Examples include the Acne Studios Manhattan, the Ash Addict, and the Naked Wolfe Track.
David Harbour
The Stranger Things actor doesn’t just occasionally play a dad on TV. He also partnered with Brooks on a 2022 marketing campaign and endorsed the Brooks Glycerin 20 dad shoe. Additionally, he took part in a press run for the 2025 Marvel movie Thunderbolts, all while wearing New Balance 991v2 dad shoes.
Jack Harlow
The Kentucky-bred rapper and singer joined the New Balance family in February 2022 as an ambassador. He has been wearing New Balance dad shoes almost daily ever since. He has also collaborated with the brand’s designers to create his own versions of the New Balance 1906R and the New Balance 442. The latter is often described as a “young dad shoe.”
The Louisville native is one of the few celebs who made dad shoes popular by designing his own pairs.
Winnie Harlow
The Canadian model, actress, and activist always has attention-stealing shoes on while sitting courtside at NBA games to cheer on her fiancé, Kyle Kuzma. As a brand ambassador for Puma, she has also modeled many fashion-forward, dad-shoe-inspired Puma sneakers. This includes the Puma Cruise Rider, Puma Kyron, Puma Cali Dream, Puma Mile Rider, and Puma Cali Court.
Jonah Hill
The Superbad actor has an incredibly distinctive sneaker style that has evolved significantly. He has been a little all over the place with the types of sneakers he wears. But every now and then, dad shoes get worked into the mix.
His taste in dad sneakers runs the gamut. It ranges from regular dad shoes like the Reebok Classic Leather to much rarer ones like the Raf Simons x Adidas Ozweego III.
Katie Holmes
The Dawson’s Creek actress is slightly scattershot when it comes to her footwear choices. However, it isn’t unusual to see her step out in dad shoes. She has been pictured wearing both the New Balance 327 and the Hoka One One.
LeBron James
The NBA’s all-time points leader has released 23 Nike signature sneakers since entering the NBA in 2003. That hasn’t stopped him from occasionally wearing other Nike sneakers, including the Nike Zoom Vomero 5 dad shoes. He called it his “fav shoe off the court by far!” in September 2023.
Kendall Jenner
The model and reality TV star has arguably done more for dad sneakers than any other celebrity on this list (except for maybe her former brother-in-law, who appears later!). She has worn the Asics GEL-1130, the Asics GT-2160, the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700, the Adidas Falcon, and the Bottega Veneta Orbit dad shoes, just to name a few. She has also been credited with keeping the dad trainer trend “alive and well.”
On top of all that, she has starred in a pair of Adidas ad campaigns. Most recently, she served as the face of Adidas Originals in early 2026.
Kylie Jenner
Like her older sister, the makeup maven, social media influencer, and reality TV star has been hugely influential in the dad shoe world. She served as the face of the campaign for the Adidas Falcon‘s return in 2018.
That same year, Kylie also famously shared the first photo of daughter Stormi, her first child with Travis Scott, while wearing a pair of Adidas Yeezy 500 dad shoes. She helped introduce the IRO Paris Curve Runner dad sneakers in late 2018 as well.
Steve Jobs
The late Apple co-founder notoriously wore the same “uniform” every day. It included a basic black turtleneck, a simple pair of Levi’s 501 jeans, and New Balance 992 dad shoes.
Rumor has it that Jobs may have even contacted NB owner Jim Davis in the early 2000s to request a “sporty and trendy” dad shoe from his brand. It may have led to the 922’s original 2006 release.
Scarlett Johansson
The Avengers actress isn’t exactly the biggest celebrity dad shoe enthusiast. But she has still earned a spot on a list about celebs who made dad shoes popular.
She has been seen sporting the New Balance 574 Core on many occasions. Most notably, she was spotted wearing them in March 2026 while on the set of her upcoming movie, The Exorcist.
Kim Kardashian
The reality TV star, social media influencer, socialite, model, actress, and businesswoman has worn nearly every noteworthy sneaker at least once throughout her rise to fame. This includes everything from the Nike Flyknit Trainer and Nike Air Yeezy II to the Air Jordan III and Vans Old Skool.
She has also been a dedicated dad-shoe devotee, largely due to her 8-year marriage to Kanye West. He laced her feet with the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Wave Runner,” among other Yeezy dad shoes.
But even without Kanye’s influence, she has seemingly developed a fondness for a few non-Yeezy dad shoes on her own. This includes the Nike Air Max 95 and New Balance 9060.
Jason Kelce
The former Philadelphia Eagles star has continued to grace our TV screens in the aftermath of his NFL retirement. He frequently appears on ESPN’s various NFL-related shows, often wearing dad shoes.
During one of his first-ever appearances, he rocked bright-white New Balance 608v5 dad sneakers. He subsequently got clowned by his brother Travis Kelce on the Kelce Brothers‘ popular podcast New Heights.
“Nice kicks, man — the ol’ dad Balances, the Ed Kelces,” the younger Kelce, who is engaged to Taylor Swift, said to his older brother. “You could fix the second-floor bathroom in those things. You could spread some mulch in those things or ask your kids to cut the grass in those things.”
But the mockery didn’t stop the older Kelce from giving the NFL world a glimpse at his favorite dad shoes. In addition to New Balances, he has also worn the classic Nike Air Monarch IV on-air.
Jennifer Lawrence
The X-Men and The Hunger Games actress admitted her life “started over” in February 2022 after giving birth to her first child Cy. For the new mom, one of the many changes she appeared to embrace was wearing more dad shoes.
Since then, she has transformed into a fan of many dad sneakers. Her favorites include the New Balance 1906R, the Nike V2K Run, and the hiker-friendly Salomon XA PRO 3D.
Macklemore
The “Thrift Shop” rapper has routinely worn New Balance 550s on Instagram in recent years. It has suggested they must be his favorite dad shoes. But when he gave GQ a tour of his sneaker collection back in 2021, he revealed that a couple of other dad sneakers rank higher on his G.O.A.T. dad shoe list.
He initially said the Hoka One One was his favorite dad shoe. He said he felt like “a better dad” when he had the shoe on while walking around with his kids. However, he later backtracked, choosing the Nike Air Monarch IV and crediting then-Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll for making them trendy.
“When I think of the dad shoe, I think of the Monarchs,” the four-time Grammy winner said. “That’s the number one dad shoe to me.”
Barack Obama
The 44th President of the United States of America didn’t start the dad shoe trend as some publications have suggested. But he was one of the many high-profile people who made dad shoes popular in the 2000s and 2010s during his time as Commander-in-Chief.
In 2008 and 2009, he routinely wore Asics dad shoes, such as the Asics GEL-Nimbus 9 and Asics GEL-1090. In 2012, he received a custom pair of New Balance 990v3 dad shoes. He also wore other dad sneakers from Nike, New Balance, and Asics throughout his two terms.
President Obama even got hooked up with Adidas Yeezy Boosts when they dropped in 2015, courtesy of Kim Kardashian:
Oh, and while we will continue to contend that the Nike Air Force 1 is not a dad shoe, despite what Gen Zers might say (it’s one hill we will die on!), it’s worth noting that a customized pair of Obama-themed AF1s currently sit in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. They’re believed to be the very first custom sneakers to join the NMAAHC collection, another fun sneaker-related Obama factoid.
Sarah Jessica Parker
The Sex and the City star doesn’t always wear dad sneakers. She does, after all, have an SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker fashion line that includes many Carrie Bradshaw-inspired heels.
But on the rare occasion that she doesn’t have these shoes on, she has been known to dip a toe into the dad shoe pool. She has worn dad sneakers like the New Balance 574 Core.
She also has some history with New Balance dad shoes, as she was photographed wearing the New Balance 576 as far back as 1998 on the set of SATC.
Pedro Pascal
The “internet’s favorite daddy” can’t get enough of the “internet’s favorite dad sneaker.” The Mandalorian actor has made headlines for hightailing it around Los Angeles, New York City, and other major cities in New Balance dad shoes.
The New Balance 237 and New Balance 550 are his go-tos. He also regularly wears On Running Cloudtilt dad sneakers.
Robert Pattinson
The Twilight and Batman star is credited with being a “cool dad,” not a dorky dad. As a result, you won’t typically see him stepping out in bulky dad sneakers like the Nike Air Monarch IV.
However, he does dabble in some slightly off-the-beaten-path dad shoes, such as the Asics GT-2160 and Clarks Desert Trek boots.
Pharrell
The Grammy-winning musician, producer, and fashion designer has positively influenced sneaker culture ever since he started making major waves as part of The Neptunes in the 1990s. This includes the dad shoe segment of the industry.
Most recently, he took the Adidas Adistar dad shoe and turned it on its head to create the Adidas Virginia Adistar Jellyfish. It went on to be named the 2025 Shoe of the Year at the Footwear News Achievement Awards.
Natalie Portman
The Star Wars and Thor actress enjoys showing off how effortlessly she can dress down in dad shoes during the day before dressing up in heels at night for awards shows and other events.
Case in point: She attended a Dior fashion show in Rome in May 2025, wearing a big double-breasted blazer, a black T-shirt, and baggy jeans. She paired this outfit with Dior Chrono dad shoes (the C’est Dior dad sneakers are another favorite of hers). Hours later, she reemerged in a white Dior dress with a white jacket over it and white strappy heels to finish off the look.
Emily Ratajkowski
The model, actress, and women’s health advocate is known to be a “bona fide sneakerhead.” We would also take that a step further by designating her as a “bona fide dad sneakerhead.” She is certainly one of the top celebrities who made dad shoes popular in recent years.
While walking around in NYC, she regularly rocks some of the same dad shoes as other celebs. This includes the New Balance 574 Core, the New Balance 530, and the New Balance 550.
She also takes her love for dad shoes to the next level. She has earned a reputation for rocking less common choices like the Nike M2K Tekno, Reebok LTD Premier Road Modern, and Salomon XT-6.
Rihanna
The singer, actress, and fashion mogul is in a relationship with ASAP Rocky. So it only makes sense that she shares his love for dad shoes.
But even if the two had never met, the fashion-forward Barbadian would still likely have her feet in dad sneakers every so often. She has worn a wide range of dad shoes, including Rocky’s Puma Inhale. She has also designed her own dad shoe-esque Fenty x PUMA Avanti sneaker.
Still, her dad shoe claim to fame came at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show. She performed while wearing the Salomon XT-MM6, created by MM6 Maison Margiela in collaboration with Salomon.
Margot Robbie
The Wolf of Wall Street and Barbie actress “makes everything look cool — even dad shoes,” say the style experts at Vogue. Like so many celebrities who made dad shoes popular, she appears to favor New Balances.
The New Balance 991 and New Balance 9060 are among her favorites. She also occasionally steps out in other dad sneakers, such as the Reebok Classic Club C Vintage, to switch things up.
Jerry Seinfeld
The Seinfeld star has been called “the most important celebrity in sneaker culture” by many experts, and it isn’t just clickbait. He helped introduce so many now-iconic Nikes to the world on his classic show, most prominently the Nike Air Structure.
Some within the sneaker community have even credited him with inspiring dad shoes like the Nike Air Monarch IV, which came out long after Seinfeld ended, thanks to his love for chunky, white Nikes. He also championed the earliest Nike Shox sneakers, which are now considered dad shoes by many.
Jaden Smith
The stylish rapper, singer, and actor doesn’t initially strike us as someone who would wear dad shoes. The son of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith is never afraid to step out in some truly off-the-wall clothes and kicks. It’s why Christian Louboutin chose him to be its first-ever Men’s Creative Director
Yet, he’s a regular dad shoe wearer, albeit one who tends to gravitate towards some of the zaniest dad sneakers ever released. Examples include the bold New Balance Vision Racer and the New Balance 0.01 that his brand MSFTSrep created in collaboration with NB. He has also made headlines with a customized pair of New Balance 1700 x Louis Vuitton Archlight dad sneakers.
Taylor Swift
The singing and songwriting legend-in-the-making is engaged to Travis Kelce. He made dad shoes popular in his own way by joking about his brother Jason wearing them on ESPN.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s jokes haven’t deterred his fiancée from wearing dad shoes. Paparazzi have captured her wearing the New Balance 530 and New Balance 1906R.
T-Swift was also spotted wearing the Hoka Clifton 9 in some studio shots she shared on social media right after the release of her 2025 album, The Life of a Showgirl (as seen in the second slide in the IG post above). It resulted in a fan-led run on the Hoka Clifton 10 after the 9s sold out.
T-Swift wore the Reebok Club C 85 Vintage in her 2026 “Opalite” music video, too.
Sophie Turner
The Game of Thrones actress began wearing Naked Wolfe dad shoes so often back in 2019 that some people started writing about how she “couldn’t stop wearing dad sneakers.” In fact, she wore them so frequently that, by 2021, she apparently couldn’t resist the urge to make dad jokes while sending a “Happy Father’s Day” message to then-husband Joe Jonas on Instagram.
For what it’s worth, Jonas also deserves a mention on a list of celebrities who made dad shoes popular. He has shown his love for dad sneakers like the New Balance 204L, the New Balance 997S, and the Brooks Ghost 17. He also collaborated with Koio, an Italian luxury footwear brand, in 2021 to create a special version of the Koio Retro Runner.
Kanye West
The Chicago-born superproducer-turned-rapper-turned-style-icon collaborated with quite a few sneaker companies, including Bape, Reebok, and, of course, Nike, early on in his career. He did so without giving much of a hint that he was a dad shoe aficionado.
However, he began switching up his sneaker style shortly after joining forces with Adidas in November 2013. He eventually played a major part in popularizing dad shoes with 2017’s incredibly successful Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Wave Runner.”
Many experts credit this sneaker, along with other sneakers in his Adidas x Yeezy collection, with ushering in the dad-shoe craze that followed. We would also argue that Ye’s willingness to embrace dad shoes created by other brands was equally important.
While still signed to Adidas, he did Under Armour a huge solid by stepping out in a pair of Under Armour Forge 96 dad sneakers.
The UA Forge 96 started selling out everywhere after this photo was taken, and dad shoes were officially off and running.
Russell Westbrook
The nine-time NBA All-Star has taken more than a few fashion risks throughout his storied career. Most aren’t as memorable as the time he wore a pair of Nike Air Monarch IV dad shoes while sitting courtside at a WNBA game in August 2017.
He also wore them again during his grand entrance before a 2018 game against the New York Knicks, while he was still with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This further highlighted the triple-double machine’s feelings for the quintessential dad shoe and simultaneously made it look more fashionable than ever.
Olivia Wilde
The House M.D. and The O.C. actress is someone who spends a ton of time in the gym. While there, she typically has on a pair of Hoka Bondi 8 dad shoes. She has also been spotted wearing Adidas Ultraboost 4.0 DNA and Adidas Ultraboost 5.0 DNA sneakers.
Hudson Williams
The Heated Rivalry actor might not be quite as famous as some of the other celebrities who made dad shoes popular (yet!). But he was actually the original inspiration for this list.
While working on his next film, Apparatus, in April 2026, he was seen wearing a pair of Dr. Scholl’s Decade sneakers (see the second slide in the IG post above). It caused them to sell out quickly, Velcro straps and all.
Reese Witherspoon
The Academy Award-winning actress and producer often exercises in New Balance dad shoes. She has been spotted in the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v13. She also runs errands in casual models, like the New Balance 623 and New Balance 327.
But her favorites appear to be the Tretorn Rawlins dad shoes that are good for walking. Her Draper James clothing line has collaborated with Tretorn more than once in the past.
Thom Yorke
The Radiohead frontman is a bigger sneakerhead than you might imagine. He turned heads by wearing the NikeLab x Undercover Court Force Hi in 2015 and the Rick Owens DRKSHDW Low-Top Ramones in 2016.
He also appears to have a bunch of dad shoes in his sneaker collection. It includes the New Balance 9060, the Reebok Workout Plus, and the Adidas Response Trail.
Applauding All Those Who Made Dad Shoes Popular
Dad shoes didn’t achieve mainstream popularity overnight. Instead, they hung around for 40 years before they began benefitting greatly from all the celebrities wearing them out in the wild.
Dad sneakers have also attracted attention from many different types of celebrities. Our list includes an excellent mix of musicians, actors and actresses, professional athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, and even Presidents. Long before Barack Obama walked into the White House for the first time, Bill Clinton was (literally!) running around it in the New Balance 997, along with the New Balance 1500, the New Balance 998, and the Asics GT-II.
It’s interesting to look back and see who made dad shoes popular. Each celeb listed here contributed in some way. Without them, the popularity of dad sneakers might not be where it is today.
Ready for your next Dad Shoe 101 lesson? Head here to get answers to other dad sneaker questions, like “What Are the Best Dad Shoes of All Time?” and “What Are the Most Popular Dad Shoe Brands?”
FAQs About Dad Shoes and Their Popularity
How Popular Are Dad Shoes?
Dad shoes are more popular than they have ever been. The dad shoe craze that started around 2017 laid a strong foundation and motivated the best dad shoe brands to start putting their best foot forward when designing new dad sneakers.
When Did Dad Shoes Become Popular?
Dad shoes became popular in 2017, right around the time when the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Wave Runner” was first released. The release of the Balenciaga Triple S in 2017 was another important moment in dad shoe history.
What Are the Most Popular Dad Shoes?
The most popular dad shoes are the Nike Air Monarch IV, the New Balance 574, the Reebok Classic Leather, the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700, and the Asics GEL-Nimbus 9, among others. However, the popularity of dad sneakers is constantly changing as new options emerge and old ones are brought back as retro releases.
Why Are Dad Shoes So Popular?
Dad shoes are so popular because they’re comfortable and supportive. These days, many dad sneakers are also aesthetically pleasing, which has only helped to increase their popularity even further.
Who Was the First Celebrity to Popularize Dad Shoes?
The first celebrity to popularize dad shoes, in the eyes of many, was Jerry Seinfeld. People often credit him with popularizing many different white Nike trainers by wearing them on his sitcom throughout the 1990s. That said, all the other celebrities who made dad shoes popular listed here also deserve credit for pushing dad sneakers to the forefront of sneaker culture.