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To a specific group of very online Zillennials, the boots means only one thing: Frye Campus boots.
The style has become the hottest commodity amongst the TikTok fashion girlies, especially in the shade banana.
As a result, the boots are being duped at an alarming rate at places like Amazon and Target.
They are everywhere and they are nowhere.
MAPE
Some showoff their collections of rare vintage Campus boots, while others just lust for them in real time.
(At $500 a pop, they are, arguably, worthy of the cradle.)
So whats the deal?
What is causing this massive resurgence of Frye Campus boots?
Onorati says the brand has seen a 35% increase in sales of Campus boots in 2024.
But to me, this trend seems to go beyond idolizing celebrity style.
MAPE
Frye is no Louis Vuitton or Gucci, but the name carries weight.
(Per theWall Street Journal, the boots are now crafted and manufactured in Mexico and China.)
Now everyone wants a piece of the aesthetic.
Dave Benett/Getty Images
Beyonce in Louis Vuitton by Pharrell.
But you dont need to buy new to participate.
For those less patient or lucky consumers, dupes from Amazon and Steve Madden have filled the void.
Beyoncé in Louis Vuitton by Pharrell.
On TikTok, the discourse largely centered around Targets version, which no longer appears to beavailable.
As you may have guessed, not all reactions to the dupes have been positive.
It has a life before us, it has a life after us.
And those are things that should matter, right?
Maybe you want to have a permanent sense of style because that will enrich your sense of self.
Essentially, the Frye boot discourse has become shorthand for any discussion of the ethics of shopping in 2024.
But, as I always say: Dont hate the player, hate the postindustrial capitalist hellscape.
People are going to buy expensive boots and inexpensive boots, and its not any one individuals fault.
Weve seen this fatigue again and again, especially with shoes and accessories.
If history has taught us anything, in 20 years theyll be at the top of every teens wishlist.
