80s & ‘90s kids know there’s no shoe quite as cool as the jelly sandal. The popular playground staple was a colorful, comfortable alternative to other summer sandals, and just like other nostalgic trends doing the rounds, Gen Z and Alphas are bringing this one back into style, too, with their vibrant colors and chunky designs in the form of foamy jellies, jelly combat boots, and jelly heels. To drive the point home, we’ve also seen celebs rocking the translucent shoes, with Blake Lively and Jennifer Lawrence and more spotting in them since 2021.

— Clare, 30, CA (Cassandra Collective)

Sky-high heels have had their place in fashion for decades. Still, after season upon season of designers embracing ballet flats and kitten heels, many major houses have gone all out in favor of alarmingly perilous shoes. In fact, the current discourse on TikTok and the 2023 Met Gala red carpet is anything to go by, impractical high heels are back in vogue with the likes of Kendall Jenner, Kim Petras, Jenna Ortega, and Janelle Monae, all achieving a sky-high boost in their giant platforms. And now, even Gen Zs favorite brand Crocs is getting on the trend with the launch of its mega crush platform clog.

As Cassandra reported back in our landmark Generation Alpha report - “Generation Infinite,” 63% of parents say their child(ren) is somewhat/very influential when it comes to household purchases, with that number rising to 88% when it comes to their child’s apparel. Gen Alphas have been in control of their identity from a very early age- learning about brands and tuning into trends, and clearly, brands are taking note. In fact, in recent months, we’ve noticed an influx of headlines announcing the launch of many youth-focused footwear collections. Most recently, PUMA teamed up with CoComelon with a line inspired by beloved CoComelon characters. In addition, the first-ever HOKA youth collection of footwear recently dropped to cater to the needs of young athletes. Finally, jumping on the ‘twinning trend’, Aerosoles is branching into children's footwear with its new kids' collection marketed for “mommy and me,” sharing mini-me-inspired versions of the brand’s women’s styles.