Sometimes, fashion throws you a curveball so wrong that it’s right. Case in point? Boat shoes. Last seen on your dad, whose holiday personality revolved around the footwear with distinctive side-lacing (whether or not he was near a body of water), boat shoes have finally come ashore. This rehabilitation from off-duty dad shoe – or, worse, an essential component of the public schoolboy’s weekend uniform – started at Miu Miu, where leather boat shoes, aka deck shoes, were the finishing touch on outfits of polo shirts, Clubmaster spectacles and primary-coloured Speedos.
Harrodswww.harrods.com
Miu Miu's cult loafers are back in stock (for now), so if you have had these on your wishlist for a while, now's your chance. With a smooth leather upper, classic boating silhouette and lace-up fastening, the leather has faint bleach stains that are perfect for a lot of everyday wear.
Some brands have been working with boat shoes since time began (almost), such as Sebago, Le Chameau and Herring. It's the high street, however, that has backed the boat shoe for spring/summer 2025, with elevated iterations in leather and suede that you can team with socks now and bare ankles when it's time to hit a beach near you.
www.sezane.com
Sezane's Caroline Loafers are made in Portugal and feature a similar lace-tie fastening and rubber outsole. Inside, there's a comfortable insole, as well as a soft leather lining with small heel. Style with wide-leg trousers and a boxy tee.
The & Other Stories new-in section is practically a one-stop shop for boat shoes. My personal favourite? The Leather Boat Shoes, which are still available in all sizes, look sun-beaten (in a good way). But Sezane's Caroline Loafers, with a classic lace fastening and rubber outsole, are the smart take that's taken the influencer set by storm, entirely selling out in suede but, thankfully, still in stock in chocolate leather for £165. Martine Emilie Akersveen styled hers with top-to-toe brown, except for a bright white sock.
Boat shoes, naturally, lend themselves to light fabrics and bare arms (aka, the promise of blue skies and balmy temperatures). That’s not to say, however, that you have to save them for holiday season. Even if you're not a boat person, that's not a problem. You can still get on board with these shoes.
Shop: The Best Boat Shoes
& Other Storieswww.stories.com
& Other Stories has an excellent offering when it comes to boat shoes. Its shoes are made in Portugal, from supple leather with leather laces at the front, as well as ties at the back.
Massimo Duttiwww.massimodutti.com
Massimo Dutti's take is a hybrid between a loafer and a boat shoe, in a taupe brown suede. Made of cowhide leather, the shoes have an airfit insole, which means you'll be able to actually walk in them.
Free Peoplewww.freepeople.com
Free People's Boat Shoes come in a variety of over 10 different colours and all have that signature I-just-came-from-the-South-of-France look. It has that perfectly distressed bleached look, as well as a flat rubber sole and mocc stitching.
Dunewww.dunelondon.com
Dune's boat shoes are finished with top-stitch detailing and are designed with matching laces threaded through tonal eyelets. The soles are also super flexible and made of rubber, meaning you can wear them in the summer with a pair of shorts.
H&Mwww2.hm.com
Not one to miss out on a trend, H&M also has a pair of leather boat shoes. With 4.2 stars from happy customers and comments like 'love these classic loafers', H&M's shoes have a cotton canvas lining and leather insoles.
What to wear with boat shoes
It's probably best to avoid being too literal with boat shoes. Where wide-leg trousers, for example, are pleasingly low-key, a pair of chino shorts might be a little too literal. Having said that, swimming trunk-style bottoms were exactly what they wore with their sun-weathered deck shoes on the catwalk, as well as short-sleeved polo shirts layered over checked button-downs, a leather pencil skirt and the kind of slouchy, lived-in trench coat that it's best to unearth in a charity shop instead of buying it newly off the rack. For now, however, boat shoes love nothing more than a cosy sock and baggy jeans combo.
Main image credit: Instagram/@lucywilliams02, @trendyemma, @carolinesstylehacks
Natalie Hammond is Grazia’s Senior Fashion News Editor. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).