Boxing shoes are fashion's newest heavyweight, as seen on BLACKPINK's Jennie

BLACKPINK member Jennie shows off a sporty yet casual vibe with boxing shoes. Captured from Jennie's social media By KTimes Boxing shoes, a bold and sporty fashion item, is becoming a defining trend among millennials and Gen Zers. Celebrities like BLACKPINK’s Jennie, IVE’s Jang Won-young and Oh My Girl’s Mimi are embracing the look with their own unique flair, further fueling its popularity.

Fashion among today’s millennials and Gen Zers is increasingly about expressing individuality through unique and creative styles. This year, distinct and edgy items are dominating wardrobes and among them, the rise of boxing shoes stands out as a must-have item for those chasing the latest trends. As both millennials, Gen Zers and Generation Alpha use fashion to assert their identity, demand has grown for eye-catching and diverse fashion pieces.



Boxing shoes have emerged as a hot trend, offering a sporty yet stylish look. While often paired with short pants or miniskirts, they also create an intentionally unbalanced contrast when worn with oversized baggy pants. Once confined to sportswear, boxing shoes have now made their way into the mainstream as a fashionable “it” item loved by many stars.

Boxing shoes are typically flat and sleek in design, often reaching up to the calves or ankles. Their tightly laced style emphasizes a cool, hip vibe. Jennie showed off the casual yet athletic charm of black boxing shoes by pairing them with a black jersey top, a short denim skirt and high socks for added flair.

While "balletcore" dominated trends last year, the freedom-loving, sporty aesthetic of today’s millennials and Gen Zers is expected to take center stage in 2025. Actor Cha Jung-won flaunts her fashion sense on social media. Captured from Cha Jung-won’s social media Actor Cha Jung-won also showed off her fashion sense on social media.

She coordinated her look with a headband, black knit top, gray skirt and boxing shoes, demonstrating her casual and charming style. Oh My Girl member Mimi turns heads by styling boxing shoes. Captured from Mimi’s social media Mimi of Oh My Girl caught fans' attention by sporting boxing shoes, highlighting her signature kitschy vibe.

To prevent her simple T-shirt and hot pants ensemble from looking too plain, she added boxing shoes, infusing her outfit with a unique and refined edge. The look proves that one item alone can elevate an entire outfit. IVE member Jang Won-young channels a cowgirl-inspired look.

Captured from Jang Won-young’s social media IVE member Jang Won-young embraced a cowgirl-inspired look at a brand's fashion week event. She paired a cowgirl-style hat, top and miniskirt with black boxing-style boots, completing a look that was both classic and charming. As seen with each of these stars, boxing shoes and boots can be adapted to a wide range of styles.

Whether it’s Jennie and Jang Won-young’s miniskirts or Mimi’s short pants, boxing shoes offer versatile mix-and-match options — hinting that their popularity is likely to continue for quite some time. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times..