why is gen z so obsessed with frye boots?
"frye boots in the ‘70s would have been worn by someone attending woodstock and working on a farm.”
Fall started off strong with a surge of Frye boot frenzy.
Let me catch you up.
The Frye Campus boot saw a resurgence in Google Trends during 2024, reaching popularity levels not seen since 2005. This trending shoe also gained traction across social media platforms, as fashion creators posted videos showing off their Campus boots collections and thrift scores.
The current market is primarily milennial and Gen Z women who love the boots for their classic, versatile design that’s still a little rugged. The stacked heel, square toe and straight calf shape reads less gendered than the high-heel almond-toe boots of Christian Girl Autumn yore. A few people I spoke to called them the non-cowboy cowboy boot.
Given the limited stock of new Frye Campus boots (frequently sold out, retail for $500), hopeful shoppers are scouring thrift stops, flea markets or hunting down vintage boots on resale sites. As demand grows and supply dwindles, dupes are proliferating and resale prices are soaring. Here’s a whopping $1000 pair on Poshmark, with a comment from user brewstercowgirl asking why the seller is price gouging. Depop’s trend report showed a +2K increase in searches for "Frye Campus Boot" last week. They’re a hot commodity.
Why Frye, and why now?
I couldn’t stop thinking about how long this boot has been around, and its unique intergenerational appeal. To understand it better, I researched the history of the shoe and interviewed representatives from every generation to get a diverse perspective on the Frye Campus boot’s cultural significance—from the ‘60s to today.
