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Gen Z claim you are ‘officially old’ if you wear a specific shoe on a night out

Home> Lifestyle

Updated 10:20 5 Dec 2025 GMTPublished 09:16 5 Dec 2025 GMT

Gen Z claim you are ‘officially old’ if you wear a specific shoe on a night out

Where do you stand on this debate?

Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper

The never-ending social media war between Gen Z and Millennials has found a new everyday item to fight about – your choice in footwear when going out.

You've got to feel sorry for Millennials. Often nicknamed the 'unluckiest generation', the group - which is widely agreed to be anyone born between 1981 and 1996 - came of age in a global economic crisis and were forced to watch their childhood dreams go up in a puff of smoke as the cost of living skyrocketed.

There's no respite for Millennials as they age either, as every fashion choice or comment they make is mercilessly ripped apart by Gen Z - anyone born between 1997 and 2012 - online.

And the shoes on your feet aren't even safe in this online warzone.

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Another great generational debate (Getty Stock Images)
Another great generational debate (Getty Stock Images)

The topic of attire which people wear when heading for a night out on the town has shifted significantly over the years, specifically for women.

Cast your minds back to the mid-2000s and the heyday of shows such as Geordie Shore and Facebook photo albums, and you'll remember that brightly coloured dresses and sky high heels were the norm.

However, these are now very much relics of the past. According to one viral TikTok, the new standard uniform on nights out consists of jeans and a nice top, with a pair of flats.

Of course 'jeans and a nice top' was a phrase coined by millennials, but the really sticking point appears to be the difference in footwear. While millennials feel the need to dress up and make a good impression, it would appear Gen Z prefers comfort over everything else.

Your typical club night in the early 2000s (Getty Stock Images)
Your typical club night in the early 2000s (Getty Stock Images)

Which - as someone who has never worn heels to a nightclub - is fair enough. After all, who wants to risk breaking their ankle while walking home?

The choice in footwear naturally caused a debate in the comments, as Millennials and Gen Z both attempted to argue their way of doing things was better.

"No chaffing, no blisters, just vibes," commented one person.

Clearly there's some sort of obsession with what people wear on their feet, as Gen Z and Millenials have clashed before when it comes to socks, namely ankle socks.

TikTok once again claimed that its only Millenials who would dream of wearing socks that the shoes hide, with Gen Z clearly not about to make any sacrifices in the name of fashion, as they prefer a longer sock which cuts off at the mid calf point.

And of course, we don't need to even point out the issue with socks and sandals on holiday, something which has sadly seemed to die out in recent years as sons and daughters no doubt lament their fathers for even thinking about rocking that particular combination.

In case your outfit is enough to impress a fellow singleton in the club, you also need to be careful about the text you might send the next day, as Gen Z are also able to spot a Millenial a mile off in the way that they text, apparently.

However, not everyone is onboard with the 'casualification' of going out, with many users reminiscing fondly about their club days.

There is no longer any expectation to switch up your outfit from day to night (Getty Stock Images)
There is no longer any expectation to switch up your outfit from day to night (Getty Stock Images)

"Omg I would have hated this when I was in my 20s lol. The best part of going out was getting all dolled up," wrote on person, while a second added: "When I was clubbing you couldn't enter wearing jeans or sneakers."

Even the men weren't exempt from the expectation of dressing up for a night out back in the day, remember that moment in The Inbetweeners when Simon is forced to trade shoes with a homeless man after wearing trainers to the club?

At least nowadays, the decision of heels or trainers is one we can make ourselves.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: Fashion, Style, Viral, Weird, Gen Z

Brenna Cooper
Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper is a journalist at LADbible. She graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in History, followed by an NCTJ accredited masters in Journalism. She began her career as a freelance writer for Digital Spy, where she wrote about all things TV, film and showbiz. Her favourite topics to cover are music, travel and any bizarre pop culture.

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@_brencoco

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