I’m a fashion editor and there’s a lazy Gen Z style trend that I just can’t stand

THERE’S nothing that reminds you better of how uncool you are now than going back to your old stomping grounds.

At the ripe old age of 34, a recent visit to my hometown made me feel truly old again.

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Together with a friend I went to the shopping street for a few nostalgic drinks.

But I soon noticed that we stood out quite a bit with our neat outfits and elegant heels.

As I looked around the bar, I noticed that the hordes of girls streaming in were ALL wearing flats.

Ballet shoes, sneakers and biker shoes boots ruled — there was not a heel to be seen. I was utterly shocked.

With some Dutch courage I even walked up to an unsuspecting girl and asked where her heels were.

I was given an angry look that said, “Go away, you old fart.”

The soundtrack of my childhood was the click of heels on the pavement, on the dance floor and, inevitably, in the kebab shop.

I stood in line at the nightclub with great anticipation, knowing that not being able to show my ID wouldn’t be a problem as I looked gorgeous in my trusty Dolcis stilettos.

Heels made me feel more feminine, glamorous and grown up, even though the stirrups didn’t.

They also make you stand up straighter and feel more confident, and they accentuate your calves and thighs.

They make the difference between a good and a bad outfit.

Because let’s face it: you wouldn’t want to be caught dead in a peplum dress without stilettos.

I am one of the lucky ones. I have always found heels a piece of cake and I would stand in a bar all night, dancing and waiting for a taxi in the early hours.

My girlfriend and I were discussing our favorite shoes as we watched in dismay as the hordes of women in their sneakers gathered.

Clemmie Veldsend

Legendary French shoe designer Christian Louboutin said, “High heels are pleasure with pain.”

We all remember the girls walking home from a night out with their heels in one hand and a bag of chips in the other, the icy cobblestones cooling the balls of their feet.

You bonded with strangers in nightclub toilets by swapping plasters or helping to make origami toilet rolls to maximise the comfort of their stilettos.

But the sense of confidence you get from wearing heels outweighs the misery of tormented toes.

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On our last night out, my girlfriend and I were discussing our favorite shoes as we watched in dismay at the hordes of women in sneakers.

I had several pairs of £19.99 New Look glasses that had changed colour towards the end of their life due to the amount of drink spilled on them.

Primark and Topshop did affordable dupes of the Christian Dior Gladiator heels that Carrie Bradshaw made famous in the first Sex And The City film.

Carrie, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, is a cultural icon for millennials and older. In one of the most fashionable TV shows in history, her heels were part of her persona.

Before Carrie, I watched the Spice Girls conquer the world in their platform shoes.

Supermodels of the nineties

The iconic supermodels of the 90s also wore sky-high heels, with Sandy from Grease going from schoolgirl to vampire in those tight pants and red-heeled mules.

And do you think Cinderella would have been as dazzling if it had just been a glass trainer? I doubt it.

A few years ago I broke my toe and had to wear flats to a wedding. I was devastated — I had never felt so small and clumsy.

Even in the summer, I wouldn’t be caught dead in a flat sandal for work. Besides the lazy look, I can’t stand the echoes of the clapping that haunt the sandal wearer.

The pandemic has brought about a huge change in the way we dress.

Everyone got used to comfortable fashion, whether it was loungewear, bralettes or flats.

According to Marks & Spencer, the best-selling shoe is a £35 square-toe leather ballerina flat.

Clemmie Veldsend

But when it came to breathing new life into our workwear and looking presentable, the trend shifted to casual.

According to Lyst, searches for high heels have decreased by 67 percent over the past two years.

According to Marks & Spencer, the best-selling shoe style on the high street is a £35 square-toe leather ballerina flat. Sales of trainers have risen by a quarter since April last year.

I hardly see heels anywhere these days, and I’m not the only one.

All over TikTok, you see videos of women who are as bewildered as I am when they see girls in sneakers, baggy jeans, and tank tops in clubs.

One user, @amandaleefarinaa, got 6.6 million views when she looked around and showed everyone in this Gen Z uniform.

“Going to the club with flat shoes” has now been viewed more than 41 million times, “clubbing outfits flat shoes” has been viewed 62 million times.

Less bumps

All users are upset about the lack of heels.

But there are also advantages to Generation Z wearing flat shoes.

There are fewer bumps and I no longer see the dry cracks of people in slingbacks, or unmanicured toes in heeled sandals. So they did us a favor there.

But I will always love heels. I wear them on nights out, in the officeduring my commute, on vacation, at Christmas — whenever I have the opportunity.

No, I don’t wear them when I go to the grocery store or when I do the dishes, but I never leave the house without a pair.

Unlike Generation Z, I will uphold my standards and values.