 Zooming in on the experimental silhouettes defining contemporary style.


<p>Modularity in footwear remains a persistent talking point, as designers continue to rethink traditional silhouettes into adaptable frameworks that evolve with the wearer. Interchangeable soles and removable toe caps may not have fully caught fire—despite brands like <a href="https://www.goat.com/brand/1017-alyx-9sm"><u>1017 ALYX 9SM</u></a> and CAMPERLAB pushing the envelope—but the 2020s ushered in a wave of hybrid models that traverse genres with ease. Think: snoafers, mule-sneaker crossovers and even trail-oxfords.&nbsp;</p>
<p>No longer a novelty, these ambitious designs could be read as postmodern statements, subverting established codes with a sense of irony. More simply, they’re easy to wear, blurring the line between form and function while responding to the rhythms of modern life.</p>
<p>Below, a guide to recent hybrid footwear highlights, including <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/1906l"><u>New Balance’s 1906L</u></a>, <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/speed-loafer"><u>HOKA’s Speed Loafer</u></a> and <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/air-rift"><u>Nike’s Air Rift</u></a>.</p>
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<h2>Snoafers&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Style critics once speculated that loafers would usurp sneakers as the style world’s number one footwear of choice. What they didn’t bet on was both co-existing harmoniously. Easy to slip on with performance-driven soles, snoafers (a portmanteau of “sneakers” and “loafers”) cater to both casual and semi-formal settings, proving that, sometimes, the most stylish solutions are often the most unexpected pairings.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/1906l"><u>New Balance 1906L</u></a></h3>
<p>New Balance’s 1906L is the driving force behind the snoafer movement, having launched the shoe with <a href="https://www.goat.com/editorial/new-balance-junya-watanabe-1906l-loafer-sneaker"><u>Junya Watanabe in 2024</u></a>. The experimental silhouette is designed by Charlotte Lee, consisting of a penny loafer-inspired upper spliced with an <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/technology/abzorb"><u>ABZORB</u></a>-infused <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/1906"><u>1906R</u></a> sole unit.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/speed-loafer"><u>HOKA Speed Loafer</u></a></h3>
<p>HOKA’s Speed Loafer leans fully into the snoafer concept, fusing a leather upper replete with decorative tassel to a hulking, trail-inspired EVA midsole adapted from the <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/speedgoat-5"><u>Speedgoat 5</u></a>. A suede mudguard rounds out the ambitious style.</p>

New Balance 1906L 'Black'

HOKA Speed Loafer 'Black'

Junya Watanabe MAN x New Balance 1906L 'Black'

New Balance 1906L 'Silver Shadow Grey'

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<h2>Clogs</h2>
<p>Mention "clogs" and you might have once pictured stiff wooden shoes from the Dutch countryside. Today, they’re just as likely to be crafted from performance-driven materials and spotted on Parisian runways.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/brand/birkenstock"><u>Birkenstock</u></a> is known for its podiatrist-approved shapes, informing cultural sensations like the Boston, while Crocs’ seemingly interminable arsenal of collaborators spans Naruto and SpongeBob SquarePants to BAPE and Balenciaga. Penetrating further, outdoor specialists like Snow Peak have brought back contemporary interpretations of the geta clog.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the luxury realm, designer versions from CELINE and Tom Ford have elevated the clog with high-quality materials like leather, offering a new perspective on the historic style.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/clog"><u>Crocs Classic Clog</u></a></h3>
<p><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/brand/crocs"><u>Crocs</u></a> rose to prominence in the early 2000s with its lightweight, comfortable foam clogs, originally intended for boating. The brand soon became a global sensation before fading in relevance until its resurgence in the late 2010s. This comeback can be attributed in large part to a bold collaborations program.</p>
<p>Today, the brand’s once-polarizing silhouettes remain a canvas for creativity. They can be worn strap-forward or strap-backward and customized with Jibbitz charms that reflect the wearer’s personal tastes.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/boston"><u>Birkenstock Boston</u></a></h3>
<p>First released in 1979, the <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/brand/birkenstock"><u>Birkenstock</u></a> Boston saw a massive cultural resurgence in the early 2020s, fueled by a Stüssy collaboration that sparked unprecedented interest in the iconic silhouette. With its simple buckle closure and ergonomic footbed, today the design is executed in suede, EVA, wool and leather iterations.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/reactx-rejuven8"><u>Nike ReactX Rejuven8&nbsp;</u></a></h3>
<p>Equally suitable for everyday wear and recovery, <a href="https://www.goat.com/brand/nike"><u>Nike’s</u></a> ReactX Rejuven8 features an ergonomic slip-on design for maximum comfort and a smooth, secure fit. Its one-piece construction incorporates a full ReactX foam midsole, while strategically placed ventilation cut-outs on the upper improve air flow around the foot.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/jordan-hydrip"><u>Jordan Hydrip Clog</u></a></h3>
<p>Bearing similarities to the Crocs Classic Clog with its bulbous profile, the <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/brand/air-jordan"><u>Jordan</u></a> Hydrip Clog features a slingback design for easy on-off access. The silhouette includes a ridged outsole for optimized grip on slippy surfaces, while upper hole perforations allow for air flow around the foot.</p>

Cars x Crocs Classic Clog 'Lightning McQueen' 2021

Birkenstock Boston Soft Footbed Suede 'Black'

Nike ReactX Rejuven8 'Light Orewood Brown'

Nike Jordan Hydrip GS 'Digital Pink'

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<h2>Mules</h2>
<p>Clogs are sturdy shoes, historically created with closed toes and wooden soles. Mules, by contrast, are backless and trace their origins to Ancient Rome, where a luxurious indoor shoe known as the <em>mulleus calceus</em> was worn by the elite. After going viral on social media in the late 2010s, mules became so widespread that they eventually broke into the luxury space, spawning notable designs like JW Anderson’s oversized chain-link mules and Martine Rose’s mule-inspired <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/shox"><u>Nike Shox</u></a>.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/search?query=mule%20golf"><u>Air Jordan 1 Mule Golf</u></a></h3>
<p>Transforming the AJ1 into a slip-on silhouette for the links, the Air Jordan 1 Mule Golf is executed in an array of legendary colorways. The design doesn't stray far from the original, integrating a traction rubber outsole to mitigate against slippage.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/2002r-mule"><u>New Balance 2002R Mule</u></a></h3>
<p><a href="https://www.goat.com/brand/new-balance"><u>New Balance's</u></a> 2002R Mule is another foray from the Boston brand into the hybrid space, remastering the technical silhouette as a versatile slip-on. Well-suited to everyday adventures, the shoe is mounted atop a thick wedge of ABZORB cushioning for a plushy step.</p>
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<h3>adidas XLG Runner Mule</h3>
<p>​The adidas XLG Runner Mule reimagines the brand's chunky runner silhouette as a sleek, laceless slip-on, blending retro trail inspiration with contemporary updates. A layered mesh and synthetic upper sits atop a bold dual-density sole with proprietary Dreamstrike foam for a forgiving ride.</p>

Air Jordan 1 Mule Golf 'Chicago'

New Balance 2002R Mule 'Protection Pack'

Martine Rose x Nike Wmns Shox Mule MR4 'Safety Orange'

New Balance 2002R Mule 'Brown Corduroy'

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<h2>Other Hybrid Shoes</h2>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/silhouette/air-rift"><u>Nike Air Rift</u></a></h3>
<p>Debuted in 1996 and inspired by barefoot Kenyan distance runners, the Air Rift polarized opinion upon its release. The shoe returned in the 2020s due to a renewed appreciation for hybrid designs. Notable for its split-toe build, it features an airy mesh upper and adjustable hook-and-loop straps for a snug, sock-like fit.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/wmns-taekwondo-mei-ballet-black-white-gum-jr7031?utm_source=google_ads&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=22174580618&amp;utm_content=177818597007&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwqIm_BhDnARIsAKBYcmuxifCVEbzYdj0nbOInVvNHnvqq1UKvGnjCX6bNV1TUE1UGgv0ZBwsaAiDIEALw_wcB"><u>adidas Taekwondo Mei Ballet</u></a></h3>
<p>The adidas Taekwondo Mei was designed as a low-profile women’s training shoe, tracing its origins back to 1988. The latest iteration eschews a lace shroud that highlights the 2024 model, embracing a minimal sole unit and two rear and fore cups inspired by ballet shoes.</p>
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<h3><a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/nicole-mclaughlin-x-rucksack-slip-on-grey-black-vn000s99n43"><u>Nicole McLaughlin x Vans Rucksack Slip-On</u></a></h3>
<p>Nicole McLaughlin is renowned for her experimental takes on footwear that splice genre like the <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/nicole-mclaughlin-x-mafate-three2-white-neon-1153931-wnn"><u>HOKA Mafate Three2</u></a> hybrid. The Rucksack silhouette is a take on the classic Vans Slip-On, adorned with various clips and pockets for functional storage. A tread outsole references technical outdoor styles.</p>
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<h3>ON Coast</h3>
<p>While not ostensibly a hybrid silhouette, <a href="https://www.goat.com/sneakers/brand/on"><u>ON’s</u></a> Coast is a lightweight training shoe that features a heel that can be folded down for slip-on wear as a mule. This modularity makes it the ideal shoe for travel.</p>

Wmns Nike Air Rift BR 'Pink Glow'

Adidas Wmns Taekwondo Mei Ballet 'Black White Gum'

Nicole McLaughlin x Vans Rucksack Slip-On 'Grey Black'

ON Cloud 5 Coast 'Black Shadow'

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<h2>Hybrid Sneaker FAQs</h2>

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