Nike's Timeless Cortez Sneaker Is a Silky Girlcore Godsend Now
The summer of Barbie may be behind us, but girlcore rages on. Nike's preciously pink Cortez sneaker leans into the hyperfeminine trend with delicate upgrades.
Girlcore stemmed from summer 2023 with Greta Gerwig's film being everywhere, but hit its stride later in the 2024 with the rise of balletcore and coquette-heavy lines. Details like bows, florals, lace, and shades of pink encompass the trend. Add Nike's new Cortez sneakers to the list.
The soft pink iteration of Nike's Cortez sneaker brings a refresh to the '70s style without comprising its iconic build. The retro shoe comes swaddled in a bubblegum pink satin-like mesh upper, with tonal mauve suede blanketing the Swoosh and overlays.
The pink satin laces really push the Cortez sneaker over the girly edge, though, adding even more feminine flair. But for those looking for a more lowkey entry into the girlcore universe, the Nike sneaker comes in two additional colorways, Glacier Blue and Triple Black.
Nike's Cortez sneaker has existed for decades, first hitting the shelves back in 1972.
They didn't exactly need the help, but major media moments, like Tom Hanks donning the sneaker in the 1994 blockbuster Forrest Gump and Whitney Houston lacing up the sneakers for her 1991 Super Bowl performance, brought the sneaker global stardom.
Plus, we can't mention the Nike Cortez without including Joe Keery, whose Stranger Things character Steve Harrington can't get enough of the timeless sneaker — even when battling demogorgons and Vecna.
Four decades later, the Nike Cortez sneaker continues to find new, thoughtful ways to stay relevant. With the silky version of the classic, Nike gains entry into an entirely new community: the girly girls.
