BOOTS DOWN #02: can the real castlecore please stand up?
A curation of luxury secondhand boots + cultural analysis on the aesthetics of medieval times: jesters, dungeons, and... the feudal system?
In my newsletter defending the Pinterest’s 2025 trends (which have been around for a minute, may we all thank god for a slowing trend cycle), Castlecore came up as one of the most hotly contested themes by trend savvy netizens. My guess is that this one was a more perplexing take for the Aritzia/Revolve/Reformation set for a few reasons, beyond a lack of imagination, but mostly that Pinterest doesn’t really go deeply into the why or the what of the data. That’s not really their role, but it is mine.
“Do they really think we’re going to be out on a Friday night in chainmail?!” was the general sentiment from the black-going-out-top-with-jeans community. As someone who grew up in the theatre, and has always loved period costumes that took me out of the underwhelming reality of Columbia, SC, I was elated at the idea of dramatic textural elements and ornate gothic flair working its way into the consumer flow. Maybe this desire for high theatricality and character is what makes my positive opinion of Michele’s couture debut at Valentino, which has been called too costumey by B.O.F. & Haute le Mode, so rare.
But Michele himself wrote in his show notes of his boyhood dreams of being a costume designer; that this was really an opportunity for him to express his childlike joy and curiosity at scale. He has also notably been one of the only couture designers this season who defied the trend toward visual conservatism. That being said, this show was by and far evidence that Castlecore is very much not random or out of touch, and confirms my suspicion that immediate naysayers are boooorrrring and lack sartorial wonder. As we dive into our modern medieval times (literally, given the headlines we’ve seen in the last twelve days), personal creativity is more of a necessity than ever. I hope these moodboards and curations give you some permission to daydream.
Suiting Up: Standing Ground in Silver
In the aforementioned newsletter on 2025 Pinterest Predicts, I largely discuss an overarching theme of personal defense and the different ways in which we are mentally and sartorially “armoring up” for a world that feels increasingly unpredictable and dangerous. Only briefly do I talk about a literal representation of armor in style, because I don’t think that’s where “Castlecore” is really taking us. But silver has already had a moment,—and honestly, thank God. In a world dominated by quiet luxury’s beige-on-black-on-beige-on-brown monotony, these metallics feel like a much-needed, small act of rebellion. Silver Onitsuka Tiger’s or ballet flats could be seen all around New York City this past summer, and it’s my hope we give the playfulness of a metallic shoe a little more surface area and texture. I’m curious as to how silver’s popularity may impact retro-futurism as an aesthetic or the return of Mod. I keep thinking of look #9 from Prada’s hallmark SS25 show with the patent silver cutout skirt, with an A-line frame like a rocket ship, with portholes to the wearers legs. My hot take is that the Prada-Renaissance (and their luxury downturn defiance) is a sign that mod & retrofuturism are a few years away from mass adoption, but they’re coming.
We got a glimpse of this in the fall during the SS25 runway shows. Honestly I’m surprised no one clocked how many collections included silver shoes in their shows, from the legacy houses to advanced-contemporary heavy hitters. Much of FW25 Menswear and the couture collections can be seen as a harbinger of what's to come for womenswear FW25 in February, and it looks like sumptuous textures that play on all that glitters are on the horizon. It also appears we will be moving into warmer tones of bronzes and golds - so enjoy the silver moment and the plethora of options it’s giving us right now! They’re loud, unapologetically decadent, and just a little impractical in the best way. They’re not whispering about wealth (snooze); they’re shouting “I’m a little messy!!!”.
There’s something inherently playful about wearing something that looks like they could double as chainmail. It’s a wink at history, sure, but also a reminder that fashion doesn’t always have to be so serious *cough* (everyone calling Alessandro Michele’s Valentino couture costumey) *cough*. I have more opinions on costume, performance, identity, authenticity, and presentation - but that's an article in and of itself.
Maybe that’s what makes them such a fun antidote to the quiet luxury trend. They’re a reminder that sometimes, it’s okay to embrace a little sparkle and ostentation; to wear something purely because it makes you feel invincible or just really, really cool. I’m sure that quiet luxury does that for some people, but I’ve found the allure quickly loses its luster, literally. Because let’s be real—sometimes the world calls for soft cashmere you want to hide in, but other times? You need a pair of shoes that say, “Get out the way, b*tch!”
Jokes On Them: Playing the Fool and the Joy of Resistance
“This fellow’s wise enough to play the fool; And to do that well craves a kind of wit.”
To everyone dunking on Alessandro Michele’s Valentino couture debut, calling it costumey and clownish: he was being true to the archive, true to himself, and it was a strong start for someone who has never done couture before. Knowing he dreamed of being a costume designer as a kid - this truly made me so happy to see him go full throttle into that opportunity to explore a long held curiosity. It’s a point of view we need desperately. And the fact he made what he did for the .01%, rather than playing into the traditional grandeur is also political. Schiaparelli toning down its surrealism was a bit ominous in comparison.
The clown (harlequin, jester, pierrot) is the ultimate performer—a symbol of whimsy, wit, and mischief; draped in a pattern that feels both opulent and tongue-in-cheek: diamonds. If Castlecore is about embracing gothic grandeur, clowncore (which has been a rising star for a few years now, per Mandy Lee @oldloserinbrooklyn) is its playful foil: an invitation to stop taking everything so seriously. And really, isn’t that the kind of escapism we crave right now?
Think Cabaret and its iconic MC—campy, defiant, and glittering, holding onto agency as the outside world unravels. Presentation becomes rebellion, a small act of control in a chaotic world. Dressing with subversive wit and an unapologetic sense of counter culture transforms fashion into another kind of armor: a way to project joy, defiance, and resilience all at once. It also feels like a direct foil to Rococo in that it feels like a subversion of performance of class, status, wealth, and performative femininity. It’s anything but demure.
These harlequin-inspired pieces aren’t just about nostalgia or costume drama—you’re stepping into a character, a mood, a bit of everyday theater; a reminder that fashion is an art form meant to provoke and delight not only the audience of the public, but yourself.
The message is clear: When the world feels absurd, why not dress to meet it head-on? SNL’s Sarah Sherman likens herself more to a clown than a comedian, and has taken this point of view into her every day wardrobe (which includes a collection of vintage clown suits). If you’re looking for inspirational content, Kelley Heyer of “apple dance” fame, used to make lots of delightful, on-the-(red)nose clowncore fashion videos on Tiktok around 2021/22
Dungeon Master: Dark Age Drama for Gothic Brooders
If one more person says “I’m in my villain era,” I’m going to enter mine and kick them down a spiral staircase. The phrase has been run into the ground, flattened into a pop-culture tagline. But, the villain trope has always been more than just a style choice; it’s a narrative about power, about those who have been wronged, cast aside, or overlooked, now reclaiming control on their own terms no matter what it takes. I cannot help but think about the resounding cultural impact I’ve seen of “deny, defend, depose” and how a large section of the public has sexualized and deified as an assassin.
Which is why it makes perfect sense that gothic aesthetics often overlap with the aesthetics of kink: think harnesses, chokers, D rings, tight-lacing. Both are conversations about dominance, submission, and spectacle—about how power is wielded, performed, and transgressed. Darkness, in this sense, isn’t just a mood; it’s an assertion. A refusal to be soft, digestible, or morally uncomplicated. No wonder Rick Owens is practically canonized by the alt-fashion faithful—his work distorts the body into something at once menacing and holy, always walking the line between restriction and exposure.
What was once a niche space for self-proclaimed freaks (complimentary) has expanded, bleeding into the mainstream as the world tilts further toward instability. Take Saint Laurent’s men’s over-the-knee boots—sleek, black, and brimming with authority. They felt like a warning.
To be fair, Rick Owens is great! But if you lean less toward Dune, and more toward Game of Thrones, my picks might be more your speed. These boots are pure dungeon fantasy, aka sexy: sharp, sleek, buckled, quilted, and laced up like they’ve got secrets to keep. They’ve got just the right touch of danger to keep things interesting... and maybe help you feel like you’re the one not to be messed with.
Serfcore: The Future is Feudal
If you prefer the optics of serfdom (which is largely where we are now as a society, sorry!) - lusting over Isabel Marants “bohemian” details, sporting a wool headscarf with your wool overcoat this winter, or simply loving a pointy brown boot as much as I do - you have not been left out of the fold.
Frankly, I have a dissertation’s worth to say about this, but can’t without going on a massive rant about class conciousness, rich cosplaying as poor, the insidious shapeshifting nature of status symbols, the futility of the attempt at emulating the eilte etc. Instead, I’ll just jump into poiting out that there’s been a wave of brown in the past few seasons, markedly atop trend across collections for PF24, FW24, and SS24 according to Tagwalk. It also happens to be Pantone’s choice for color of the year: Mocha Mousse, imfamously. While none of these are that shade of brown (I will never hurt you like that), I think that warmer, chocolatier versions of brown will continue their rise from the depths of “this fall, all the cool girls are wearing brown suede” hell.
While I’ve got a few selections of the brown suede variety (I’m here to help you play with trend, not fully avoid it, afterall), I think that early adoption of rich, shiny, reflective fabrics and leathers, as we saw on the Emporio Armani menswear FW25 runway, are going to be more of a versatile move. Luxury, and our eventual emulation of it, is returning to luxury needing to look luxurious rather than saying it is.
Maybe this is a good time to remember that fashion, even the pursuit of opulance, ultimately is for the poor. To paraphrase my prophet
, bank accounts will always be able to say more than your shoes will. The ultra-wealthy have no need to pursue status symbols when they simply have ultimate status.Perhaps there is power and humor in acknowledging the starkness of wealth inequality and playing into it, instead of the misguided gotcha of buying a $70 “Wirkin”. The dark ages' and its fascist plague is knocking violently on our doors less than two weeks into a new oligarchical dictatorship presidency, and while organizing is paramount, so is a personal spirit of protection and defiance. Make copies of your documents, get your license renewed and passport updated, get paper copies of your prescriptions, save your money and maybe don’t buy second hand designer shoes unless you fell head over heels with them immediately … My paranoid list could go on.
But most of all, try not to lose agency over your joy and verve for expression. I hope this sparked some kind of inspiration for you - writing it did for me. It’s honestly has shifted how I view personal style and made me a little more generous and less judgemental.
Just like last time, there are a few stragglers that really delighted me. I can only fit so much on a slide! Here are a few more boots and non boots alike that fit into the world we just created together:
For some non-purchased based consumption, here are my favorite reads & moments from this week:
Watching the music video for Tate McRae’s single '“Sportscar” on repeat like a toddler and “Babyshark”. I’m not afraid to say I think she’s not the new Britney, she’s better. The video is editorial, sexy, and gives me hope that music videos are about to be back and we’re going to get fashion brands focussing more on styling artists than gifting influencers. I’m ready for curated, inspiration worthy visuals a la “Bad Romance” and Dara’s freeze-frame TikTok’s.
I keep thinking over and over again about
’s post Lack of Authenticity Doesn't Make Things Uninteresting. One of the more inspiring things I’ve ingested in the past month or so and has my wheels turning for what’s next on the Spectator’s Chair pipeline. It will pair perfectly with my “Sportscar” fascination and The Editorialization of Brand Social from . Fashion critics who hate “costumey” fashion be warned …- is a favorite creator of mine, who wrote a life changer entitled The Mainstreaming of Loserdom, but his current post on the Rise of the Cultural Dark Ages as been on repeat in my mind, reverberating after TheCut poll about [solidcore] girlies who have posted about hating seeing men in class with them. Frankly, get over yourself!
I posted on TikTok inquiring of the 2017 NYC group-fitness gliteratti what bag they were carrying in the SoulCycle Renaissance that held their entire lives in it all day. 100k+ likes later, it appears Away will be sending me their 25L Convertible Backpack should they decide not backout of the offer. I will happily report back on this.
Great piece! Thank you for the shoutout :)