Alright, We survived Part 1, but the sneaker world is relentless. You thought you could casually say “kicks” without feeling like a fraud. Then a 19-year-old at Foot Locker hit you with, “You going for the drop?” and confusion sets in.
So here’s Part 2 of “Wait, That Means What?!”—your guide to sneaker slang that sounds like a secret society’s password.
1. “Resell Market”
What You Thought It Was: Where your ex sold whatever you “accidentally” left at their place.
What It Actually Means: The shadowy underworld where sneakers go to triple in price, run by people who treat StockX like the stock market (and your wallet like their personal ATM).
Reality Check: “It’s where dreams go to die and credit scores go to cry., because that Jordan your thought were cute are now $1200 when the retail price was $200.
2. “Drop / Cop”
What You Thought It Was: A bad police drama.
What It Actually Means:
- Drop: The release of a sneaker—basically the digital Hunger Games.
- Cop: Successfully buying the sneakers (or sobbing when your Wi-Fi betrays you).
Reality Check: “Drops are like dating—timing is everything, and you’ll probably get ghosted.”
3. “Kicks”
What You Thought It Was: The karate move you busted out in 5th grade and never lived down.
What It Actually Means: Sneakers. Yes, we’re fancy now.
Reality Check: “If you say ‘kicks’ and point at Crocs, we need to talk.”
4. “Hype”
What You Thought It Was: Your energy after two matcha lattes.
What It Actually Means: The frenzy around a sneaker release. If people are fist-fighting in line, it’s hyped. For the new generation, there are 1000 YouTube videos. The creation of 20 bots happens to obtain these shoes. There is content on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and every other social media post about these shoes.
Reality Check: “Hype is the reason we’ll never financially recover.”
5. “Hypebeast”
What You Thought It Was: A mythical creature from a teen dystopian novel.
What It Actually Means: Someone who buys shoes just because they’re trending (and might sell a kidney for Supreme-branded anything).
Reality Check: “Hypebeasts don’t follow trends—they are the trend (and also why you can’t get a pair).”
6. “Retro”
What You Thought It Was: My aunt’s favorite home decor style.
What It Actually Means: Re-released classic sneakers—nostalgia you can wear (and flex on Gen Z with).
Reality Check: “Retros are just sneakerhead time machines—expensive ones.”
7. “On Ice”
What You Thought It Was: Where your wine belongs.
What It Actually Means: Storing sneakers (usually unworn) to preserve their condition—think shrink wrap, boxes, even literal cold storage.
Reality Check: “If your kicks aren’t on ice, are you even serious about the game?”
8. “Fufu”
What You Thought It Was: That West African dish your friend’s mom makes.
What It Actually Means: Fake sneakers (aka “reps” so bad even PayPal would say nope).
Reality Check: “Fufu: When your heart says Off-White, but your bank account says Walmart.”
9. “Silhouette”
What You Thought It Was: Your shadow after a big lunch.
What It Actually Means: A sneaker’s shape/profile (e.g., “The Jordan 1 silhouette is iconic”).
Reality Check: “‘Silhouette’ just means ‘shape’—but using it makes you sound like a sneaker sommelier.”
10. “Factory Laced”
What You Thought It Was: The name of a high-tech gadget that automates everything but your coffee.
What It Actually Means: Shoelaces are tied exactly as they were when the sneakers left the manufacturing facility. It signals that the shoes are brand new and untouched—still in the same condition as when they came straight from the factory.
Reality Check: “Factory laced = untouched perfection. Like a museum piece, but for your feet.”
11. “Sneaker Drop”
What You Thought It Was: A new dance move.
What It Actually Means: Release day (depending on where you are in the worldyou are, it may be referred to as a launch)—when websites crash, bots win, and humans cry.
Reality Check: “Sneaker drops: Where hope dies and bots thrive.”
12. “Bot”
What You Thought It Was: A robot vacuum (RIP your Roomba).
What It Actually Means: Software that buys sneakers faster than you can click “checkout”—aka your arch-nemesis.
Reality Check: “Bots are the villains of the sneaker world (and why your cart is always empty).”
13. “Raffle”
What You Thought It Was: A church bingo night.
What It Actually Means: A “fair” way to buy hyped sneakers (emphasis on the sarcasm).
Reality Check: “Raffles are just sneakerhead lotteries—except the only prize is debt.”
Final Thought:
If you’ve made it this far, congrats—you officially speak Sneakerhead (or at least enough to fake it convincingly). Now go flex that vocab like it’s limited edition.
Missed Part 1? Click here—because ignorance was bliss, but clout is forever.
Still confused by a term? Drop it below (unless it’s “financial responsibility”—we don’t know her here). 😂👟
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