Betrothed couple Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce dressed up in coordinated fall ensembles for a date night in New York City on Nov. 6, both modeling black Louis Vuitton shoes. While Swift wore sleek knee-high stiletto boots, Kelce wore LV work boots made in collaboration with Timberland. Kelce’s footwear choice sparked a debate on TikTok, with fans debating if his shoes were “Boneless” or not.
What is a “boneless” Timberland, you ask? The niche fashion topic has taken over social media, sparking up conversation about what defines “a true New York City Timberland.”
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Kelce was in New York, but he wasn’t wearing the “New York” style, which is defined by an extra midsole layer, a design element the casual observer might miss. The alternative Timberland, aka “boneless,” has the upper attached to the sole in a simpler two-piece construction.
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One TikTok user, @crisinmotion, made a now-viral video on Kelce’s shoes from the date with Swift: “They look great. The only thing is, is that I now have an unnecessary amount of information about boneless Timbs because of TikTok. And now when I see this picture, all I can see is Trav’s boneless Timbs.”
The user clarified, “This isn’t a criticism, this is just me acknowledging how much time I spend on the Internet and how I will deep dive into a topic that I find interesting and entertaining — and the Internet, this app, delivered.”
The differentiation between the preferred “New York”-style Timberland and its less-desired “boneless” cousin has led to a range of videos on the platform. Some express the importance of buying the “right” one with the added midsole feature (on the classic wheat boot, it’s a light yellow layer), some wonder if theirs are “boneless” or not, while other commenters think the debate is frivolous and people should wear whatever style of boots they please.
Another user, @nino.bey04, broke down the difference between the Timberland boot options. Holding a boot, the user said, “This boot right is here is considered regular, because it got the sole, it got the middle part and it got the boot. Three parts.”
The explanation continued: “Boneless does not have this yellow part right here. Boneless…it’s just sole and boot. You need to have the Timb with the middle part, you need the bust-down middle part of the Timb. If you ain’t got three sections to your Timberland boot — one, two, three — you got a bone-out Timb. Now mind you, you gotta do what you gotta do what’s best for you. I’m just saying if you can get the bone-in Timb, get the bone-in Timb.”
There is typically a price difference between the debated shoes, with the simpler boot priced a bit lower. On the Timberland website, the men’s Timberland Premium 6-Inch Waterproof Boot, pictured above, is marked at $210. A flatter option from DSW, the Timberland Timb 6 Padded Collar Waterproof Boot – Men’s, is priced at $179.99. (But the retailer also has the Premium for $209.99.) So the “New York” comes with a bigger impact on customers’ wallets.
While opinions on the ultra-specific shoe topic vary, it points to a keen awareness of the consumer, an emphasis on regional differences in fashion, and, of course, the Internet’s propensity to scrutinize all manner of subjects.