Target's affordable alternative to $500 Frye boots sparks social media frenzy

Classic $500 Frye boots are back again thanks to TikTok - and a $50 alternative at Target. 

However, the dupe is proving controversial, as fashion fans are questioning the sustainability of buying the Target version since the Frye boots last for years. 

The Campus boots are one of the most popular options, with many TikTok content creators showing off their thrift shop finds or their mom's pairs from the '90s.  

Frye boots were wildly popular in the '90s with stars like Jennifer Aniston and, in July, Olivia Rodrigo brought back the boots on Instagram, showing them off with a Gen Z twist. 

However, on TikTok, creators are fighting about whether the classic boots are worth the money, with many influencers calling out their followers for not buying the original version. 

One creator named Maddie summed up the sartorial controversy in a TikTok video, rolling her eyes while writing on the post, 'Frye boots are an investment piece, Target shouldn't be selling $50 versions, if you can't pay $400 for the real thing, you shouldn't get them' - which is the conversation many people are currently having. 

Maddie captioned the viral video, 'I think they're ugly but some of y'all making think pieces need to go outside. Very few people have $400 to spend on boots, just let these people live.' 

The Target Women's Oakley Harness Boots are $44.99, while the Frye Tall Leather Harness Biker Boots are $498. 

Commenters were quick to weigh in with their own opinions about the influencers who have been poking fun at people who can't afford the original footwear. 

'They're just mad that they spent $400 on boots,' one commenter snarked.   

'I feel like people who say that are just worried people won't be able to tell if theirs are real or knockoffs when they wear them,' another commenter said. 

'Why do they care so much what other people spend their hard earned money on?' was a popular sentiment. 

Some said their Target shoes lasted them for years, while they feel like the Frye quality has gone downhill over the years. 

Some said despite Frye boots having the reputation of lasting for decades, theirs only lasted for one or two years now.  

'Every person who's mad about the people buying the $50 dupe has above 10k followers like it's so out of touch its hilarious,' a commenter declared. 

Others pointed out that the Frye boots were a trend, writing, 'The same people that say this will be selling theirs on Poshmark and calling them cheugy in a year,' and 'They're gonna be selling them before they're done paying them off.' 

Many people were quick to point out that there are plenty of Frye 'dupes' everywhere, including on Amazon, explaining, 'Everyone calling them Frye boot dupes hasn't seen the hundreds of iterations of moto boots that have been popular over the years.' 

Plenty of folks brought up how the trendy was just as popular in 2015, explaining, 'Moto boots and Frye boots HAVE been a thing, y'all under a rock during Christian girl autumn or???' 

During the 'Christian Girl Autumn' trend, young women wore circle scarves, leggings or skinny jeans, high boots, and clutched Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

Now, it's all about pairing the moto boots with miniskirts and denim - but it is possible the footwear will feel dated in a few months, so it's up to shoppers if they spend $44 on an inexpensive version or shell out hundreds on the originals, which will last them far longer.