the ugly shoe drop
How did ugly shoes win? Hear me out. Over the past year if you have noticed or not shoes have changed dramatically. By this, I mean shoes categorize as ugly. Now I know everyone's definition of ugly is different but if you took the dictionary definition, "unpleasant to look" it doesn't have the greatest reputation.
But why are ugly shoes societies favorite?
Throughout history, shoes have been practically the same. Most wore them for use only not for a statement.
As far as we were aware of...
We may not have learned about shoes in history class but believe it or not the shoes we call "ugly" today were trends back in the '30s. Think about the platform clogs. Everyone is wearing them. These shoes considered trendy by some but ugly by others, are a statement piece now. These were created by the designer, Moshe Kimle, in the thirties. Then in the seventies, the platform, colorful, less traditional shoes were designed for the hippies, hints why the trend never really lasted. Finally, we come to the 2000s, The Spice Girls. Let's all admit we could never be them so we could never rock the shoes.
Enough with the history, let's get into why our culture, 2021, loves ugly shoes. We wear these shoes for two reasons and two reasons only: we want to be trendy or we want to be different. If it wasn't 2021 we would not be buying platform Converse that makes us 6'8 to wear to the grocery store. We can honestly blame high-end fashion brands. Bottega Veneta, Yeezy, Balenciaga, Versace, Gucci; brand after brand started to create these shoes from the '70s that people never saw.
Yeezy (Summer 2021 drop)
Bottega Veneta ( summer 2021 drop)
Low-end fast fashion brands duped these shoes to make them affordable to the public to be in quotes "different" but now "trendy". So yes ugly shoes won but who doesn't like them. Don't answer that becuase there is a style to them, just agree for the sake of my sanity.
See I'm a shoe lover, but I also love fashion. People in fashion know if an accessory is a show stopper we must buy. That's why I love the ugly shoe trend. It's a show stopper, an eye looker, a head tilter accessory. In fact, I just ordered another pair of sneakers from a brand called Nasty Gal, I know not a high-end brand, still looking for a job, but I absolutely adore them. 
Nasty Gal
So don't be ashamed to wear ugly shoes, it's trendy, it's different, it's a personality trait. Whatever your heart desires to think when wearing them, just remember it's not your fault they're ugly, they just won.
Buy and sell authentic sneakers. GOAT. (n.d.). https://www.goat.com/collections/yeezy.
Nasty gal Women's Fashion: Shop the world's largest collection of fashion. ShopStyle. (n.d.). https://www.shopstyle.com/browse/women/nasty-gal.
Bottega Veneta® US: Official website. Bottega Veneta® US | Official Website. (n.d.). https://www.bottegaveneta.com/.
3, C. P. O., & Pasori, C. (2019, October 6). The unknown history of platform shoes. Interview Magazine. https://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/the-unknown-history-of-platform-shoes.
Hey Alaina! This was super interesting to read up on. I've noticed the "ugly shoe" trend this summer and cannot say I am a fan. I do, however, love the platform converse! I try to stay up to date with some of the shoe trends, fashion is a whole different story. I like to think I am a shoe person, but more of the basics, not the cooler shoes. Can't wait for your next drop!
ReplyDeleteHi Alaina, this is such a cool topic to read about. I would totally agree that it does depend on whats trending or what people think is cool. I would also agree that the shoes that are trending these days are the cutest. I like to think I am fashionable but not in the trendy way, obviously people have way better style then I do.
ReplyDeleteAlaina I completely agree with you and applaud for thinking of this creative topic. I too am a lover of shoes, especially trendy shoes that may be considered ugly. I agree that this whole trend of ugly shoes began with high-fashion brand's desire to be different and make a statement, and sometimes what is different and makes a statement is regarded as ugly, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting perspective on ugly shoes. I personally haven’t ever put much thought into the shoes I wear beyond whether or not they are comfy and look decent to me. I’m not sure that they should be considered ugly shoes, though, if they are attractive enough to become the current style’s favorite type of shoe. Calling them different, unique, or weird might be better. Either way, this was a good insight into the world of shoes!
ReplyDelete