Written by The Strategy
Shoes are wonderful little works of art that women spend plenty of hard earned cash on, all because we want our feet to look pretty. There are seemingly limitless options when it comes to the shoe department of life, many of which are not particularly comfortable. In the midst of platforms and lobster shoes, what we’d call ‘ugly’ sandals have been creeping in the background patiently waiting for everyone to notice them. Wanting to take a swing in the other direction, perhaps following the way of the sneaker trend, ‘ugly’ sandals seem to have finally gained the fame they were after.
Coming in a variety of options all their own, there are sandals for your every whim. You’ve got your basic Adidas style sandals that high school athletes seem to adore, there are the luxury slip ons stemming from Marant, and of course, there are the ever present Birkenstock bunch. Regardless of your personal standing on the matter of ‘ugly’ sandals, one question remains true across the board: Why have they become so popular if so many people think they’re ugly? We wonder the same. And yet, there are a pair of lovably ugly sandals gazing over us during the writing of this piece.
What it seems to come down to is a matter of acceptance. You know the saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”? This theory proves the opposite. What happened to sandals during their rise as fashion footwear is probably the exact same thing that happened for combat boots or espadrilles. Someone decided they looked good, wore them, and then the inevitable snowball effect took over. Before we knew it, we were seeing these ‘ugly’ sandals in every store, on every foot, and featured on every website. Presence, dear friends, is what marched these ugly shoes straight into the hearts of fashion lovers around the world.
Yes, they’re ugly. But more importantly, they are comfortable. Fashion is rarely if ever practical, but these sandals took the comfy cake and ran with it. If you have doubts, we personally double dog dare you to try on a pair of Birkenstocks. SO. MUCH. SUPPORT. They’re like the mentally and emotionally stable relationship you’ve always dreamed of, except better because they’re shoes. Especially in the summer, when the go to casual shoe choices are either flip flops (not yet officially accepted as shoes, in our eyes) or sneakers with the backs flattened-in out of sheer laziness.
So, yes, these sandals, initially unattractive as they may be, are officially accepted as shoes. As strange as you seem, as doubtful as some may be, and as stumpy as you can make some legs look…we accept you.
