This Is Why Everyone Is Buying "Ugly" Shoes

One of the hottest topics in the fashion world this year has undoubtedly been the “ugly” shoe phenomenon. Even fashion girls and celebrities have fully embraced them, making them a bona fide It shoe style. And now more than ever, the trend shows no sign of fading. Christopher Kane featured a Crocs collaboration in his latest showing at London Fashion Week, and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi revealed a flatform collaboration with Ugg at its S/S 17 show.

But what’s behind this recent acceptance of the trend? Jennifer Baumgartner, a clinical psychologist and author of You Are What You Wear, recently gave Bloomberg a highly plausible theory behind it. She states, “There’s now less social pressure focused on your feet. Wearers are less interested in trying to flatter, conceal, or make their feet look better. That’s distinct from the fear we feel about clothing because of the stigma surrounding body type and size, especially in an age where they’re bombarded with images online and on social media.”

So presumably, these days we’re all less worried about how our feet look and more interested in how they feel. (Baumgartner also points out the irony of wearing “deliberately hideous shoes” in the article.) Enter “ugly” shoes, which are usually quite comfortable. This theory makes perfect sense to us and further proves that the trend could be around for a while, so we advise embracing it if it suits your style.

Shop our “ugly” shoe picks below, and tell us what you think of the reason behind their popularity in the comments at the end!

Do you own and wear any "ugly” shoes? Tell us in the comments below!

Opening Image: Style du Monde