It's time to come clean: We love ugly shoes.
Not hyper-trendy, metal-studded, mega-platform monstrosities whose trendy ugliness haunts us every few months. No, we mean seriously ugly. The shoes stylish fashion girls are not "supposed" to like. But we do. We really, really do.
There are plenty of reasons to hop on the ugly shoe train. They tend to be comfortable, so they probably won't give you bunions or ankle sprains. They also will look ugly no matter what... so you can wear them with just about anything. And they never go out of style because, well, they have not been in style in a very long time.
Throw them on to run to the supermarket or wear them around your house -- baby steps. You'll feel so good you might just swap them in for those killer pumps that look-really-hot-but-make-the-back-of-your-heels-bleed next Saturday night at the bar. Trust us, your feet will thank you later.
Here are some of our favorites you should try. Trust us.
Jellies
Back in the 90's, nothing said summer like a good old pair of pink, glittery jellies. Our feet may have grown since then, but our affection for the plastic parties-for-your-feet is unwavering. Plus, these are exclusively warm weather shoes, and we love everything about warm weather.
Birkenstocks
Anyone who ever went to sleepaway camp knows that Birkenstocks (especially when worn with socks) are probably the most comfortable shoes on Earth. Thanks to fashionable advocates like Eva Chen and Ashley Olsen, the strappy hippie shoes are more on-trend than ever. (But we suggest omitting the socks in public.)
Crocs
Hear us out. Crocs have come a very long way. Now, You can even buy them with a heel. Plus, you can wear them in the rain and not worry about ruining them. And if you're anything like our moms, you can wear them while gardening. Win.
Dansko Clogs
They're super comfortable, with a perfect amount of arch to help our posture, not to mention that faded black basically matches everything. Bonus: You can show off your fun socks.
Uggs
Yes, Uggs are unflattering. They make your feet look wide and clown-like. But think of it this way: When you slip on a pair of Uggs, you're basically tucking your toes into a warm, fuzzy bed. Your toes want you to tuck them into a warm, fuzzy bed. If they're good enough for hot Australian surfers, they're good enough for us.
Doc Martens
We're more than happy to take style advice from Daria and Jane, whose uniforms consisted of Docs all day, every day. They come in plenty of colors and patterns, making it easy to find a pair that fits with your wardrobe. Plus, they give even the most feminine outfits more of an edge.
Sauconys
Remember the days when you wanted these bad boys in every color? These versatile sneakers are sporty enough to run around in but not too sporty to wear out with a pair of jeans. Extra risk-taker points if you mix and match colors.
Mules
The least comfortable shoe on the list, mules have been long regarded as beloved, albeit unattractive shoes. Even Marie Antoinette was a fan. A cousin of the clog, mules shield the world from your lack of pedicure while still giving you some length. Many variations of the shoe also come with a platform, making them much easier to walk in than stilettos.
Steve Madden Sandals
And not just any Steve Madden sandals. You know the ones we mean. Where are those stretchy shoes now that we want to fulfill our comfortable flatform craving? Where?!?
Heelys
We're not so much suggesting your wear these as much as imagine how great it would be to get to where you need to go that much faster. With a little wheelage sticking yout of our sneakers, you're (literally) unstoppable.
Outfits to go with the shoes:
