Sunday, July 17, 2011

Fashion Has Pet Peeves

Over the years, there has come to be a separation between things that become almost universally popular and the 'real' fashion, the fashion that lives in Paris and New York, that is free yet oddly exact about its limitations (or lack thereof). 

Specifically, I'm talking about certain objects that become must-haves, fads that gain millions and millions of loyal (for a while there) followers. And high fashion hates them. The examples are endless and range from trucker hats to shutter shades, but what I'm here to discuss to day is something of greater, more universal interest. Yes, shoes. 

There are, to my immediate memory, four types of shoes that would make Anna Wintour's nose wrinkle in disgust, and no self-respecting high-end store would condone them on their racks. 


1. Crocs. 


This is almost undebatable. The relation between how ugly and how popular these shoes are baffles me. How can something so unapologetically bad looking be sold for years, and worn by children, men and women alike?! 

I was in Belgium a couple of years ago and while on a tour of one of its lovely towns, my sister pointed out an all-Crocs store, which also had the audacity to bear the word fashion on its window. I choked on my drink and demanded we cross the street. 

They're the oddity of the apparel world and I'm afraid it will never be explained.(Comfort can't be a justification. Sneakers are comfortable too.)

2. Flip flops/ tongs. 
photo comes from Mallory

First off, I have to admit I do wear these. On short store trips and grocery shopping and when it's so hot out, people get lazy about shoes and clothes and stuff. And the swimming pool. And sometimes picnics. 

Fine. I wear flip flops. There, I said it. I'm trying to keep an honest blog here people. 

But they really are hated. I've heard so much bad-fashion-reference of them in movies and stuff, it's not funny. 


3. Birkenstocks. 

Photo from here.
This is actually improper. Rather than berated by the real fashion people, Birkenstocks have been the butt of jokes as 'hippie' shoes, and made fun of for not being exactly glamorous. Personally, I find them totally cute and if nothing else, the hipster phenom is bringing them back. They are organic-looking, easy to match, varied in style and just fine for spring-summer.

AND they're good for you. 

4. UGGs. 

They could not have a more appropriate name. Because, really. They are an embarrassment to humanity. We've been making shoes for some thousands of years, and in this day and age we make such precarious, improvised-looking excuses for boots? Their popularity is proof that if marketed well, anything can sell and be thought cool/beautiful/stylish.

The only proper situation for these is, I think, after skiing. Wearing them in the summer is a masochistic, sheep-in-the-herd kind of thing to do, and I wish those people all the luck in the world dealing with the fungi that breed in the sweat-infested uggles. 


Disclaimer: This is not an attack towards anyone who finds stuff from this article cool. I was analysing fashion-related idiosyncracies through my own eyes and this is my blog to post what I please. LOL.

5 comments:

  1. thank you for the comment...i've been meaning to tell you that the color looks gorgeous on you! you should wear it out more!

    ReplyDelete
  2. so true!!! U have a very nice blog :)

    http://kalancea.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

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