Summer of Ugly Footwear

1967 was the Summer of Love, 1969's summer had Woodstock, and more recently, 1997 was the summer none of us could get the song MMMBop out of our heads. So, what's the summer of 2008 going to be remembered for? The summer of the historical first nomination of a black man for president on the United States? The summer gas prices soared to an unprecedented 5 dollars a gallon? The summer Brangelina gave birth to the world's most attractive twins ever? No!! It's going to be known for its God-awful, UGLY ASS SHOES, that's what!!!!

Oh my god, it's like all the shoe designers had a convention last year and decided they'd all come out with the ugliest, most unflattering shoes they could imagine and then market them as hot, stylish trends for the summer. Good God, I don't remember in all my life seeing so many terrible sandals on the feet of otherwise attractive, well put-together women, from gladiator sandals, to bejewled sandals, to — I swear to God, I actually saw a woman on the subway wearing some the other day — moccasin flip-flops with fringe!!! THE HORROR.

I leave you with the photographic evidence — you decide: are we headed into the worst summer for footwear, or what?

 

Comments

[Beth]

ick....blame Samantha, Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda......

[Alice]

Aaaahhhh, Wendy, only YOU! You speak the truth, you get it all out there like no other gal would or could! It's as if we're afraid to admit that, yep, those in the fashion know just got it ALL WRONG this time!

(I couldn't agree more, let's just put it that way...)

[Rachel]

Those visual aids made me nauseous.

[Natalee]

My EYES! MY EYES!!

[Scarlett]

Oh thank goodness someone else feels the same way. I HATE all of those shoes you posted and it seems every brand is making them. I'm sorry but my feet do not deserve to be clad in something called "gladiator style." And they certainly don't need more bling than I wear on the rest of me.

I'm wearing 3-year-old heels to a wedding in a few weeks on account of the lack of cute shoes this summer. It's my silent protest to the shoe makers of the world.

[Nick]

Well, as a bloke, I have to agree - utterly hideous and unflattering. Steer well away from them, gals! The top two look positively orthopaedic while the pair in the middle looks like the skeletal remains of someone's foot. But classic unembellished heels will always look ravishing.

[angie]

I HATE 'gladiator' sandals/shoes. I have yet to see one pair that does not make the wearer's legs look stumpy and cankled. ESPECIALLY those that are of the non-heel variety.

God, I am so disappointed with the shoes today.

[Meems]

That's so funny! I was at DSW yesterday totally wanting to make an impulse purchase on some sandals and I ended up with another pair of Adidas flip-flops because nothing looked cute. I thought I was just being boring.

[Elisse]

THANK YOU, Wendy, for voicing what I have been thinking all season so far! I can't believe I'm seeing normally well-put-together, stylish celebrities walking around with these ghastly sandals. It's disappointing, actually - shows they don't care what anything looks like, it's all just about what's "in." They're hideous, as well as ridiculously unflattering. I'm glad someone had the moxy to stand up and say it ;)

[Spirophita]

Oh. Dear. God.

I guess I don't mind the really well-done gladiator mega-heels, but everything else is uggsville.

[citywendy]

Spirophita: secretly, I don't mind the mega-heels so much either. Doesn't mean I'll be buying them any time soon, though!

[Genieve]

And all this time I am wondering who actually likes these sandals, and most importantly, who can wear them with a certain, let's say, elegance? Wendy said it first, it's THE HORROR!

Sure some people might find these cute, as a designer, I can understand there is a statement there (which?).. but, for those of you who sport the trend, don't you feel a bit naked (or ridiculous!) wearing these on the new york subway?