The Coolest 'Ugly' Shoes to Buy Right Now

by Natalie Matthews


The buzz right now is about Birkenstocks. They're the latest shoe to boomerang from Antiquated Footwear Land to Ironically Cool Footwear Land. Suddenly, pairing a summery dress with a delicate strappy sandal feels sorta safe, but picking a Birkenstock or another clunky sanThe buzz right now is about Birkenstocks. They're the latest shoe to boomerang from Antiquated Footwear Land to Ironically Cool Footwear Land. Suddenly, pairing a summery dress with a delicate strappy sandal feels sorta safe, but picking a Birkenstock or another clunky sandal for that gauzy sundress or cropped pant is cool. Of course, those formulas-ugly shoe + pretty dress; ugly shoe + polished separates-they're old ones. Old ones and good ones.

We love the off-kilter look they create, whether it's nailed via Birkenstocks or soccer mom sneakers or '90s-style Spice Girls flatforms, so we thought we'd round up some of our favorite "ugly" or scarlet letter-stamped shoes on the market now. From the instantly recognizable shapes (clogs! shower slides! combat boots!) to the dude-confusing hybrids (lace-up mid-calf sandal booties? shooties?), there should be something in there to help you get your Ironically Cool Footwear fix in, even if Birkenstocks just aren't for you. (Plus, they're all slightly different versions of the iconic "ugly" shoes instead of the brand names, because if you wanted to buy those, you'd know where to find them, wouldn't you?)

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