'Ugly' Shoes Trend: 30 Styles That Deserve a Second Chance [PHOTOS]

Amina Ayoud and Elizabeth Grace Coyne

29 May 2024 at 10:44 am·3-min read

Many footwear silhouettes can fall under the category of “ugly” shoes, a trend that, despite its name, has become associated with some of the most popular celebrities and fashion influencers. Birthed from a widespread embrace of more comfortable silhouettes over the past few years, the trend is found in both high and low-end labels, including Crocs, Ugg, Balenciaga, Birkenstock, Maison Margiela, Subu, Lusso Cloud, Clarks, Dr. Martens and Adidas. Despite the trend’s name, the shoes aren’t “ugly,” given that that’s up for interpretation. The shoes are instead abrasive and statement-making, standing out from the norm.

More from Footwear News

Best of Footwear News

Balenciaga Speed Trainers

Balenciaga Speed Trainers; $895; balenciaga.com

Nike Air Rift Sneakers

Nike Air Rift sneakers; $88; nike.com

Birkenstock x Jill Sanders Velan Clog Sandals

Nike Air Rift sneakers; $740; birkenstock.com

Birkenstock Boston Big Buckle Teddy Shearling Clogs

Birkenstock Boston Big Buckle teddy shearling clogs; $195; bloomingdales.com

Chloé X Teva Hurricane XLT2 Ampsole Sandals

Chloé X Teva Hurricane XLT2 Ampsole sandals; $575; teva.com

Birkenstock Boston Soft Footbed Slip-on

Birkenstock Boston soft footbed slip-on in “Taupe;” $158.00; birkenstock.com

Converse Run Star Motion CX Platform Sneakers

Converse Run Star Motion CX Platform sneakers; $120.00; converse.com

Givenchy Leather Chain-Link Accents Pumps

Givenchy Leather Chain-Link Accents pumps; $875.00; therealreal.com

Jil Sanders Leather Thong Platform Boots

Jil Sanders Leather Thong platform boots; $1,600; bergdorfgoodman.com

Bottega Veneta The Puddle Boots

Bottega Veneta The Puddle boots; $820; bergdorfgoodman.com

Subu x Sandy Liang Slippers

Subu x Sandy Liang slippers; $98; sandyliang.com

Loewe Black 3D Balloon Leather Sandals

Loewe Black 3D Balloon leather sandals; $1,199.33; lyst.com

Adidas Adifom Q Sneakers

Adidas Adifom Q sneakers; $50; snipesusa.com

Isabel Marant Bekett Sneaker Wedges

Isabel Marant Bekett sneaker wedges in “Taupe;” $680; revolve.com

Hoka Hopara Sneakers

Hoka Hopara sneakers in “Trellis/Mercury”; $134.95; zappos.com

J. Crew Convertible Leather Clogs

J. Crew Convertible leather clogs in “Rich Oak;” $129.99; jcrew.com

Teva Original Universal Sandals

Teva Original Universal sandals in “Gecko Neutral;” $15.83; teva.com

Gucci Women’s Rubber Slide Sandal

Gucci Women’s Rubber Slide sandal; $450; gucci.com

Melissa Possession Platform

Melissa Possession platform in “Lilac;” $109.00; shopmelissa.com

New Balance 9060 Sneakers

New Balance 9060 sneakers; $149.99; newbalance.com

Gap Silver Leather Ballet Flats

Gap silver leather ballet flats; $34.00; Gap.com

MM6 Maison Margiela Black Anatomic Boots

MM6 Maison Margiela Black Anatomic boots; $590; ssense.com

Crocs Blitzmen II

Crocs Blitzmen II; $49.99; Crocs.com

Blundstone Original 500 Series Chelsea Boot

Blundstone Original 500 Series Chelsea boot; $119; Blundstone.com

Gurkee’s Sandal

Gurkee’s sandal; $49; Gurkees.com

Nike Benassi Sandal

Nike Benassi sandal; $40; Urbanoutfitters.com

Shepler’s Durango Boot

Shepler’s Durango boot; $119; sheplers.com

Ugg Tania Boot

Ugg Tania boot; $175; Ugg.com

John Fluevog Magnum Loafers

John Fluevog Magnum loafers; $279; Fluevog

Dansko Professional Clogs

Dansko Professional clogs; $119.95; Zappos.com

Cosmo
White minis, corsets and stockings: Sydney Sweeney’s Paris wardrobe is très chic
Sydney Sweeney shared photos on IG from her Paris trip and all her outfits – white mini dresses, corset tops and shorts co-ords, and stockings are très chic.
Yahoo Canada Style
I wore HOKA's 'best cushioned running shoes' for a year — here's my honest review of the $200 sneakers
Shoppers say they're "worth every penny" if you suffer from foot pain.
Hello!
Selena Gomez jumps on the yellow swimsuit trend in romantic snap with Benny Blanco
The Only Murders in The Building star shared a series of stylish vacation snaps on Instagram
The Telegraph
‘More fun and sociable than tennis’: Why padel is in fashion
At Wimbledon this year Novak Djokovic issued a harrowing warning to tennis fans. The 24-time-winning Grand Slam champ from Serbia said the racket sport to which he has dedicated his life was “endangered” by the rise of another. He was talking about padel.
HuffPost
‘I Approve This Message’: Kamala Harris Instantly Uses Trump’s Own Words Against Him
That didn’t take long.
Cosmo
Rosalía goes braless and *almost* frees the nip in a lace naked dress
Rosalía stepped out wearing a breathtaking naked dress at the Prelude to the Olympics in Paris. The design was a nude coloured see-through lace gown by Dior.
SETHLUI.COM
Ru Yi Yuan: Rude, stingy & unhygenic auntie has hour-long queue for vegetarian bee hoon
The post Ru Yi Yuan: Rude, stingy & unhygenic auntie has hour-long queue for vegetarian bee hoon appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
BBC
Martial arts teen dies in Malaysia after infection
The 18-year-old travelled to Thailand to train in arts before falling severely ill.
The Independent
Stranded Boeing astronauts are stuck on International Space Station, Nasa says in urgent update
The astronauts stranded on the International Space Station are still not able to come home, Nasa has said. Two astronauts went to the space station almost 50 days ago as part of a test of Boeing’s Starliner capsule. Test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were supposed to visit the orbiting lab for about a week and return in mid-June, but thruster failures and helium leaks on Boeing‘s new Starliner capsule prompted Nasa and Boeing to keep them up longer.
People
Vanessa Williams, 61, Refuses to Get Botox, Fillers or a Facelift: ‘I Want to Look Like Myself’ (Exclusive)
The former beauty-queen-turned-Hollywood-star gets candid about what she has and hasn't done amid the aging process
The Telegraph
Manchester United staff ‘shocked, upset and angry’ as long-serving academy coaches face cull
Manchester United’s academy staff have been left “shocked”, “upset” and in some cases “angry” at the news that several respected, long-serving coaches could lose their jobs in the cost-cutting drive at Old Trafford.
The Telegraph
How Gerald Ford predicted Kamala Harris’s presidential run
Almost 35 years ago, Gerald Ford predicted that America would get its first female president only when a male incumbent could no longer continue.
The Independent
Police officer stood down after ‘truly shocking’ video shows man kicked in face at Manchester Airport
Hundreds of protesters chanted ‘shame on you’ at a protest at Manchester airport following the incident captured on camera
NextShark
Asian teen stomped on head during Bay Area basketball game
A police investigation is underway following a violent incident during a youth basketball game where a 13-year-old player stomped on an opponent's head, leading to a concussion. The game, held at the College of Alameda on Sunday, involved the Filipino American Tumakbo United team and Payton's Place team, both from the Bay Area. What happened: The now-viral video of the incident shows a scuffle over the ball, during which the Filipino boy falls to the ground before his 13-year-old opponent stomps on his head.
Evening Standard
Elderly woman was 'rammed with trolley' sparking Manchester airport police 'stamping' incident
Brothers confronted man who had argued with their mother on flight before pushing trolley into her, it is claimed
SETHLUI.COM
Kiang Kiang Taiwan Teppanyaki: Ex-hotel chef from Taipei serves sizzling hotplate pasta with ribeye steak, basil pork & halibut
The post Kiang Kiang Taiwan Teppanyaki: Ex-hotel chef from Taipei serves sizzling hotplate pasta with ribeye steak, basil pork & halibut appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
INSIDER
Trump picking JD Vance was a 'really bad decision' and he would have been better off with Nikki Haley, ex-Trump official says
Anthony Scaramucci said Trump made a "really bad decision" choosing JD Vance as his VP, although Trump has said that Vance is "doing a fantastic job."
People
Was Trump Struck By a Bullet or Shrapnel? FBI Director Testifies There's 'Some Question' Around Injury
"There's some question about whether or not it's a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear," FBI Director Christopher Wray said
Associated Press
China issues rare praise to Philippine president for his ban on Chinese online gambling operators
China issued a rare compliment to the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Marcos accused some of venturing into crimes including financial scams, human trafficking, kidnappings, torture and murder. Relations between China and the Philippines under Marcos have been strained since he allowed an expanded U.S. military presence in the country under a 2014 defense pact and hostilities between their forces started to flare in the disputed South China Sea last year.
Simply Wall St.
Singapore Airlines And Two More Top Dividend Stocks On SGX
In recent times, the Singapore market has shown a steady, flat performance both over the past week and year, with expectations of earnings growth at an annual rate of 9.2% in the coming years. In such a stable market environment, dividend stocks like Singapore Airlines offer potential for consistent returns, making them an attractive option for investors seeking regular income streams.