Social Pictures: The 39th Cúirt International Festival of Literature launch
Social Pictures: The 39th Cúirt International Festival of Literature launch

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‘There’s a claustrophobia within a love sustained by friendship and respect’
‘There’s a claustrophobia within a love sustained by friendship and respect’

Sarah Gill

My Life in Culture: Media and Communication Studies lecturer Dr. Susan Liddy
My Life in Culture: Media and Communication Studies lecturer Dr. Susan Liddy

Sarah Finnan

10 unique Irish stays for something a little different this summer
10 unique Irish stays for something a little different this summer

Sarah Gill

A Derry home, full of personality and touches of fun, proves the power of embracing colour
A Derry home, full of personality and touches of fun, proves the power of embracing...

Megan Burns

The rise of the tennis aesthetic (thank you Zendaya)
The rise of the tennis aesthetic (thank you Zendaya)

Sarah Finnan

Rodial founder Maria Hatzistefanis: 15 lessons in business
Rodial founder Maria Hatzistefanis: 15 lessons in business

Holly O'Neill

PODCAST: Season 3, Episode 4: Trinny Woodall of Trinny London
PODCAST: Season 3, Episode 4: Trinny Woodall of Trinny London

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Ask the Doctor: ‘Is a Keto diet safe, or could it raise my cholesterol?’
Ask the Doctor: ‘Is a Keto diet safe, or could it raise my cholesterol?’

Sarah Gill

Sarah Jessica Parker loves Ireland and we love her
Sarah Jessica Parker loves Ireland and we love her

Sarah Finnan

Image / Fashion

Is this ugly shoe the sandal of the summer?


By Holly O'Neill
30th Apr 2020
Is this ugly shoe the sandal of the summer?

Fashion trolling has a new victim — the thong sandal


Just when you thought trainers couldn’t get more offensively hideous, the sandal steps in to take their reign. Is fashion trolling us? Between the revival of tie-dye everything, fanny packs and low-rise jeans, woundingly expensive micro-bags that you wouldn’t fit a lighter in, senior citizen sandals, Crocs and all things dad (dad jeans, dad sandals, dad shirts), and shoes with stains on them (!!!) the Emperor’s New Clothes trends prevail (is everyone joking?).

As fashion news writer Emilia Petrarca puts it, “luxury is being in on the joke. And brands are laughing all the way to the bank.”

The performance art of proudly repulsive fashion continues this summer with the chunky thong sandal. It’s like the cheap sandal you wore on your holidays when you were 14, but uglier — sturdy, bulky, platformed. All the worst words.

If you’re deep in the world of fashion’s preoccupation with the ugly shoe, you already know the sandal I’m talking about. It’s the Ginza leather sandal by The Row, at the preposterous price of €780.

I hate that I love them.

Look, don’t come crying to me about it, I don’t make the rules. Take it up with the influencers.

I’ve put together an edit of the most hideous ones I could find and a selection of influencers wearing them if you still need convincing. I know, I know. The joke is on us.

@monikh

@lucywilliams02

@pernilleteisbaek

@brittanybathgate

Shop our edit of chunky thong sandals below.

The Row Ginza leather sandals, €780

The Row Ginza leather sandals, €780

Arket flatform thong sandal, €135

Monki platform flip flops, €35

Ecco corksphere sandal, €103.50

ATP Atelier Black Melitto leather flatform sandals, €282

& Other Stories T-Bar strap leather sandals, €69

Neous leather platform sandals, €414

Photography by @monikh.

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