The ugly sneaker trend is definitely a thing that is here to stay, and I think it leaves us all scratching our heads. For some reason, we most of us can recognize–on some level–that certain footwear is less than aesthetically pleasing. Often they are oversized, have clunky silhouettes, weird textures, or even just hideous colorways. Yet their lack of visual appeal doesn’t make them unappealing. Far from it.

How is that possible?

I remember the first time I encountered ugly sneakers in the form of royal purple Supras that climbed Justin Beiber’s ankles. They were the tallest high tops I had ever seen, featuring not one, but TWO Velcro straps. At the time, I had only thought of such closures were as either infantile or geriatric. Seeing them in a vibrant-colored suede and sported by the youthful sensation created instant mental dissonance, clashing what I thought I knew to be hideous with what was apparently fashionable, and–given the wearer–even sexy.

Fastfoward to today, and now we have anything from Yeezy Boosts (come on–they’re booties with laces), to Adidas Foam Runners, to anything made by Balenciaga. And there’s perhaps the most iconic of the ugly footwear trend to date: the Big Red Boot. Can ugly footwear possibly surpass the outlandishness of these current designs (particularly the last one I mentioned)? While it’s hard to fathom, I suspect the answer is a resounding “yes,” and while I can’t explain it for all of the non-fetishists out there, I can attempt to expand (forgive me) on the impact of this trend as it pertains to me.

I was recently faced with pondering the appeal of the ugly shoe when I wrote my latest Horny Scene, At the Curb. About 85% true story, the 500 word post explores my casual obsession with the Tesla-driving, Foam Runner-wearing neighbor down across the street. In it, I assert that his wearing the Foam Runners can be interpreted as an (unwitting) invitation to stare. Therein lies my fascination. 

Whether a guy slides his foot into a foam approximation of Swiss cheese or jams it into completely unbreathable boot that makes him look like a cartoon character, it’s not really about his comfort, is it? Obviously, there’s a wearability component, but I don’t think that’s the point. He is asking us to observe his feet–to notice them above all else–and then to interpret who he is based on his chosen ugly shoe. It’s kind of like the oversized belt buckle draws the eye to a man’s–er–midsection. And since the most iconic ugly shoes also happen to come with hefty price tags, we can layer on an additional implication that his feet are status symbols and indicate his power. 

And that–my friends–is what a fetish is about, isn’t it? It’s about the power an object can hold over us.

I can’t pretend to understand what the ugly footwear trend is about for those who do not place the same significance on feet as we do. Because from where I’m standing, this is specially-designed eye candy just for us.

So keep on enjoying the view–they’re asking for it.

“The fetish is an object that commands an emotional response and that makes us breathe life into it. Because it is an object we can imagine whatever we want to about it.”

Robert Greene