It’s part of why approach shoes, which marry the comfort of a hiking shoe with the strong grip of a climbing one, have been scaling fashion’s heights of late. Objectively a bit odd to look at, though not strictly speaking ugly, they offer intrigue and function.
And this links to another often overlooked reason we are seeing some unexpected moves in fashion’s footwear of choice. When it comes to many of these shoes – the more potato-like ones and the clogs designed for horticulture in particular – it comes down to one thing. “You can talk a lot about rebellion, AI slop fatigue, taste, status etc,” says Palmer. “But it’s all just as simple as… they’re really, really comfy.” My approach shoes, I can confirm, feel like a fluffy loaf of bread on your foot. And who wouldn’t want that?
