Fashion for sports shoes has evolved a lot over the last years. Once the most popular model were simple sneakers, which stylists used to match even with suits, today one of the most popular shoes are so-called ugly sneakers or dad shoes – less known as chunky sneakers.
There is a reason why this model of shoes is called dad shoes. The chunky athletic shoes were very popular in the 1980s and 1990s. The first brands to popularize this model of footwear in 2013 were Adidas and Nike. They were immediately followed by many famous sports companies and more. Chunky sneakers have been produced by brands such as Balenciaga, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Chanel and Hugo Boss, which proves the demand for this type of footwear. The variety of models and prices still surprises, but the common point connecting all models of chunky sneakers is a large, massive sole and a clumsy shape, which together create a unique style.
Thanks to brands like Balenciaga and Calvin Klein, chunky sneakers have also won the hearts of celebrities. Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, for example, are infatuated with this model, which has been captured by numerous photographers. In Poland, many celebrities also choose this type of footwear, such as Anna Lewandowska. Celebrities combine the shoes with almost every style, making ugly shoes very versatile.
However, the popularity of ugly shoes is not only due to the current fashion and versatility, but above all, comfort. Shoes with such a high sole have a very good cushioning system, which contributes to the comfort of wearing them. It is also worth mentioning that ugly shoes often not only look heavy, but also are so, so before buying this type of shoes, we should carefully check whether it does not bother us in them. In this case, you should choose a lighter model, such as from the brand ECCO or Fila
The fashion for these shoes was started by sports brands and they are currently the main producers of these shoes. This is mainly due to the price they offer, compared to exclusive brands
To illustrate this point, Calvin Klein shoes cost about 800 PLN, while Nike shoes cost about 300 PLN. This is a colossal difference in price, which makes chunky sneakers made by sports companies more popular and more widely available. An interesting phenomenon is the fact that thanks to Chunky sneakers, Fila brand, which was forgotten until recently, is back in favor and more and more often you can find its clothes and shoes on city streets
At first, dad shoes were mainly associated with streetwear style. Nowadays, you can often see these shoes even in elegant styles. All thanks to the fact that it is a very universal model of footwear. It will look great with both pants and wide pants. Depending on the model and color, they can be combined with different patterns and shades. The more interesting and strange the combination the better, paradoxically. In turn, fashion experts believe that this model is best dressed for loose interesting and colorful compositions, so that they become one of the elements of the whole outfit, and not their main point.
With chunky sneakers dating back to the 90s, they also look great paired with bright jeans or boxy dresses with suspenders.
Chunky sneakers have both a very large number of fans and opponents. Some are enamored with this model from the first meeting, while others had to mature to such a decision or find the perfect model for themselves. Many people consider these shoes ugly and not very stylish. However, if the opponents continue to be less than the supporters, no doubt this type of footwear will be fashionable for many more years.
