The first time I saw it, my exact thought was “Dear God, WHAT is THAT?!?!” I was aghast. Just completely gobsmacked. I had never, in my entire life, seen such a hideous shoe on a female foot. Or a male foot. Or ANY foot. I am referring to the foot covering that I have since learned is called a “Bubble Shoe”. I thought Crocs and Uggs were bad, but these? Even a thorough search of my trusty thesaurus fails to uncover a synonym for ugly that adequately describes these things (I refuse to call them a shoe). 

Of course, I thought the young woman wearing them just had terrible taste. I felt badly for her that she had spent money on something so dreadful. Then I saw them again at the grocery store. And again at the doctor’s office. And again in a fairly nice department store. 

If you have no idea what a Bubble Shoe is, I apologize profusely but I am about to assault your eyeballs. Behold, I bring you the incredibly popular Bubble Shoe: 

I’ll give you a moment to absorb that. I sincerely hope you don’t have nightmares tonight.

What, exactly, is the point of these shoe-like objects? It can’t be fashion. Or function (what are you going to do in THAT?). 

Reading online reviews, the comments all have a common denominator: comfort. 

“Feels like a massage when you walk.”

“Most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn in my life.”

“Like heaven on my feet.”

Ah, comfort. One must always be comfortable in the year 2023. Comfort at all costs, including pride in one’s appearance, seems to be the name of the game these days.

That being said, women have always wanted to be comfortable. No woman in her right mind goes to the store and deliberately chooses a shoe that is uncomfortable. But, back in the day, there was an understanding that a gal could be comfortable and still put her best foot forward, fashion-wise.

Look at this advertisement from the November 1944 issue of Ladies Home Journal:

Selby Arch Preserver Shoes. “Designed specifically to eliminate the usual wear and tear of foot weariness after a long day of standing, walking.” Sounds pretty comfortable to me.

And those features they tout? Steel arch bridge for support? Metatarsal pad for comfort? Flat innersole for extra comfort? All of those features indicate a very well made and thoughtfully designed shoe. Can plastic bubble foot coverings say any of that? I should think not.

Lest you think all ladies in the 40’s ran around in heels constantly, I found advertisement after advertisement promoting all manner of shoes like loafers, oxfords, moccasins, walking shoes, sandals, etc that are practical, sturdy, made for comfort, and stylish. Moreover, these shoes were made to last and not be thrown out on the whim of the latest fast fashion trend. 

In fact, the venerable Sears, Roebuck and Co catalog from Fall and Winter, 1944-45 offers an excellent selection of comfortable shoes. 

If you had to choose, what would you pick?

Would you rather “coddle your feet with resilient pillow soft cushions” in this:

Or this:

Would you rather enjoy “active walking and exceptional foot comfort” in this:

Or this:

Would you prefer to “keep your feet cozy in coldest weather” in this:

Or, this:

Hard decision? Not for me…I know what I would choose and it’s the shoe that makes me look taller, more slender, and more feminine. I certainly would not choose a shoe that makes me look as if I stepped into a bucket of sticky golf balls or inserted my foot up a sheep’s backside. 

Western civilization (and believe me, I use that term loosely), is wealthier than ever before in history with more technology at our fingertips. We know how to make comfortable shoes. We have limitless creativity to design comfortable shoes that still look elegant. And we have the capability to mass produce stylish, comfortable shoes at affordable prices. So why, WHY, do we see women on the streets, in the shops, and at work wearing shoes that look like a wayward piece to a bad homemade Halloween costume?

Let’s bring back elegant, comfortable shoes. And, more importantly, let’s bring back the desire to wear them in the first place. 

À l’élégance!