Birkenstocks are popular again. Why have ugly clothes and ugly shoes become a new trend?

This article explores how "ugly clothes" and "ugly shoes" have become a new trend, and analyzes the social and cultural factors and consumer psychology behind them. Through this article, we can gain an in-depth understanding of the current diverse aesthetic trends in the fashion industry, and hope that it will help you understand the aesthetic changes of young consumers.

With the arrival of summer, more and more people are wearing ugly shoes on the streets, such as Birkenstocks, Crocs, platform shoes... They have swept major social platforms with their comfort, practicality and retro style.

Recently, Birkenstocks have become a hot topic on Weibo, sparking widespread discussion. Some people praised their unparalleled comfort and suitability for long-term wear; others joked that they were "uniquely ugly" and even thought that their retro design had a unique flavor.

This is not the first time that Birkenstocks have been trending on the Internet. Last summer, the topic of #Which is uglier, Crocs or Birkenstocks# sparked a heated discussion. Although no clear conclusion was drawn in the end, this phenomenon undoubtedly shows that "ugly shoes" have gradually entered the public's field of vision and have begun to become a fashion trend that cannot be ignored.

This trend is not limited to shoes. More and more young people are keen to wear clothes that are considered "ugly" to work. Ugly clothes have more than 86 million views on Xiaohongshu, and various notes recommending ugly clothes are emerging one after another.

This trend reflects a unique aesthetic concept. Ugliness no longer seems to be a derogatory term, but has become a fashion symbol. So why have these ugly products become popular?

1. Three trends in ugly clothing

The so-called "ugly clothes" are not new. In the development of fashion, there have been many clothing designs that break the rules and challenge traditions. I won't mention the early ones. The padded shoulder suits popular in the 1980s overturned the traditional suit shape with exaggerated padded shoulder design, which now seems quite "ugly".

Some fashion brands are also keen on launching alternative clothing, such as Balenciaga's "French fry box" shoes and Maison Margiela's Japanese-style designs, which have sparked controversy and discussion with their unique shapes. Kanye West and his wife's street wear is also often full of elements that challenge traditional aesthetics.

These "ugly" costumes are not simply ugly; they challenge the boundaries of traditional aesthetics, explore new ways of expressing individuality, and reflect the diverse values ​​in social culture.

Ugly clothing existed sporadically in the past, but in China, I think it is being accepted by more and more people, and it became a trend starting with Taobao's "Ugly Things Contest".

1. Weird costumes in the Ugly Things Contest

Since its launch in 2020, Taobao's Ugly Things Contest has quickly aroused enthusiastic responses among young people and has now been held for four consecutive sessions. In the "Ugly Things Contest", a large number of bizarre costumes have emerged, which challenge people's aesthetic limits with their unique shapes and exaggerated designs.

For example, the Tiger Climbing the Mountain Tights, which won the "Ugly Taste Award" in 2020, left a deep impression with its bright colors and exaggerated tiger patterns; the "Princess Down Jacket" in 2023 attracted people's attention with its unique tailoring and fluffy shape; the "Good Luck Comes to Fortune Clothes" in 2024 is full of festive atmosphere with its exaggerated red background and golden "Good Luck Comes" words.

The popularity of the ugly things contest is not accidental, it reflects the changes of the times and social psychology. In the era of commodity and information flooding, people have long been accustomed to being surrounded by all kinds of beautiful things. However, when beauty becomes readily available, people begin to seek new stimulation. Therefore, those alternative and weird things become their goals.

The "Ugly Things Contest" provides a platform for people to show their "ugliness" and promote their individuality, and also gives things that are rejected by traditional aesthetic concepts a chance to show themselves. Behind the "ugliness" is people's desire for self-expression and the pursuit of diverse aesthetics.

2. Disgusting work wear trend

Last year, a trend of "disgusting outfits" began to become popular in the workplace, and it has continued this year. As the name suggests, this style advocates wearing clothes that look "ugly" or "sloppy" to work, breaking the stereotype of traditional workplace outfits.

Related topics also frequently appeared on the hot search list, such as #How disgusting can a worker's outfit be for work#, #Young people save their ugly clothes for work#, #Why young people are unwilling to dress up exquisitely for work#, etc. Under these topics, many netizens shared their "disgusting outfits" at work, which triggered widespread discussion.

In the past, people would prepare carefully before going to work, spend an hour putting on makeup, put on the best clothes, and strive to be the most beautiful guy in the company. Nowadays, the situation is very different. Many people wake up in the morning, don’t even wash their faces, just put on a T-shirt and slippers and rush to the company.

In the past, I thought this dress was ugly, so I would not wear it. Now, I think this dress is ugly, so I can keep it for work.

This phenomenon reflects the changes in workplace fashion. As life and work become increasingly difficult to separate, workplace requirements for clothing are gradually lowered. Young people are more pursuing a sense of relaxation, no longer emphasizing exquisite dressing, but choosing to go to work in the simplest and most comfortable state.

This change not only reflects the pursuit of personalization and comfort, but also reflects a rebellion against traditional workplace norms.

3. Crocs, Birkenstocks and river shoes

The popularity of "disgusting outfits" has also led to a trend of "ugly shoes". Crocs, Birkenstocks and creek shoes, which were once considered "ugly shoes", have now become the favorites of many young people.

Crocs were launched in the United States in 2002 and quickly became popular around the world for their comfort, breathability and unique shape. However, due to their peculiar appearance, Crocs are also considered "ugly shoes" by some people. However, due to their comfort, practicality and easy cleaning, Crocs have always been loved by many consumers.

According to the financial report released by Crocs' parent company, in the first quarter of 2024, Crocs' revenue increased by 6.2% year-on-year to US$939 million, which is the 15th consecutive quarter of revenue growth for Crocs. Crocs performed even better in China, with revenue growth exceeding 80% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Birkenstock is known for its ergonomic design and comfortable foot support. Although its appearance is considered "ugly", its functionality and comfort have made it popular in the market. In recent years, Birkenstock has further consolidated its position in the fashion industry through collaborations with high-end fashion brands, such as the joint model with designer Christopher Kane.

Last year, the appearance of this pair of shoes in "Barbie" greatly increased its popularity.

Birkenstock was successfully listed on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2023. Its revenue has maintained an increase of about 30% in the past two years, demonstrating its popularity.

River trekking shoes are the new "ugly shoes on the Internet". They were originally designed for outdoor activities and are non-slip, breathable and quick-draining. With the popularity of outdoor sports, river trekking shoes have become very popular in recent years.

Nowadays, many people even start wearing river trekking shoes in the workplace to get more leisure and relaxation. Sanlian said in an article "You can't afford to offend young people who wear river trekking shoes to work": " With river trekking shoes, the work outfit will have a sense of lightness and lightness, and it will remove the office smell. "

The reason why ugly shoes are popular is not because they are really ugly, but because they have unique designs and functions, which can bring freshness to consumers. At the same time, as people pay more and more attention to comfort and personalization, the importance of appearance is relatively reduced, which also makes these shoes occupy a place in the market.

2. Why have ugly clothes and ugly shoes become a trend?

The reasons why ugly clothes have become a trend are complicated. They are closely related to the changes in the social environment and are also inextricably linked to the evolution of consumers' aesthetic preferences.

1. Diversified aesthetics becomes a trend

In the past, people’s definition of beauty was often unified, such as white skin, long legs, oval face, etc. The same applies to clothing. However, with the continuous development of social culture, people’s perception of beauty has become more diversified.

As mentioned above, in an era of information and commodity overload, consumers are gradually tired of single aesthetics. People are no longer satisfied with traditional aesthetic standards, but are pursuing more personalized and diversified expressions.

In this context, consumers begin to pursue elements that can bring freshness and surprise. When "beauty" becomes ubiquitous and commonplace, moderate "ugliness" can bring freshness and visual impact. This unique experience can stimulate consumers' curiosity.

As the fashion industry often says: "Fashion is a circle", it always cycles between beauty and ugliness. Clothing that was once considered "ugly" may become a new fashion trend after the passage of time and the change of aesthetic concepts.

For example, the Northeastern cotton-padded jacket with large flowers was once considered a symbol of "rustic" in the past, but now it has become a favorite among many young people.

2. Promotion strategy: joint brands, celebrities and KOLs

Fashion brands have developed a set of mature marketing strategies when promoting new products, including co-branding with other brands or designers, inviting celebrities to collaborate, and promoting on social networks through KOLs.

Crocs has successfully elevated its brand image from a purely functional shoe to a fashion item through collaborations with multiple brands and designers.
For example, the thick-soled shoes launched by Crocs in cooperation with Balenciaga, as well as the joint models with many well-known IPs such as Disney and Pokemon, not only improved the fashion attributes of the products, but also attracted a large number of young consumers.

When some stars wear "ugly clothes" on the streets or on social media, they often cause fans to imitate and follow them, which also promotes the popularity of "ugly clothes" to a certain extent.

For example, Birkenstocks have been loved by many celebrities in recent years. Actress Kate Moss, supermodel Heidi Klum and others have worn Birkenstocks on the street many times. The demonstration effect of these celebrities has also made Birkenstocks more popular among young consumers.

On social networking platforms such as Instagram and Xiaohongshu, there are a large number of KOLs who recommend these ugly clothes by posting outfit videos and photos. These KOLs have attracted a large number of fans' attention and discussion through carefully planned content and user experience.

Consumers obtain information through these platforms, see KOLs’ recommendations and actual wearing effects, which increases their interest and trust in these products, thus driving the popularity of ugly clothes.

3. Anti-consumerism is popular

In the past, the main theme of consumer behavior was "conspicuous consumption", a concept proposed by Veblen in "The Theory of the Leisure Class". He believed that consumption behavior was often to keep up with the consumption level of friends and neighbors, or even to make them jealous.

However, as time goes by, consumption downgrade has become a consensus. People's consumption is no longer for meaningless show-off, but more focused on cost-effectiveness and actual needs.

Some people may say that Crocs and Birkenstocks are expensive in the market and are not cost-effective products, but there are more than just these two brands of the same product.

On Taobao and Pinduoduo, the same style of products can be bought for only one or two hundred or even dozens of yuan. Consumers are increasingly inclined to choose these cost-effective alternatives instead of pursuing the ostentatious value of famous brands.

In addition, modern young people pay more attention to comfort rather than external show value. They believe that comfort is more important than making people jealous. Even if these ugly clothes are not so outstanding in appearance, as long as they are comfortable and make themselves happy, they are the best choice.

It is said that nothing is worse than my comfort and nothing is worse than my happiness.

4. Changes in workplace culture

The changes in contemporary workplace culture have also brought revolutionary changes to the clothing industry. In the past, the workplace meant suits, leather shoes, and ties. Exquisite dressing was part of workplace etiquette, and there was a clear boundary between work and life.

Today, the rise of the technology industry has brought about a trend towards casual and even sloppy styles, with suits, leather shoes and ties being ridiculed as the attire of insurance and real estate agents.

Tech workers have almost stopped wearing traditional formal attire, with many wearing slippers or casual clothes to work, a trend that has quickly spread to other industries.

At the same time, the boundaries between work and life are becoming increasingly blurred, which makes people in the workplace feel that there is not much difference between being in the company and being at home, so they are more inclined to wear comfortable clothes to work.

Nowadays, the way of socializing in the workplace has also changed. In the past, a person's professionalism and status could be judged by his or her appearance, but now, in professions like programmers, many people dress sloppily but earn very high incomes. The modern workplace values ​​ability and income more than clothing and appearance.

This cultural change reflects the workplace's increased tolerance for individuality and comfort, and has also promoted the popularity of ugly clothes in the workplace. Young people no longer pursue a traditional professional image, but pay more attention to practical comfort and personal preferences.

3. Conclusion

In his book "A History of Ugliness", Umberto Eco pointed out that ugliness and beauty have been intertwined throughout history, and their definitions have evolved with the changes of times and cultures.

"Young people today don't want to dress themselves up like Marilyn Monroe, they would rather dress themselves up like Marilyn Manson." This sentence deeply reflects the current young people's pursuit of individuality and diverse aesthetics.

Young people are no longer satisfied with traditional aesthetic standards, but express themselves through unique clothing and style. This trend not only reflects their rebellion against traditional norms, but also shows that they are constantly looking for new ways to identify themselves.

In an era of information and commodity proliferation, a single aesthetic can no longer meet demand, and diversified aesthetic trends have made elements that were once considered "ugly" become new fashion symbols.

Author: Xunkong; Source public account: Xunkong’s Marketing Revelation (ID: 846631)