‘I bought the “ugliest” shoe of the season. It changed the way I feel about fashion’

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Tabis have been branded the “ugliest shoe” of the 2020s, dividing opinions in fashion spaces and Australian group chats alike.

The split-toe shoes started on runways, then slipped onto red carpets on celebrities including Zendaya, Jonathan Bailey, Zoe Saldana, Pedro Pascal, Barbara Palvin, Dua Lipa, Kylie Jenner, Michael B Jordan, Olivia Rodrigo and many more.

Now tabis are creeping into the mainstream and I, a moderately stylish 30-year-old, finally decided to buy a pair after months of flirting with the idea.

I didn’t expect it to change the way I feel about fashion, and yet, here we are.

These split-toe shoes can trace their origins all the way back to 15th century Japan, when tabi socks with a divide between the big toe were worn with thong sandals.

Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Skipper: mskipper@nine.com.au

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Over time, the style evolved and the jika-tabi, a rubber-soled outdoor version, was created and popularised by brothers Tokujiro and Shojiro Ishibashi in the 1920s.

Jump forward to the ’50s, and Japanese sneaker brands like Onitsuka were producing split-toe sneakers.

It wasn’t until 1988 that Maison Margiela introduced the Margiela Tabis, which inspired the leather boots, ballet flats and slingbacks that have become a hit over the last few years.

At first, they were niche shoes worn by only the most daring and fashionable set.

Now the style is filtering down from runways and high fashion labels into the mainstream, with tabi-style ballet flats appearing in stores from WoodChuckSato to Steve Madden and bargain brand Therapy.

Despite their surge in popularity, tabis are still widely regarded as “ugly” by many Aussies – and they’re not afraid to say it to your face.

I knew I’d probably get a few funny looks when I ordered my Alias Mae Lana tabi flats on sale for $150 from The Iconic last week, but I didn’t anticipate just how many of my friends and colleagues would hate them.

On the first day I wore them, they were called “evil”, “weird”, “gross”, “nasty” and even “diabolical”.

One friend told me she wouldn’t be seen with me wearing them.

My own mother said they made me look like I have “goat feet”, asked me if I had actually paid real money for them, then called me crazy.

Despite the comments, I love my tabis. They’re made from a supple black leather and have a cushioned in-sole that make them incredibly comfortable, and the toe split doesn’t take long to get used to.

I also feel like they elevate my rather simple wardrobe, which is made up mostly of black basics.

Adding a funky shoe to my go-to outfits – like wide-leg jeans with a simple sweater, or barrel jeans with a neutral cropped tee – immediately gives the look more personality and a fun point of interest.

If anything, buying a pair of tabis has made me want to invest in more “ugly” or divisive fashion pieces I like, even if everyone else doesn’t.

I’m someone who has always played it safe with style, and I struggle to try new things because I have what I like to call ‘fashion imposter syndrome’.

It’s where I feel like any time I try something trendy, someone is going to call me out for trying too hard, or not being cool enough to pull it off.

It’s an odd fear, but I doubt I’m the only woman who experiences it.

And knowing so many people already dislike tabis somehow made it easier for me to try them, because I knew any negative reactions would be about the shoe itself, not me.

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What in the toes is going on with shoes right now?

Now I’m obsessed with my tabis.

Yes, they look like deer hooves, but they spark joy for me and that’s more important that appealing to mainstream style.

Plus, there are much weirder shoes going around right now. At least I haven’t bought a pair of “pig trotter” heels... yet.