“Ugly” Shoes Are a Big Part of EmRata’s Style, But Her New Trainers Are Especially Controversial

Truthfully, when I first saw these images of Emily Ratajkowski wearing laceless trainers, they brought back vivid memories of a very similar water-friendly style I used to be forced into as a kid at the beach. Having resented this silhouette ever since, it seems almost miraculous that Ratajkowski has just made a pair seem incredibly cool.

Slipping on a pair of slip-on trainers from the Brain Dead x Oakley Factory collaboration in an imitation python print (£155), Ratajkowski donned her most controversial shoe yet. Not one to shy way from a shoe with a built-in talking point, I’ve spotted the model style jelly flats, ballet trainers and mesh shoes on multiple occasions recently, but never a pair as divisive as this. Cut to the height and size of a conventional trainer, these shoes are designed without laces, and instead are lined with a lycra fabric that closely hugs the foot, keeping them in place, creating a sort of Croc/trainer hybrid.

Having stepped out in her laceless trainers several times over the past few weeks, it’s clear that they’re a new mainstay in her wardrobe. Recently styling them with a tailored miniskirt, Ratajkowski proved the surprising versatility of the the “ugly” trainer trend. Wearing them again a few days later with baggy khaki trousers and a fitted tank, she doubled down on the surprising trend.

Not a conventionally attractive shoe, this emerging trainer was swept in by the evolving “ugly” shoes trend that has seen Maison Margiela’s Tabi flats become a fashion favourite.

Sweeping through the wardrobes of celebrities this season, Ratajkowski isn’t the only person I’ve spotted styling trainers sans laces as of late. Wearing a pair of estranging ballet trainers with a white ensemble, model Iris Law has taken laceless trainers out for a stroll as well.

Infused with a gorpcore energy, these new trainers are set apart from the slip-on trainers of past seasons—such as Vans’s classic skater sneakers—via the thick, gripped soles, and sporty silhouettes.