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All Hail the Double Face Palm of Fashion!

Oh the consternation! Oh the anguish!  What are people to do when presented with such a horrible choicewhen their very societal presence and standing threatened by a humble German sandal.

Dear Fashion World and associated flaky devotees – you amuse the fuck out of me.  Someone ‘famous’ does something different and then whether it is a good thing or not, you ravenous lemmings go whole-hog-wild and make it a trend.

Case in point – Australian bedroom slippers:

“Generally worn for warmth and comfort, Australian ugg boots had never been considered fashionable in their country of origin.^[27] But the Deckers UGG brand emerged as a fashion trend in the US through Deckers’ actions to promote it as a high fashion brand. Deckers solicited endorsements from celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Sarah Jessica Parker,^[29][35] Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lopez,^[36] and product placements in television series such as Sex and the City, and films such as Raising Helen.^[27][37] This marketing campaign “led to an exponential growth in the brand’s popularity and recognizability.”^[38] Oprah Winfrey received a free pair when her endorsement was sought by Deckers; she then bought 350 pairs for her entire production staff, and eventually featured UGG brand boots as one of her “Favorite Things” on her TV talk show in 2000.^[39] Other actresses who discovered UGG brand boots through surf shops began wearing them.^[32] The company reported US$689 million in UGG sales in 2008,^[40] almost a 50-fold increase from 1995;^[41] By 2012, worldwide sales of Deckers UGG boots were over US$630 million a year, with 95% of world market share. By way of contrast, ugg boots in Australia were worn predominantly as slippers and associated with “daggy fashion sense, bogan behaviour” and the “outer suburbs” when worn in public.^{[42][43][44][45][2]} According to Australian fashion stylist Justin Craig: “The only people who get away with wearing them are models, who give out the message: ‘I’m so beautiful, I can look good in any crap.‘“^[29]

Yeah and now these slippers are nearly ubiquitous – why? –  because the people on TV said they were cool.  *facepalm*

Now, you people doing the same thing with Birkenstocks.  Someone who, arbitrarily appointed as famous, wears a pair of birkenstocks, and an article of footwear once considered “untouchable” is now hotter and more of a “must-have” than the preserved tears of baby-jebus.  It is a load of foolish bandwagoneering that illustrates how ingrained the herd mentality is and how pliable the term ‘fashionable’ is.

“Why Arb,?” my gentle readers must be asking.  “Where is this all this bitter animus coming from?” Well dear readers it comes from my adoption of Birkenstocks as footwear of choice based on the utilitarian needs these shoes satisfy for me.  From my shiny patent leather dress shoes, to my winter/teaching clogs, to my summer sandals, Birkenstocks have meant I can work and play in comfort and not have to worry about unergonomic footwear slowing me down or ruining my posture.  Birkenstocks are well made, high quality, highly – utilitarian products  –  that when associated with the frivolity of the fashion world, irks me to no end.

Oh, and I have not forgotten about Tom’s either with their insipid ‘feel-good’ marketing bullcookery.