You’ve probably already heard, but the first round of Coachella begins soon. Arguably the most well-known of the music festival circuit, the annual desert-based extravaganza marks the beginning of a full season filled with music and fashion. While there will always be a place for the bohemian-inspired trends typically associated with music festivals, a new report proves that 2019's "ugly" sandal trend (i.e. those hiking-style sandals you’re starting to see everywhere) will be the real star of festival season this year.
With Coachella rapidly approaching, it only makes sense that fashion lovers everywhere are searching the Internet for what to wear for the occasion (and every music festival that follows). After all, while these events may be planned around the concerts and artists, the sartorial decisions of attendees play an equally monumental role in the experience.
According to the global fashion search platform Lyst, people are leaning more into the sporty sandal trend than ever before; the company's 2019 Festival Fashion trend report states that searches for the term "rubber sandals" increased more than 30 percent since the beginning of March. And some are looking for something even more specific: Lyst saw a search for “Prada Velcro sandals” every seven minutes in the last week.
Though this polarizing shoe trend may leave some hesitant, its increase in popularity comes as no surprise. More practical than other festival trends (sorry, flower crowns) and decidedly more comfortable, the chunky sandal could be the unofficial shoe for the season — especially when you're spending full days outside standing and more likely than not, in a crowd of people.
In case you need more evidence that the “ugly” style has been approved by the industry, plenty of fashion girls can’t stop wearing the trend. And let's face it: When you find a fashion-forward take on these functional shoes, you won’t want to wear anything else.
Convinced yet? There are plenty of designers who have put their spin on the utilitarian style. Scroll down to see how they've taken on the trend so you can decide which ones to pack in your Coachella wardrobe along with everyone else.
