Who wouldn’t want these shoes for playtime?
The best thing about fashion is its flexibility, the overlap and the division of art and functionality. This time, let me focus on the art aspect. Camp. Sometimes, borderline impractical. Fall 2023 runways have ushered in the Age of Exuberance, with maximalism meaning looking *extra* anytime, anywhere. For this story, however, I hope to zero in on shoes that scream doll-like! Caricature-ish! Shoes that probably came with the box of my newest toy! Footwear our dearest Barbie might be prancing in! Ahead, we list down a couple of designer shoes our childhood toys probably had.
Loewe Comic Lacquered Foam Pump
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Meet the designer shoe that inspired this list: the Loewe Comic Lacquered Foam Pump in Light Foam Rubber. Available in black and red, these are probably the ones Minnie Mouse hides in her closet. Alternatives for her signature yellow and pink pumps we see almost every day. Look how comically shiny it is! How chunky! 10/10 would wear this just to mess with the system.
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MSCHF’s Big Red Boot
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Astro Boy wore it before it was a hot drop. Making unconventional footwear has always been woven into MSCHF’s DNA, so extremely large red rubber boots follow that philosophy. The only valid styling I’ve seen of this boot would be from Wisdom Kaye and—maybe I’m biased—Eunchae of K-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM, who wore it in a personalized black. Hate it all you want because those who get it get it—and I want my toys strutting around in this designer shoe.
Prada Monotlith Brushed Leather and Nylon Boots with Pouch
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Whether you played with a Kim Possible doll or got your hands on the Barbie Spy Squad toys, it’s a no-brainer that these agents need some edgy boots. TBH, the Prada Monoliths do just the trick. With super chunky soles and a small pouch to store their gadgets in, this superspy boot should stay in their closet.
Melissa x Marc Jacobs Clog
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Not going to lie—this type of clog most definitely came as a standard with a couple of my dolls. But allow me to argue that my Barbie deserves it in different colors and with the Marc Jacobs branding, just because she’s ~that~ girl.
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Did we miss other outlandish designer shoes that were probably part of our childhoods? Sound off in the comments below!
Art Matthew Ian Fetalver
