Fashion has long flirted with hybrids. From jeggings to shackets to skorts, the trend of cross breeding different designs has always been popular and now steps into new territory. Enter the era of the hybrid shoe: from the sneakerina born out of a sneaker and a ballerina, to the snoafer from sneaker and a loafer, and the loaferina from a loafer and a ballerina. Split personality footwear is officially in. What might seem like sketches from a child’s imagination come to life in playful fusions that are crafted by luxury houses and replicated by the high street. Are hybrid shoes a fashion-forward revelation or fleeting micro-trends best left behind?
Over the years there have been more than a few failed attempts – think heeled Crocs or the monstrous Isabel Marant wedge trainers circa 2022. But the sneakerina seems to have really taken off, with IT girls all over the world rocking the style, making the most outrageous combinations seem effortlessly cool. From Dua Lipa showcasing her Puma Speedcat ballet flats, to Amelia Gray in blush-toned sneakerinas nailing the elusive model-off-duty look, to Chloë Sevigny who opts for a chunky, wrap-laced pair that feels equal parts ballerina and downtown rebel.
Miu Miu heralds the rise of these styles with the new Tyre range, blending the structure of a sneaker with the softness of a ballet flat, and featuring the iconic Mary Jane-style elasticated strap across the foot. And New Balance birthed the ‘snoafer’, with the release of their 1906L model that caused all the rage in the footwear world last year.
St Andrews’ cool girls follow suit, with a few hybrid shoe exemplars spotted around town, styled with breezy linen skirts or low-waisted straight-leg denim. As the weather takes a surprisingly warm turn, shoes have become the focal point—whether it’s the classic ballet flat for the cautious or the daring sneakerinas for the adventurous, both have taken over the streets of our tiny coastal town.
While some interpret the trend of sneakerifying everything as blurring boundaries between worklife and formal dress: the need for a versatile style that can cater to a meeting at 10am and a run at 6pm. It is also a way to reinvent and revive shoes in new and inventive ways, using the gum sole of a sneaker to make the hyper feminine ballerina grungier and sportier and the traditional design of a loafer more relaxed. Items considered formal or corporate are being given an edge—becoming both practical and playful, appealing to both sneakerheads and coquette girls.
The evolution of the ugly shoe is one that has been studied. Calling back to the ‘90s Prada ugly-chic movement, this trend pushes the boundaries of what is cool and what is simply ugly by combining meme culture and streetwear in a way that simultaneously attracts and repels.
The truth is, hybrids are undeniably appealing: new and different they catch your eye, especially when it comes to mixing the things that you love most. And just like the mouthwatering appeal of a crookie (cookie and croissant), the success of hybrid footwear lies in its seamless marriage of fashion’s most beloved and iconic silhouettes.
British Vogue calls them the irresistibly cool “Frankenshoes,” and whether you love or hate them, they stand as a testament to the industry’s ever-evolving creativity.