Of all the amazing fashion and beauty trends we had in the '90s, nothing seems to trigger more universally positive nostalgia among Millennials than those gorgeous stretchy Steve Madden sandals. It's not surprising, really. Steve Madden was the coolest shoe brand of its era. I was only allowed to buy cheap knock-off versions, and even though they looked basically the same as the real thing, I was envious of the girls who sported the Steve Madden logo every time they failed to flip. It feels like everyone has a pair, probably because they're generally more acceptable to parents and dress codes than a pair of lace-up, over-the-knee silver heel boots (another popular style from SM).
In the early 2000s, when platform shoes were generally replaced by dainty flats, we all collectively gave away our beloved slippers. But now that thick, “ugly” silhouettes have been back in style for a few years, I decided it was time to try and bring them back.
After months of regularly checking Etsy and eBay, I finally found a pair of "US size 7, 90s Steve Madden platform sandals, slip-on wedge sandals, 90s simple sandals, 90s platform sandals, military green, retro 90s sandals". While I personally always prefer the all-black version, I think this olive green version would work just as well.
Here's what happened when I wore a pair of everyone's favorite '90s sandals for a week in the summer of 2016.
first day
These were delivered on a day when I was wearing new shoes that were tearing up my feet. I welcomed the soft, stretchy fabrics with open arms—they were just as comfortable as I remembered. As I strutted around showing off my old and new shoes, 900-pound soles echoing around the office, I felt a sense of '90s calm wash over me. I didn't care that they totally clashed with my pink shorts; This week is going to be incredible.
That evening, as I returned home from my walk to meetings and the grocery store, my extreme enthusiasm for the experiment had waned somewhat. When I start to feel the dull pain of shin splints, I'm reminded of why I don't wear flip-flops (especially thick-soled flip-flops). I asked my boyfriend what he thought of my new look for the next week, and he responded, "You're ruining my life."
But this is only the first day! I’m not going to let a little calf pain or a less than enthusiastic peer review get me down! Plus, I'm excited to wear full '90s outfits for the rest of the week.
the next day
Well, I was right about shin splints. But the dull pain wasn't enough to make me give up the experiment. I didn’t get high-fives (or weird looks) from anyone on the subway, but around 11am a co-worker gasped, “Are these Steve Madden slides ?!” Hours later, another coworker sighed and asked me to walk by again as she heard the nostalgic trigger noise that's so characteristic of this particular style (you can hear it for yourself in the clip below). I had a feeling word of my experiment was spreading, but I still loved all the reactions.
I had another coworker take some pictures of me and I have to say, I think I look pretty cool in these shoes. The only downside (well, other than shin splints) is that these sandals make my feet very hot and sweaty. By the end of the second day, the shoes themselves had become extremely smelly.
I went to a party that night and almost no one noticed my retro shoes. Around 9pm, a group of us left to get temporary ear piercings, which only made the illusion of being back in high school even stronger.
The third day
By the third day, my weak ankle was really starting to hurt. Like, I almost thought I had to give up the experiment rather than risk permanent injury. It was also very hot outside so my feet were a little swollen which made the elastic a little too tight to really fit my feet. Under normal circumstances I would probably swap them out for my wide Birkenstocks. But since fashion is painful (at least that's what I've been told), I persevered.
I met some friends in the park, which was about a 20-minute walk away. Along the way, my boyfriend decided he liked the slide after all, and the elastic stretched to accommodate my temporarily wider feet. They held up very well during a day of turf play, although the smell didn't seem to go away.
Day 4
Halfway through the experiment, I was obsessed with the shoes. They clashed badly with what I actually wanted to wear on day four. My ankle hurt so bad that my feet were basically begging for my regular sneakers. I was cranky—until I went to a party that night.
A friend commented on my sandals and asked where she could buy a pair because she wanted to find "shoes like these that were nice enough for work." This was really a turning point for me. I realized that since I had at least four more days of wearing these bad boy clothes, I might as well embrace how cool they looked. I decided to be more aggressive with shoes on day five.
fifth day
I didn't really manage to get excited about these slippers, but I did feel indifferent - a step further than feeling completely devastated about having to wear them again. I put on the sandals without thinking and despite another day of running around the park, I didn't notice any joint pain. Maybe my ankles are getting used to the weight of the platform?
The sixth day
On day six, I returned to work after a long weekend and my colleagues welcomed the slideshow with open arms. I got to do a photo shoot for a feature for another publication (check out the September issue of Zieley Mag for more photos of my face!), and I was actually excited to do a feature on Steve Maddens, who has become a part of my existence An important part of. Still, I'm really looking forward to wearing an outfit that isn't built around an olive green old car.
Day 7
On the penultimate day of the experiment, I actually took an enforced break from Steve Maddens. Meetings at the New York Stock Exchange meant putting on nice heels for a few hours—and I hated it. After complaining about how much damage stretchy slippers were doing to my joints, I realized they were nothing compared to a pair of heels. I actually switched back to slides while I was still in the building. Even though it was technically cheating on the experiment, getting rid of the sandals this time around made me realize just how much I've actually grown to love these little guys.
Day 8
I'm not sure if I attended more sessions than usual on the last day, but as the experiment came to an end, it seemed appropriate that I had the most comments about my Steve Maddens. I had mixed feelings. I've already planned out some non-90s shoes to wear next week, but I'm still a little sad to say goodbye to the slides. As you can see from this photo, I absolutely love these stretchy specimens. Even if they do stink.
Would I wear Steve Maddens again?
I haven't put these slides back on my feet yet. They sit in my closet, separate from the rest of my shoe collection. I wanted to spend the weekend remembering the good times we had together and was nervous that if I decided to wear platform shoes I would have to go through the painful whim of adjusting my ankles and calves to heavy platform shoes again. But looking back at these photos, I realize how sweet they look. I guess I'll have to kick them out again soon. Steve Madden, if you're reading this, can we get these back soon?
Photo: Emily Geraghty (2), Kenny Suleimanagich (3), Rosanne Salvatore (1), Kara McGrath (4)/Bustle
