Comebacks: they’re great for boy bands and sports teams, but when it comes to fashion, they’re absolutely everything.

In the past year, we’ve seen the return of the high waist, acid wash and fringe. And this spring, overalls and chunky rubber sandals are coming back.

No joke. I’m pretty sure that Coco Chanel and Alexander McQueen are rolling over in their graves at the thought of these pieces of clothing being called trends.

Both trends have been hitting the runways — from Givenchy to Prada to Chanel — and are making their way to the streets. Celebrities such as Alessandra Ambrosio and Diane Kruger have been styling these trends on and off the red carpet.

Why have these two items taken over the top of the fashion food chain? I have no idea, but I can tell you about how they became popular.

The ugly chunky sandal trend has been building up for a couple of seasons among the more experimental sections of the fashion industry. It wasn’t until this spring at New York Fashion Week that multiple designers donned their models in these ugly slip-ons, and the trend became huge.

When I say ugly sandals, I don’t mean the Adidas flip-flops that everyone and their uncle wears to the pool. No, these unsightly shoes take it a step further.

The ugly shoe trend comes in a variety of styles, from neoprene pool sliders to sequined hiking sandals to floral Birkenstocks. What makes them all similar is their chunkiness and emphasis on comfort.

These sandals really have it all: orthopedic-style soles, pool slide straps and no-frills fastenings, like Velcro. Unlike the cute wedges we all have sitting in our closets, these shoes are made to have cushy wedges, bulky square heels, squishy footbeds, room for your toes to wiggle and thick soles to keep your feet feeling comfortable. Maybe a little bit too comfortable.

The uglier, sturdier and more granola your shoes, the better. Heaven forbid, you can even wear them with socks. These shoes do come with a disclaimer though: they have been called unsexy. It isn’t hard to imagine why.

But, overalls are a trend that I have a lot more faith in, if done appropriately.

Overalls came out of the woodwork as comfort and utility was reemphasized in fashion. Looser fitting than skinny jeans, they allow your legs to actually breathe while still maintaining the simple denim look — if the overalls are indeed denim, that is.

Designers have transformed the ‘90s version of overalls into something more sophisticated and versatile. They have played with the fit, style and fabric to create overalls that really can be worn for any occasion.

The only reason I’m hesitant about overalls is because I used to wear them in the fifth grade. I also wore tie-dye and Skechers in fifth grade — I did not make the best fashion choices in elementary school.

While I am a bit hesitant, I have also seen a few versions of overalls that are sophisticated and stylish. Denim can sometimes come off as tacky, so keeping them a solid, dark color made out of a structured material makes them fit well and look just as nice. Now those, I would definitely wear.

I’m not sure what you’re thinking about these trends, but personally, I think I might just have to sit these out. Looking like I’m wearing my dad’s sandals or like I just stepped off a farm is not something on my agenda.

If I had known ugly was going to be a thing, I would have saved my clothes from junior high. I guess I’m going to have to either get over these trends, or get the clothes out of the boxes buried somewhere in my basement.

Alexis McDonell is a sophomore magazine journalism major. Her column appears every week in Pulp. E-mail her at admcdone@syr.edu and follow her on Twitter at @AlexisMickD.

Published on March 24, 2014 at 1:00 am