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elevatedstyle By BROOKE BUNCE Photos by MEGHAN SHAMBLEN
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ot long ago, wearing what the rest of the general populace wore wouldn’t cause any sort of uproar; it was safe, comforting, conformist, and ordinary. When New York Magazine’s fashion website, The Cut, decided to dub this typical outfitting as “Normcore,” the buzzword started flying around every corner of the Internet. Non-ironic baseball caps, plain New Balance sneakers, white T-shirts, and khaki pants are no longer the uniforms of touristy dads or kids at summer camp. Normal fashion as we know it is actually cool, stylized comfort is becoming intentional, and it’s time to celebrate functionality. It’s recommended to ease into stylized minimalism step-by-step, so as not to shock your style senses. In this case, the best approach is from the bottom up, starting with shoes. Remember those Birkenstocks shoved in the back of your closet from your environmental activist phase in high school? Or maybe you still have those Tevas you save for the occasional recreational hike through the suburban wilderness; either way, it’s high-time to dig those puppies out for some serious flatform-meets-mandal inspiration. Spring Fashion Week 2014 certainly did just that, with “chic” orthopedic-inspired sandals popping up in the lineups of Acne, Marc Jacobs, Dries van Noten, and Prada. Flat sandals have been repping regular-folk fashion for ages, and the sartorial leap into normalcy doesn’t have to be startling. Simple, thick straps are trademark for platform sandals. In true '90s-revival style, Dr. Martens has a wide selection of flatforms that feature inchwide straps, usually in a trio on top of the shoe, to keep tootsies snug and secure. For a similar look with a bit more nostalgia and a bit less money, harness the power of platform jelly sandals. WWW.OUTHREADMAG.COM | 31