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I get why shoes like the cloven Tabis have proven controversial (though, TBF, the trendy design actually has a centuries-long history). 

But I was surprised to see how many people were against Gen Z’s relaxed – and, to this Xillenial, inoffensive – shoe trend, the sneakerina. 

The name refers (you guessed it) to trainers that look a bit like ballet pumps, or maybe it’s the other way around.

They’ve been out for a while – Simone Rocha showed hers in 2024 – but I only felt compelled to buy some recently. I believe the term is “unc”.

Vogue called them a part of “the evolution of fashion’s ugly shoe narrative”. Harper’s Bazaar called them a “Marmite” trend. For my part, I thought they were quite uncomplicatedly cute. 

So, I nabbed some pairs to see whether the online pile-ons were justified – and ended up loving them for a pretty “old lady” reason. 

I began with the

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