The cult buy: ‘Ugly’ sneakers

The most worn, coveted and Instagrammed sneakers right now have decidedly orthopedic overtones. Balenciaga, who arguably pioneered the move towards the verging-on-ugly shoes, currently has multiple iterations of the shape for you to choose from, while Stella McCartney, Chloé, Alexander McQueen and others have turned their hand to equally ultra-stylish versions. They’re at their best in unexpected pairings, so leave your street- and sportswear in the drawer to style them with pretty dresses and masculine tailoring instead.