Do These Split-Hoof Shoes Make Me Look Kosher?
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Heels make a lot of noise. The clap-clap-clap of the heels against linoleum or any other hard surface elicits stares when the wearer walks into a room. It’s why heels are often considered power plays: it takes a confident person to make a nuisance of oneself while walking through the open-plan office to go to the break room for a much-needed afternoon caffeine pick-me-up.
But it takes a really confident person to wear these literal clodhoppers.
Enter the split hoof shoe.
In a video posted to Facebook by content farm Super Deluxe, Blair Ondrla — the creator of the hoof shoes and owner of Chaos Costumes, which specializes in costume footwear — explains how she makes her unusual shoes which resemble the split hooves of a deer or a horse. “How we make the hooves is I sculpt out the ideal design, and then I make a mold box around it,” Ondrla explains. “I start with a two-part resin and I pour it into the mold…we cut off the heels of stiletto shoes, which are actually extremely durable so it’s ideal for making custom footwear out of.”
Ondrla then paints the heel-less stiletto and glues the sculpted hoof to the bottom of the shoe. She attaches velcro so that the leggings of the costume stay put and keep the look “seamless.”
The shoes aren’t meant to be worn by the everyday consumer, but don’t be surprised if you see these in the wild: “You hear someone clopping down the street and can’t help but wonder,” continues Ondrla. “The fantasy realm is just brought to reality.”
Michelle Honig is the style writer at the Forward. Contact her at [email protected]. Find her on Instagram and Twitter.
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