"After Our Weird Fashion History": Eastern Cape Woman Explains Why Tabby Shoes Don't Scare Her
- Eastern Cape digital creator Luchae Williams posted a comedic video comparing the trending Tabby shoe to South Africa's most questionable footwear moments
- Williams roasted a string of beloved 90s and early 2000s shoe trends, from jelly shoes to platform sneakers, calling out the country's long love affair with bizarre footwear
- South Africans flooded the comments with their own hot takes, with many arguing another cult favourite deserved a spot on the list
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Source: Instagram
An Eastern Cape digital creator has gone viral for making the case that South Africans have absolutely no right to side-eye the Tabby shoe.
Luchae Williams posted the video to her Instagram page on 20 July 2026, and it quickly struck a nerve with anyone who grew up wearing plastic shoes and thinking they were the height of fashion.
Williams opened by admitting she came ready to judge the Tabby shoe, a split-toe style that has been all over social media lately. But once she started thinking about it, she realised South Africans might not be in the best position to throw stones.
"Why are my toes going through a divorce?" she asked, staring down the Tabby's signature divided toe box.
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SA's most questionable shoe moments
From there, Williams went on a full nostalgia tour. She revisited the mesh Chinese slipper, which she described as looking like "a net on your foot," and recalled wearing it with three-quarter pants as a proud fashion statement. Then came the pointed Arabian slip-on, which she said had toes "taking turns to be in front," worn with wide plaza pants in what she called the coloured community's version of royalty. Platform sneakers got their own moment too, with Williams blaming the Spice Girls and admitting she clomped around at 14 years old "thinking I was Victoria Beckham."
The biggest offender on her list was the jelly shoe. Despite being made entirely of plastic with zero breathability, South Africans across the board wanted a pair.
"Our feet came out looking like boiled chicken," she said. "The steam was steaming, the sweat was sweating, and we thought we were cool."
Her conclusion was straightforward: the Tabby shoe is no weirder than anything South Africa has already embraced.
"Give it six months and we'll all be wearing it."
Mzansi weighs in on the shoe hall of shame
South Africans in the comments had plenty to add:
@lorinda.g.l said:
"That first pair is a hard no. That is toe discrimination because I know not everyone's toes can fit in those."
@melissadweber wrote:
"Show some respect, Victoria never wore the platforms. I never owned any of those shoes you showed. 😂"
@sharon.van.wyk added:
"It looks like we now want to make our feet look like camel toes. Why? It's revolting. 👣🐪"
@fadzonair argued:
"Unpopular opinion… CROCS! They need to be on this list. 🫠"
@shae_e30 noted:
"Questionable... or Questionable?"
@vogue_statement simply asked:
"Who's we?"
Watch Luchae's full shoe history breakdown on her Instagram Reel here.
Source: Instagram
More South African fashion stories making waves
- Briefly News recently reported on a South African matric student who stunned Mzansi in a gorgeous Shein dress, challenging perceptions about affordable fashion.
- In another story, Boity Thulo turned heads in a striking two-piece swimsuit while enjoying a holiday in Spain, leaving fans impressed by her look.
- Meanwhile, Moshe Ndiki sparked a heated debate after showing off a bold Xhosa-inspired outfit, with South Africans divided over his fashion choice.
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Source: Briefly News
