Hey Dudes: From Fashion Fling to Lawn-Mowing Footwear

There was a time… brief, magical, and deeply unserious—when I loved Hey Dudes shoes. Loved them. Bought one pair. Then five. Then… honestly, I lost count. They were comfy, lightweight, and gave off that effortless “I didn’t try but still look cute” energy. I was hooked. I thought I had discovered the holy grail of casual footwear.

And then something happened.

I started noticing patterns. Not trends… patterns. Behavioral ones.

Every time I clocked some aggressively bad manners, loud entitlement, or that very specific brand of public audacity that makes you sigh into your soul… I’d look down. And there they were. Hey. Dudes. Every👏🏼Single👏🏼Time👏🏼

Now, I’m not saying shoes define a person. I’m also not not saying that shoes can absolutely tell a story. And the story being told started sounding like a cautionary tale.

It got worse when the matching sets appeared. Suddenly there were wives, girlfriends, and assorted companions proudly trotting alongside their dudes in coordinating “Her Dudes.” A couple’s shoe moment no one asked for. Gag. Romance is dead and it died in breathable foam.

Then came the retail omen. Because listen… when you walk into Marshall’s or cRoss Dress For Less and see a wall… no, a monument of the same shoe, that’s not a bargain. That’s a warning. Overexposure is the kiss of death in fashion. If it’s piled high under fluorescent lighting next to last season’s regrets, it’s time to let it go.

Living in Galveston, I also have the distinct pleasure of watching Carnival Cruise Line operate out of the port. Carnival has… a reputation. Affordable, accessible, and packed with people who treat the buffet like a competitive sport. My running joke? Hey Dudes are now the official shoe of Carnival Cruises. Practical, forgiving, and fully prepared for chaos on deck nine.

So no, I don’t judge people by their shoes.

Except I absolutely do!

These days, I own exactly one pair of Hey Dudes. Their job? Mowing the lawn. Taking out the trash. Things that involve dirt, sweat, and zero witnesses. They’ve been officially demoted from “fashion choice” to “utility footwear.”

And honestly? That feels right.

Xoxo, AB 💅💄💋