This week’s Fashion on Fifth is dedicated to my favorite subversive footwear style, the tabi! A tabi is defined by a split toe that separates a person’s big toe from the rest, just like a flip flop does. Quick history lesson before we get into the clothes: Tabis date back to 15th century Japan where they were first made as socks to be paired with Geta sandals, then later evolved to be the Japanese workers’ shoe when rubber soles were added in the 1920s. The tabi’s split toe is thought to promote agility and mobility. (Yes, they are actually comfortable!) However, in 1988, Belgian designer Martin Margiela was inspired by the Japanese tabi style and debuted it on the runway for the first time. Shock, revolt, then obsession followed. The rest is history. 

Tabis have an “if you know you know” reputation in the fashion industry because of how jarring people find the shape of the toe to be, driving many consumers away from the shoe. They definitely don’t appeal to everyone, but with tabis now infiltrating loafer, Mary Jane, and kitten heel markets, there’s a style that appeals to everyone. While plenty of retailers like Nike, Suicoke, and Maharishi make tabi shoes for as low as $60, a brand new Margiela version requires an investment of up to $1,120 depending on your desired style. 

This price point has sparked controversy as some people prefer to wear their tabis to death while others keep them in pristine condition and not-so-silently judge those who don’t. (Kidding! Am I though?) British Vogue even explored a TikTok controversy when one user posted a pair of not-so-white white tabi kitten heels that she had glued and sewn back together over years of wear. Should we use our designer items until they literally fall apart, or should investments be preserved? Let’s see what the students think this week.

Mareike Nebel she/they — @mareikeelisabethnebel

Fourth-year Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts journalism student

Mareike bought her tabis last summer in England on a visit to Brighton Beach. She and her friend ventured into a beachside store where she found the most adorable pair of canvas tabis with rubber soles. Ever since then, the two have been inseparable: “I even wore them to the beach!” She finds them comfortable, functional, and most importantly, fashionable. Her tabis are the most darling addition to her outfit and make me crave the spring more than I already do. I’m obsessed with her gingham capris, the red sweater layered over a classic white button-up, all topped off with the baby blue Telfar bag! Mareike gets it. I can’t wait until the weather warms, and we’re all wearing our littlest pants with our weirdest shoes.

Andy Zhao he/him — @the_old_photo_book

Second-year Parsons School of Design communication design student

Andy is another breath of fresh air for me. I’ve felt violently bombarded by black monochrome outfits all winter, and running into this soft blue was a sigh of relief. His tabis are white sneakers that admittedly are on their last limb. The sole is peeling away from the canvas, and the white is not-so-pristine. But I love them, and so does Andy. He finds tabis weirdly comfortable, so much so that he has two pairs: sneakers for everyday and heeled boots for special occasions. He’s a Margiela fan and has worn his tabis for years despite the comments they attract. (Yes, we know they look like hooves.) The blue jeans, white top, and Tekla button-up create a springy ensemble that perfectly compliments the white tabis. 

Lucy Kiernan she/her — @lucykny

Fourth-year Parsons photography student

Lucy bought her first pair of Margiela tabis, black leather flats, after finishing her first big summer internship a few years ago. It was a monumental moment for her, until six months later when she decided she also needed these pink satin ballet flats (a girl is powerless against a Black Friday sale). They were almost a size too small, but now she’s worn them enough that they fit her perfectly. The pink satin is ephemeral while the black are timeless, so Lucy feels balanced out by her tabi purchases. Her style is reminiscent of Jane Birkin with the ballet flats, light wash jeans, red turtleneck, and wispy bangs. Simplicity is superior in the game of fashion, and Lucy nailed it.

Jasper Jeffers he/him — @jasperjefferss

Second-year Parsons fashion design student

To Jasper, the tabi is erotic. “There’s a lot of media of people sticking things in between the toes,” he says, referring to images I’ve also seen of items such as credit cards, cigarettes, and even wine glasses wedged between the tabi toes. “If I met a man and he was confused by tabis I would just think that he can’t make a woman orgasm,” he said, prompting me to giggle and agree. Does it make much sense? Not particularly, but Jasper doesn’t care. “They’re a good litmus test for someone with a vibe. If you get it you get it,” he said. Jasper’s a fan of funky boots in general, and after wearing his previous pair of tabis to the ground, he leveled up to the heeled versions. He’s even indoctrinated his older sister into the split toe lifestyle. He finds them incredibly comfortable, like wearing flip flops. Jasper’s outfit is bookended by his leather jacket and his leather tabis, with a pair of black trousers and a turtleneck in between. It’s a classic and timeless outfit with the Margiela boots.

Piper Lacy she/her — @pipermlacy

Second-year Lang undeclared student

Upon receiving her first pair of Margiela tabis as a Christmas gift from her boyfriend, Piper did some research. TikTok tells first time tabi owners that they need sole protectors. “I slip a lot,” Piper tells me, referring to the plastic covers she’s stuck to the bottom of her leather flats to preserve the split sole. But fashion trumps function because she thinks tabis make any outfit interesting and now wants every style and every color! Piper’s outfit is a textural dream with her oversized glasses, knit scarf, suede coat, cotton trousers, polka dot bag, and leather flats. She looks cozy but still edgy with her Christmas presents on each foot.

Tabi Kass they/them — @pap3rpl4ne

Second-year Parsons integrated design student 

Tabi named themselves Tabi before they even knew what the shoes were! It’s a match made in tabi heaven. To Tabi, the shoes feel emblematic of identity. It’s a unisex shoe, blurring the lines between gender, femininity and masculinity, and even animal and human. The shoes exist in a gray area of fashion and expression where no one seems worried about forcing the shoes into one specific category of origin. The Margiela ethos is to constantly break down and reconstruct a garment, allowing the tabi’s Japanese roots to coexist with its high fashion counterpart. They’re also the most comfortable pair of shoes that Tabi owns, and judging by the condition I would say they’ve worn them everyday since purchasing the boots two and a half years ago. Also, if you need some light reading before bed, I’d be happy to share the 200-page Stockholm University thesis paper about tabis called “What lays between the toes” that Tabi shared with me. Fascinating.

Beatrix Shelton she/her — @bbeattriix

Third-year Lang visual studies student

Everyone say, “Happy birthday Beatrix!” She wears her cherry red tabi slippers on her 21st birthday looking absolutely gorgeous and enchantingly legal. She’s a Margiela fan but didn’t want to spend the Margiela money, so she got these on Depop for $30. She thinks they’re ergonomic and comfortable and just happen to be the cutest ruby red shoes to carry her down the yellow brick road (or Fifth Avenue, whichever Beatrix prefers). Her all-black skirt and draped top is incredibly chic, especially with the brown leather jacket layered on top. I hope that Beatrix has the loveliest birthday full of love, lust (Jasper said it), and tabis.

Jo Gutierrez she/her — @majodeteee

Fourth-year Lang journalism student

Jo, the former editor-in-chief of the Free Press, also received her tabis as a birthday gift from her boyfriend. After this issue of Fashion on Fifth, I’m raising my standards. He chose the leather heeled boots in shade merlot. They’re the perfect neutral while still adding a touch of color to the ensemble. Jo has saved for the last two years to purchase her own pair but always ended up spending it before she could. (Too relatable. This is why we keep boyfriends around.) The white frilly top, dark wash jeans, and merlot tabis are pure class.

I hope after this week’s issue you feel more connected to the tabi shoe. Perhaps you even embrace them into your own wardrobe and allow the influence of insufferable fashion enthusiasts everywhere to possess your body and soul. Truly, this is a shoe with hundreds of years of history that is important to know if you choose to don the split toe. This week has inspired me to wear my tabis (olive green Mary Janes. I know, I know, they’re perfect) more often. If nothing else, hopefully this funky shoe can inspire you to take more risks in your everyday outfits, rain or shine. Yes, I’ve gotten caught in the rain wearing my tabis. No, I don’t want to talk about it.