Summer tends to be the time when surprising and unexpected trends reveal themselves.  Think back to Crocs and Birkenstocks–both summer blockbusters that you probably won’t call cute and sexy.  You can’t deny it–there’s something about summer that encourages even the most devoted fashionista to trade in pinching straps and toe-mashing stilettos for something that will keep them comfy in the heat.

This summer, first prize for unlikely shoe trend most definitely goes to Fatelli-Worishofer “granny sandals.”  Until now, these shoes have been sported almost exclusively by nurses and women over 60.  Now, they are being spotted on the feet of young, hip women, in fashion-savvy locales like Downtown NYC.

Even celebrities think this trend is too comfortable to pass up.  Recently, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michelle Williams were spotted sporting this so-dorky-it’s-cool trend.  Check it out!

Image courtesy nydailynews.com

The reason for Fatelli-Worshifer’s granny sandals’ success, the NY Daily News explains, they are unbelievably comfortable: They are “meant to ease the pain of bunions (you know, those less-than-sexy bones that jut out the sides of your feet after years of tootsie abuse), while a shock-absorbing sole lessens the impact of walking”. To add to their comfort  these come in two different styles, a slip and a sling-back, and have a great color selections including green, red, blue, yellow in different shades, and metallics. (In fact, with all the new styles and cute colors, we think that Fatelli-Worshiffer has really started to up these “ugly” sandals’ cute factors!)

While extremely comfortable and now trendy, the Fatelli-Worshiffer sandals do have one catch: they are extremely difficult to find in the United States. Until now, the only way to find this obscure German brand was in random boutiques catering to specific customers.  But today, DNA footwear provides a wide selection of the hottest Fatelli-Worishofer styles of this–bizarre–sandal season!