Styles in the 1970s were often garish and over-the-top. Sometimes, way, way, over the top. Few things show just how excessive, decadent, and over the top things got than the brief 1970s fad of fish tank platform shoes. Below are some interesting facts about that – thankfully – short lived fad.

The 1970s’ Fish Tank Shoes

1970s fish aquarium platform shoes have often been dismissed as an urban legend, but sadly, they were all too real. That was unfortunate for the poor fish that were subjected to injury and death in order to help some benighted soul make a bad fashion statement. The poor fish almost never survived, either because of the jostling, or because the shoes broke on the dance floor. In addition to animal cruelty, it was also unfortunate for the very concept of fashion: those things were tacky eyesores.

It should be noted that those shoes were not mass-manufactured in the 1970s. Instead, they were bought from small specialty boutique stores by disco fans. They did not come with the fish already sealed in – that would have killed them within a day for lack of oxygen. Instead, the clear platforms or heels were removable, or otherwise had a flap that allowed the wearer to fill it with water and add a small fish or two. Some went the extra mile, went all in for an aquarium look, and added colored gravel and water plants. Fortunately, the garish trend proved short-lived, and is now remembered not with any nostalgia, but as a butt of jokes about 1970s style excesses.

_________________

Some Sources & Further Reading

Balance Careers – The Truth Behind the Infamous Fish Tank Platform Shoes

History Halls – The Curse of the Billy Goat