Burning Man’s mud-defying footwear fashion show

Some of the most impressive footwear fashion adaptations came from Amanda Engle, a first-time Burner. Engle works in fashion in Rocklin, California, and was part of the Naked Zebra camp, which hosts a thrift store that gives away clothing during the festival. After the rain soaked the playa, Engle found herself studying the fashion choices people were making.

“I was just hanging out looking at everyone’s footwear, thinking about what was working and what wasn’t — and how I could improve it,” Engle said.

Some burners were prepared and brought rain boots, others simply went barefoot. The people who were designing their own gear interested Engle the most, though.

Trash bags secured over feet became extremely popular, but Engle noticed that the bags were often too big, and the plastic tended to drag on the ground, making tears inevitable. Engle would cut trash bags in half, she decided, which allowed her to use fewer bags. She didn’t want to have to remove failed trash bag boots and spend time and resources creating new ones, so she knew she needed to be able to reuse her creations.
Engle installed a garbage bag tie at the back of her boots that served to gather the plastic material. She secured it loosely enough to take the boots on and off.

As a finishing touch, she made strips of mirror duct tape for the top of her foot. “That really adds some pizzazz,” she said.