I Tried the Viral Big Red Boots — and Styled Them Like Janelle Monáe and Ciara

If you're scrolling on TikTok as much as I am these days, then you've probably seen the Big Red Boots by Mschf: a viral pair of oversize red shoes that make the wearer look like they're straight out of Mario Bros. Constructed with a TPU rubber shell and an EVA foam sole, the boots are described as "cartoon boots for a cool 3D world" on the brand's website. While I chuckled along with the rest of the world as influencers unboxed the colossal footwear, I never planned on trying them on myself. How could one style these boots and actually look like a serious person?

Still, I was intrigued when I saw celebrities pulling them off seamlessly. In a T-shirt worn as a dress, Ciara made the big red boots feel fun, stylish, and even sexy. Janelle Monáe wore the shoes in red and in light blue (with a custom cloud print), both times pairing them with shorter silhouettes to complement the massive shape. With a bit of primary colorblocking, Lil Wayne nailed the look on the set of a music video. And Coi Leray was brave enough to incorporate another popular trend — the no-pants look — into her styling of the giant shoes. That was enough to convince me to grab a pair and challenge myself to style them four ways, but I had to get my hands on them first.

Working with retailer The Edit LDN, I was able to pull a pair to wear in a size 10. After unboxing them, the first thing I noticed was that they were even bigger than I thought; in fact, they were essentially the size of my torso. They also felt soft and squishy, like a fun, cartoonishly large pair of rain boots. I was also pleased to discover that the boots weren't stiff, but completely bendable, which made it easier for me to walk around in them. Because I typically wear a size 8, I was able to slide them on and off easily (others have apparently struggled to remove them). It also helped to wear socks and leggings to avoid my skin sticking to the rubber.

The styling, though, was a bit more difficult. At 5'1", I try to avoid gargantuan silhouettes as much as possible, because they tend to overwhelm my petite frame. But taking a cue from Ciara and Monáe's styling, I tried a balancing act of sorts, pairing the enormous shoes with smaller silhouettes like micro skirts, hot pants, bodysuits, and minidresses. The result can only be described as "Boots from 'Dora the Explorer' attends Fashion Week," and I mean that in the best way possible.

Keep reading for my review of the Mschf Big Red Boots, plus how to style them and where they're available for purchase.