On Monday night, in front of thirty thousand screaming Aussie fans, British pop sensation Harry Styles raised a sweaty sneaker filled with water to his lips and drank.
“This is one of the most horrible traditions I’ve ever heard of,” he said to the Perth crowd, grimacing as he chugged the beverage to cries of “shoey, shoey, shoey.”
After swallowing, Harry Styles declared to the rowdy audience that he felt “like a different person.”
“I am ashamed of myself,” he remarked with a head shake. “This topic will be discussed at length with my therapist. At long last!”
Harry Styles is the most recent worldwide celebrity to be exposed to the controversial Australian tradition known as the shoey, which involves sipping a beverage, typically an alcoholic one, from a shoe.
F1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton, actor Sir Patrick Stewart, and a plethora of musicians, including rapper Post Malone, Machine Gun Kelly, and country singer Kasey Musgraves, have indulged while visiting Australia, typically at the demand of Aussie fans.
Nonetheless, this trend is contentious. According to many Australians, it is stale, filthy, and “blokey”; an embarrassing trait for the nation to be renowned for.
Others contend that it is a harmless joke based on Australian culture, which emphasizes self-deprecating humor and a feeling of equality.
Where did the shoey begin?
No one is certain of the origin of the shoey. Liz Giuffre, a communications lecturer at the University of Technology in Sydney, told the BBC,
“Like every cultural practice, a few people try to claim it.”
There are rumors that soldiers engaged in shoeys throughout the World Wars, just as Russian ballet performers did centuries before.
The earliest shoey for which Dr. Giuffre has photographic evidence occurred in 1951. During a press appearance at the Ritz Hotel in London, American actress Tallulah Bankhead was observed sipping champagne from her heel.
In Australia, however, what began as a display of “opulence” grew into something “ridiculous,” according to Dr. Giuffre.
Mark Gwynn, who has been investigating the word for inclusion in the official Australian National Dictionary, has determined that the shoey is a relatively new occurrence in Australia.
The earliest mentions he has discovered date back to 2010, when the shoey was associated with the Australian punk music movement, as well as being a common sight at parties and sporting events. Often, it is done to mark a special occasion.
“It’s a matter of overcoming hardship… I’m going to drink out of the shoe that brought me there since I’ve just accomplished something incredibly difficult “Dr. Giuffre affirms.
Yet, according to both experts, Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo popularized the shoey in 2016. He made it his signature race celebration and increased its global visibility.
It has only increased in popularity since then. Hannah Green drank a shoey after winning her maiden event on home soil earlier this month, and Nedd Brockman, who raced the length of Australia last year, completed his run with a sock-flavored cocktail.
Why is there division in Australia?
Observers assert that the shoey embodies Australian ideals. Dr. Giuffre says that the modest act plays into Australia’s infamous distaste for “tall poppies.”
“There’s nothing noble about it… You are stating, “I am not myself.” We want individuals to win, but we don’t want them to be overly cocky or arrogant.”
Mr. Gwynn explains that it is also a tribute to Australia’s sense of humor, sense of adventure, and drinking culture.
“That is not a violent act. It is neither intrinsically sexist nor racist. It is a lighthearted, “out there” bit of fun.”
Yet, many Aussies find it vile. Some detractors assert that the trend’s initial shock value has long since passed.
Mackenzie told the BBC that he recoiled upon seeing Styles consume shoe juice on television. The 24-year-old, who is too embarrassed to reveal his last name, describes himself as a “reformed alternative vessel fan” and asserts that the trend has not aged well.
“I’m not sure if I’ve never done a shoey or if I’ve successfully suppressed the recollection of having done a shoey.”
“[But] shoeys are out, and fundamental hygiene is in.”
Although the risk is quite low, research has revealed that shoes can harbor a variety of pathogenic bacteria, such as those that cause staph infections.
Furthermore, some assert that the shoey caters too heavily to outdated prejudices that do not represent contemporary Australia.
They claim it is “blokey,” “lowbrow,” and reinforces the notion that Aussies are “bogans” – a derogatory term for an unrefined person of low social standing.
Dr. Giuffre states,
“There has been some online criticism stating that it is a bit undignified and questioning whether or not we are treating an international guest appropriately.”
“But, nobody forced him to do anything. I believe Harry will be fine. He is wearing exquisite Gucci shoes that are likely cleaner than the coffee mugs on your and my kitchen counters.”
Brooke Littler, who was in the front row for Styles’ Monday night concert, was astonished by the star’s beverage choice.
“I cannot believe that he did that. I did not anticipate that he would.”
She was neither shocked nor ashamed. She claims that shoe requests have been commonplace at most concerts she has attended in recent years, and despite the fact that the artist “hated” it, she believes he deserves credit for bucking the trend.
“I find it nasty and I don’t understand why it’s a thing, but I enjoy watching others do it.”
However, she won’t be engaging in it anytime soon.
“The only way I would participate is if Harry Styles invited me.”
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