At the Emmys, stars typically step out in expensive designer duds.
But in 1985, Cybill Shepherd mastered the art of high-low dressing on the Emmy Awards red carpet. The star stepped out in a sophisticated black gown paired with black opera sleeves — and instead of opting for killer stilettos, she wore a pair of salmon-colored Reebok sneakers.
The look made Shepherd an instant iconoclast — especially since the A-lister made certain to strike poses that revealed the bargain sneakers under her elegant dress.
But the inexpensive shoes added an element of interest to Shepherd’s look and demonstrated that street style had a place on the red carpet — more than three decades before it became trendy.
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After her initial red carpet appearance, Shepherd stirred the pot even further in an interview done with People a few months later. “Heels are a form of bondage,” she told the magazine. “I won’t ruin my feet.”
Since the star’s groundbreaking appearance 32 years ago, other celebrities have followed in her footsteps by wearing more affordable shoes for red carpet appearances — but even in all the years that have passed, no other major female star has selected sneakers for the Emmys.
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