Welcome to Hype Machine, our hit-list of the top reviewed products across the web — according to a crowd of die-hard shoppers. Call this your 4-star & up only club, with entry granted by our devoted-to-the-goods shop editors.

Chunky sneaker, dad shoe, grandma style — call it what you will, the divisive, puffy silhouette has been in demand well before Demna's fall '17 sartorial love letter to Bernie Sanders. In a trend-driven cycle where hype begets hype, we embarked on a mission to cut through the madness of it all to get to the bottom of the real need for ugly footwear, which is ~~fashion~~ comfort. The first step is accepting that, aesthetics of layered bulbous rubber aside, your feet will never be mad at a more cushioned insole.

Hard fact: the 490 five-star reviews of Skechers' Energy sneakers on Jet prove that while the hype on hideous shoes could be considered a fashion farce by some, it's no charade when it comes to the most-loved sneaker styles in the world. Or at least the highest reviewed on the likes of Zappos, Amazon, and all the other go-to review-weighted retail behemoths we've come to rely on.

Since we're here for the goods, wherever they may be served up, we're certainly not batting away any potential top-rated shoe, no matter the brand name or function. So, to please both the trendsetters with a hunger for a high fashion investment and those looking to get a leg up on comfort while it's #trending, we present you with real hype (those that have received high-praise from every average Jane on the internet) versus egregiously good fashion hype (like Balenciaga's new $850 "track" sneaker). Which one would you buy into? Either way, there's no shame in the comfy shoe game.

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