Shoppers are dropping hundreds of dollars on things that used to be considered too ugly to wear - here are the worst examples

• Consumers are spending hundreds of dollars on "ugly" clothes and accessories.
• Shoppers are favoring more comfortable, practical clothing, and dressing ugly has become ironic.
• We've rounded up some of the ugliest products to be released in the past year.

Ugly fashion is here to stay.

The trend of dressing in ugly clothing and accessories hit its peak in 2017, and it shows no signs of slowing down in 2018.

There are two reasons for this: first, consumers are increasingly favoring comfortable clothing and shoes, which is why practical brands Birkenstock and Crocs are having a comeback.

"It happens every several years" David Kahan, CEO of Birkenstock USA, told Fast Company back in 2016. "The planets line up and Birkenstocks become fashionable again."

Similarly, after falling out of favor around 10 years ago, Crocs' core product, the classic clog, is back in vogue.

"The classic clog has re-emerged as our hero," Terence Reilly, Crocs' chief marketing officer, told The Washington Post.

The second reason is that ugly products have become so ironic that they're now trendy, thanks to designer brands launching their own ugly clothing items. It's an excellent marketing ploy - these unappealing products with large price tags create a backlash and subsequent buzz on social media.

Take a look at some of the products that best exemplify the ugly trend: