>
Members of Generation Z live in fear that they are headed for a breakup this holiday season because they bought their partners a new pair of shoes for Christmas.
The viral ‘shoe theory’ taking over TikTok stems from the old superstition that giving shoes to loved ones brings bad luck and will cause them to leave your life.
Both dropouts and dropouts have detailed how their past relationships came to an end after the seemingly innocuous purchase of a pair of shoes as a gift.
TikTok user @taylor.castroo is among believers in the viral ‘shoe theory’ that has taken over the platform this holiday season
The theory stems from the old superstition that giving shoes to loved ones will make them leave your life. TikTok user @yrfavtaurus claimed that her boyfriend dumped her right after she bought him sneakers for her birthday.
The #shoetheory hashtag has a whopping six billion views on the platform, and many of the most recent videos feature lyrics from Lana Del Rey’s ‘Mariners Apartment Complex’.
tiktok user @megan.grace20 He shared that he “just found out about the theory” and is living proof that it’s real.
‘I bought my [boyfriend] Lightning McQueen Crocs for Christmas this year, and he broke up with me three weeks after I bought them and a month before Christmas,” she wrote in on-screen text.
“It’s a curse,” he added in the caption of the photo.
TikTok user @megan.grace20 shared that she “just found out about the theory” and it’s living proof that it’s real.
TikTok user @lilbih923 noted that she and her boyfriend were together for “almost two years” when she bought him a pair of Jordans. He left her a month later.
The now viral video has been viewed over 3.3. Millions of times, and she’s not the only one who blames the shoes for her anguish.
‘The shoe theory is 100% accurate because I once bought a guy $400 Jordans for Christmas, and he broke up [with] me a month later’, TikTok user @lilbih923 shared.
She noted in the caption that they were together for “almost two years,” and he didn’t even bother to return her expensive sneakers.
“I just found out what the shoe theory is and it IS REAL,” agreed Taylor Castro, whose handle is @taylor.castroo. “I bought my ex the pair of shoes she really wanted for Christmas and we broke up a week later. He even put Depop’s shoes on the day we broke up.
TikTok user @ok.kati.2 admitted in a recent video that she initially thought the theory was “silly,” but later recalled that her ex “walked out” of her life after he gifted her a pair of shoes.
TikTok user @anniep recalled breaking up with her boyfriend after he bought her a pair of shoes for Christmas.
tiktok user @ok.kati.2 admitted in a recent video that he initially thought the theory was “silly,” but then “had a lightbulb moment” after doing some research.
“Funny enough, I had given a pair of shoes to an ex of mine, and mind you, this is the only pair of shoes I’ve ever given to anyone…and yeah, I’m not going to lie, they’re definitely gone from my life.” ,’ she said.
The shoe theory seems to be a modern version of an old Chinese superstition. According to the South China Morning Mailit is believed that giving shoes ‘brings bad luck’.
“The word ‘shoe’ sounds similar to the word ‘wicked’ in Mandarin or ‘rough’ in Cantonese, so gifting footwear is a big no-no,” the article states.
Despite the wave of shoe theory stories going viral this month, it’s important to remember that the alleged evidence is merely anecdotal, and likely coincidental.
There have also been several people who have set out to disprove the superstition, including TikTok user @victoriaclemxxo.
However, that hasn’t stopped people from freaking out over the fact that they bought their partners shoes for Christmas. TikTok user @amy.mcgillivray pointed out that the theory is all over her ‘For You’ page.
TikTok user @cryingwithgab was upset that she didn’t find out about the theory until after she bought her partner a new pair of shoes.
There have also been several people who have set out to disprove the superstition, including the TikTok user. @victoriaclemxxo.
Ladies, I am proof that the shoe theory is a myth!! she captioned the video of her. She put a ring on him years ago and I buy him shoes every year!
One commenter claimed that the real issue is the price of the shoes, arguing that giving a new partner ‘something expensive’ can lead to a breakup because they seem to be ‘trying too hard’.
However, that hasn’t stopped people, especially young women, from freaking out over the fact that they bought shoes for their partners for Christmas.
‘Why did the shoe theory just come to light?’ Username @cryingcongab he asked in his video. ‘Like after I bought your gift? Really? I didn’t buy a $100 pair of shoes just to have them break in.’