There’s a trend inundating the streets of America that evokes responses so severe it can only be compared to items such as Clay Aiken, the new Vivanno smoothie at Starbucks, and Hillary Clinton on the love/hate spectrum.

We have entered the zone of the Gladiator sandal, and women are taking to the stores like Russell Crowe took to the ring. Maybe it’s the air of competition that seeped over from the Beijing Olympics into women’s closets, but you won’t find any women going into real battle wearing these sandals (That is, unless it’s fighting for a 70% off Marc Jacobs dress at the Saks clearance sale). In order to understand this trend that many adore and many detest, we’ve broken down the styles into three divisions of severity:

1. The simple, flat T-strap sandal. A classic sandal that will never go out of style, this is the easiest way to introduce yourself to the gladiator trend. At age 18 we found a pair of beautiful orange Pradas at the bottom of a pile in the Saks outlet, and needless to say, they’ve been considered chic ever summer since.

2. “The Lobster Trap,” as our friend, a Boston financial advisor refers to them. Due to the entrapment of the entire ankle and foot area, she compares this style to the mechanism meant to capture crustaceans off the coast of Maine. Even so, this look is extremely popular among young women. While the basic brown and black are popular, electric blues and neon colors have been spotted on the feet of well-heeled women across the country.

3. The extreme Russell Crowe circa-Gladiator, knee-high, Forrest Gump leg brace lookalike: First pulled off by eccentric trendsetter Mary-Kate Olsen in a pair of Alaias, this is a less popular yet extremely daring form of the trend. Not many women are willing to attempt this look, due to the possibility of legs looking stumpy, and the somewhat bondage, S&M appearance.

So why is this style popular yet detested? Puzzled, we consulted an expert on the situation: our favorite Barney’s saleswoman. While she says it’s difficult to pull off such a complicated trend, a few chic women are really willing to do so. The basic T strap style is always a crowd pleaser, but the heavy, knee high versions are a more difficult sell. That said, they’re for women who know what they’re looking for and aren’t afraid of criticism.

While people continue to love or detest the gladiator sandal, we can’t help but enjoy the fact that women are becoming more and more comfortable with sticking out in a crowd. While some may poke fun and say you look a bit like Forrest Gump, it’s always better to be noticed than ignored. In knee high gladiators, you surely won’t be ignored. In fact, you’ll probably be the topic of conversation.

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