To Croc or not to Croc
July 13th, 2007As casual, everyday, “be-seen-in-public” mens and womens footwear, Crocs have to be the ugliest and least stylish shoes I’ve ever seen. Wearing them to the beach, in the garden, during torrential downpours of rain, at home, or as your only option after bunion surgery, is a dash more acceptable. But only in the ultimate practical sense. I’m all for comfortable shoes, but Crocs look really unflattering (and I personally don’t even find them comfortable).
However, shrink them down to toddler- or pre-school size and they’re perfectly adorable. Everything looks cute when it’s child-size. Alas, Crocs for grown-ups are still being offered by the shelf load at department stores, which leads me to believe that there’s a market for them. I just can’t see these garish rubber shoes working in any adult’s stylish wardrobe.
Am I the odd one out?
Crocs are cute when they are little, but then again… what isn’t?
July 13th, 2007 at 7:34 am
No, you are not the odd one out! My kids have a closet-full but not for me, thanks!
July 13th, 2007 at 7:45 am
I find Crocs to be a rather unfortunate fad. They give me a headache. Add the tacky charms on the top and I get a migraine. Since they are a fad, I look forward to their quick exile to everyone’s gardening clothes bins.
July 13th, 2007 at 7:56 am
Hideous! Just like the “natural” version–Birkenstocks.
July 13th, 2007 at 8:48 am
If you are the odd one out, I’m out there with you!!!
July 13th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Oh Angie you have hit upon my fashion pet peeve! I loathe those things and think they should be banned for their sheer ugliness. I actually see people wear those things at the office and to church! Ugh!
July 13th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Totally agree. They are ugly. The colors are obnoxious (unless you are under the age of 6.) and the little buttons are obviously just a ploy to separate you from your money. They look particularly horrid on adults and boys. (I don’t know why, but they look feminine on boys–and not just the brightly colored ones.) I remember seeing them few and far between about 3 years ago, now all the knock offs are out there and you can’t step outside your front door without seeing a few pair. Ever notice that regardless of what else someone is wearing, all you notice are the big silly clown shoes? My 10 year old daughter has informed me that she will not succumb to ugly footwear just because everyone else is. (Brought a tear to my proud momma eyes!)
July 13th, 2007 at 8:58 am
I couldn’t agree more! They as just about as fugly as shoes can get.
I do see a place for them. It is nice that they are comfortable and easily cleaned, so I’m fine with people wearing them when fishing or gardening. I don’t mind nurses and doctors wearing them when in scrubs because they are easy to disinfect and they spend a lot of time on their feet.
However, as an out and about in public shoe - ick, ick, ick, ick. There is just no excuse. People keep telling me, “You just have to try them. They’re so comfy that you’ll change your mind.” No! I have plenty of comfy but cute shoes. I don’t need ugly comfy shoes. I have a pair of red flats from Naturalizer that are wonderful, and plenty of even cuter shoes that are nearly as comfy.
July 13th, 2007 at 9:09 am
This is wonderful validation ladies - thank you!!
July 13th, 2007 at 11:07 am
As someone who just had bunion surgery, I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to avoid crocs I’m supposed to be able to get into a sneaker in two more weeks, but if I can’t, I’ll probably try some Birkenstocks, Earth shoes, gym shoes…anything but crocs. There are so many thousands of other shoes that are comfortable and not hideous. There is just no excuse to wear these.
July 13th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I completely and totally agree!! I think they are the ugliest “comfort shoe” ever….especially on adults. They seemed to pop up over night, before I knew it they were on everyone from tots to old folks! Positively. Hideous. (A friend of mine left a pair of hers in my hallway, after a week of reminders she never came and got them. I couldn’t stand to see them every day….so I put them out with the trash…lol.)
July 13th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I have to say that I just hate the clogs, but I adore my little Crocs “Prima” Ballet flats. They’re not the chunky, bulky, hideous brightly colored monstrosities you see (you can even see those in college football colors- shudder!). I have a pair in black and a pair in silver. They are perfect for wearing with little summer skirts and tees. Big clunky Crocs? Never. Ballet flats? Absolutely.
July 13th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
You have hit upon my fasion pet peeve! I think those things should be banned from the planet for being so ugly! I actually see people at my office wearing them and at church!! I have been ranting about them since they first came out.
July 13th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
i can’t help but agree on how completely hideous and nauseating these shoes are, although i have to say, crocs are the anomaly to the general rule that everything is cute miniaturised. i recently came across a five or six year old sporting a pair of hot pink crocs, and all i could think of was how sad i was for the next generation of americans.
in my opinion, shoes should not be filled with holes, made out of unsturdy plastic, or come in garish colours. i say we start a petition to ban these things in places where the easily sickened could see them (i.e. everywhere)
July 13th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
No Angie, you aren’t the odd one out, I am because I actually own a pair along with the rest of my family. My husband was researching comfortable shoes for Disneyland and everyone said to get Crocs. I got some against my will, even though they are ugly and anything but stylish. I think I wore them once on that trip. Now I wear them in the yard but hubby has been seen in public wearing them (gasp!). They do have a new style which looks more like a rubber mary jane, but I have no plans to trade up. I will share this post with him as I am sure he will get a good laugh.
Sue
July 13th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
It makes me sad to think that so many people out there have abandoned aesthetics in the pursuit of physical comfort. Crocs are even worse than Uggs!
July 13th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Wow, a nerve has been hit! There should an anti-croc movement! I agree with all, but admit I do own a pair which I bought and wear only at home. I have “needy” feet and hadn’t been able to find house shoes or slippers which gave me feet the support they needed, so I got some crocs at REI a couple years ago having no idea people would actually wear them in public and that they’d become a fad! Anyhow, I do have to say they give me the support I need for my feet AT HOME!
July 13th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
crocs are as lightweight as a ping-pong ball, so that may be why people wear them. but its not a good reason and doesn’t make up for the fact that they’re hideous.
but as angie says, they are perfectly adorable on tots!
July 14th, 2007 at 8:02 am
Oh I hate Crocs! I’m a lifeguard and everyone at the pool has them. but so ugly and not enough arch support anyway.
July 14th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
I agree with Heather about the pair she ownes. The clog is quite dreadful but the Croc company has done their research and has come out with some cute styles. Truly.
It really bothers me when I see people buying the clogs to color match with their clothing. Bright yellow or hot pink?! EEK!
July 15th, 2007 at 4:07 am
No you’re not alone. I am the same exact way. Ever since they have shown up in Kuwait, I think they’re fine on kids but I hate the grown up versions! They are too ugly!
July 15th, 2007 at 7:56 am
Even worse would be if they’re buying clothing to color match with their clogs!
July 15th, 2007 at 11:27 am
As someone else mentioned, they are fine for hospital workers and maybe the beach.
But in public, they are the equivalent to wearing old, stained sweatpants.
There are many better options. If you want comfort, “Earth”, “Simple” and several others have very nice options.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:17 am
I hate Crocs. I tried a pair on and you can find shoes that are just as comfortable and more adult-wardrobe appropriate.
July 17th, 2007 at 8:53 am
I agree Crocs are disgusting! I live in Arkansas and it seems everyone wears them. What is worse is to see people wearing dirty ones or to see an entire family in them shopping at Wal-Mart. I am from the south but southerners as a whole are lacking in fashion sense. Crocs rate up there with Jams or Jellies that were popular in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
July 18th, 2007 at 8:31 am
[…] I really hit a nerve with last weeks post on Crocs’ unsightly Cayman. The comments were uniformly in agreement that this shoe is, shall we say, aesthetically challenged. “Unfortunate fad”, “hideous!”, “nauseating”, and “they should be banned for their sheer ugliness” is pretty representative of the sentiment. But there were some other interesting points: there clearly is a place for these shoes in activities like “fishing and gardening”, and a couple of people pointed out that Crocs do have other styles in their range. […]
July 18th, 2007 at 11:11 am
They are plastic clogs with holes! Now, I have always liked clogs, perhaps due to my Scandinavian heritage (altho workers all over Europe once wore them)…Yes, they are adorable on kids…and the colors are bright - but really - with shorts, in the summer, at the beach where you can knock the sand out, they would make sense - my only worry would be that my feet would stick to the plastic., but then I can’t wear flip flops because my toes get blisters! ..You guys take all this too seriously! But I am in L.A. & the fad has already passed on here….P.S. the Croc shoes look like nouveau versions of Famulares (sp?) from the 70s/80s - They were high and cushy - If I had to wear fancy office outfits all the time, I would look at these Crocs - but they don’t say how much they COST!
July 18th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I’m Dutch and I adore clogs. People in the Netherlands still wear clogs all the time and look fab. Keep those pants at the right length and a clog is both stylish an easy shoe to wear.
Crocs have been around in Seattle for ages too….but unfortunately it hasn’t stopped people wearing them as a so called comfortable and casual everyday outdoor shoe.
July 18th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Only one word for crocs: UGLY