JULIA
SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m not exactly the type who follows fashion news, but as I
was scrolling the other day I saw something that made my eyes pop out. I had to
read every word. Ladies and gentlemen, Crocs – the brand everyone loves to hate
or hates to love – is making a Crocs cowboy boot.
A real (sort of) cowboy boot, complete with bootstraps, western stitching and little spinning spurs at the heel (don’t worry, animal friends, these are horse-friendly charms.) Of course, being Crocs, they also have ventilation holes all around the toe box; I shudder slightly to imagine what your feet or socks might look like if you actually wear these into a stable or corral.
Is it a joke? Is
it a meme that hopped off the internet and into stores? It’s not the first time
Crocs has left some of us wondering, “Is that the most ridiculous thing I’ve
ever seen, or do I not understand ‘hip’ these days?” (Full disclosure: I know
I don’t understand anything cool and au courant these days. I peaked in
coolness in 1985 and it’s been downhill ever since.)
Previously, Crocs made heads turn – or explode – with Balenciaga Croc heels. There was the Shrek Croc, in what I’m sure is a patented ogre color, with little ears. That, at least , made sense for kids. I’m pretty sure mine had branded shoes in official princess colors when they were tykes.
The last thing I
want to do is make fun of something that’s actually far too haute couture
for me to understand… but these are retailing for $120. I mean, if you want a
clog, you can buy an amazing pair of Danskos for that money, and get arch
support that’ll last you for an entire twelve hour hospital shift/ hike through
Denver International Airport/ day browsing the farmers markets. Who has enough
money to spend $120 joke – and if you have that kind of moolah, wouldn’t you
pick, you know, a better joke?
What do you think, dear readers? Fun? Functional? F***, no? And have you ever fallen for any trends that lasted about fifteen minutes before dying?
Umm . . .no, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm always a day late when it comes to following fashion trends; Crocs Cowboy Boots just make me laugh :)
I'm about ten years late on trends, Joan, so I'll stand in your corner!
DeleteWell a lot of the Midwest is now Texas facsimiles with open carry laws and the removal of reproductive rights, these fake cowboy boots fit right in with that sad mentality. Most of the above rednecks can’t afford real cowboy boots, so the Crocs cowboy boots will work for them. Irony is not part of their mindset.
ReplyDelete"All hat, no cattle," eh, Anon?
DeleteF***, no! Danskos or Mephistos, yes.
ReplyDeleteDanskos are great, Lisa. I don't wear them, but when the Maine Millennial worked at a library, she had a pair and swore by them. My "d-i-l" Veronique has two pairs for her hospital shifts.
DeleteUGH, NO! Comfortable footwear is a necessity since I walk a lot but I have never been a fan of Crocs. My New Balance 840s normally cost $180 CDN, and that is money well-spent. I am not the target audience for Crocs cowboy boots or any haute couture version of these beloved footwear.
ReplyDeleteGrace, I love my New Balance 840s!
DeleteDebRo
Saw that article, had to look twice. Put me in the F***, no category. Not even for a child would I buy these, even if they were only $14.99. at Walmart. (Flora)
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm pretty sure they do have knock-off versions at Walmart, Flora. Crocs just LOOK cheap - they're really rather pricey for what they are.
DeleteIn a single word: "Ick."
ReplyDeleteI've never been particularly stylish, but if I had been, I'm pretty sure I would have said "no" to Crocs in any form.
"Ick" is right! I can only wear footwear that is back friendly. I don't do Uggs either, being in FL they would be much too hot for my feet.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Uggs sandals, Paula? Classic sandal style with a wide strap across the ball of your foot - lined in shearling. My mind was blown, and not in a good way.
DeleteSomeone gave me a pair of Ugg’s shearling lined flip flops. Very comfortable. I wear them as slippers during our cold California winters, which lasts about two weeks. ;)
DeleteThe only use for a pair of crocs is to slip them on to dash out to the garden, which what mine are: gardening clogs. I don't like to see kids wearing them. Or anybody. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI think they started as garden clogs, right, Edith? Of course, we live in a country where people are now wearing pajamas to fly in, so...
DeleteNo. No. Ugh. (You don't even see the usual Crocs in Connecticut, but those certainly would not work in any season here.) I don't do trendy anyway, certainly not on these feet, which are the only pair I have.
ReplyDeleteJudy, that was my mother's philosophy: you only have one pair of feet, and you're on them for hours every day. Buy quality footwear.
DeleteI don't know what's more embarrassing, the fact that those abominations made it out of R&D in the first place or that all it takes is one dumb*ss celebrity to wear them and a million idiots will suddenly HAVE to have them.
ReplyDeleteAnyone wearing those in public should have their competency questioned.
By the way, this link to a Pluggers comic strip is on point for today's topic - https://safr.kingfeatures.com/api/img.php?e=gif&s=c&file=UGx1Z2dlcnMvMjAyMy8xMC9QbHVnZ2Vycy4yMDIzMTAxM182NTcuZ2lm
DeleteNever mind the link doesn't work. Darn it.
DeleteIt worked for me, Jay, and was too funny. I would never wear them for mowing the lawn but for walking to the compost pile is okay.
DeleteWorked for me too!
DeleteJay, your link works. You just have to highlight it and it gives you options to copy or open link. Open link takes you right to the Pluggers comic. I love The Pluggers. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteWorked for me, too!
DeleteJay, that's hysterical, and true!
DeleteI climbed into my hiking books and wool socks a week ago, with many winter months ahead of me. I wear Canadian rubber boots for gardening.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, you sound like me. Supportive flops and sneakers all summer, hiking/Bean/snow boots the rest of the year.
DeleteI have a pair of crocs (given to me about 16 years ago when my niece had her first paying job. Her Christmas present to all the women/girls that year were crocs.) The first winter I wore them with socks as slippers around the house. Then they became garden crocs. Easy to slip on and off and hose off at the end of the day. Wearing them as regular footwear -not a snowball’s chance in Hades! Suzette Ciancio
ReplyDeleteRight? They're perfect garden shoes (if they fit your feet well) and I can definitely see the shearling lined one being a good house shoe/slipper, espeically for those of us who need arch support.
DeleteNo self-respecting cowpoke would wear any such abomination. The horse would fall down laughing.
ReplyDeleteA lot of medical professionals do wear Crocs. They have good cushioning, and something almost unheard of in footwear these days, arch support. And they're cute on kids, and easy for little ones to put on by themselves.
Crocs does actually make very nice flats; I have two pairs. They're great for travel, and are weightless for lightening the suitcase. Many waitresses in fancier places wear them because they're attractive, but still comfortable enough to stand in for many hours. And affordable, unlike the Shrek silliness.
True, I do see nurses and medical staff wear Crocs. They are standing during most of their shift so they probably provide good cushioning and support as Karen states.
Delete"The horse would fall down laughing."
DeleteLove this image Karen in Ohio
They also don't cause sparks, which is something that is thought of in hospitals.
DeleteHaving nursing clogs that are more affordable is a big plus, Karen - I've gotten my "d-i-l" Veronique a good leather pair (from Klogs and Dansko) for the past two Christmases, and each one retails for well over $100. (BTW, if you're buying for a health care professional, Klogs usually has a good selection in their clearance for $89 - which is close to the price of the rubber Crocs nursing shoes!)
DeleteI haven't worn Crocs because they just don't seem to fit my feet well. I wish they would - I'd love a pair to wear when I'm feeding the birds, out in the yard, etc. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteThey work well as the classic "garden clog," April, but almost every kind of shoe of that design has a wider box, which is tough if you have more narrow feet.
DeleteThat's why I love them for my short wide feet - for the garden.
DeleteCouple of days ago, my 7 year old granddaughter excitedly showed us her new shoes - Crocs covered in glitter! That says everything about the target for any kind of "designer" Crocs. 😄 (they do make good garden shoes though)
ReplyDeleteMy little six-year-old has some of those, Triss!
DeleteGlitter AND optional charms? The perfect footwear for almost every under-nine girl!
DeleteI don't think even little kid would like the looks of croc cowboy boots. For less than the price quoted they could have "real" cowboy boots from Tractor Supply.
ReplyDeleteOh, Judi, I've seen little kids in my area wearing those!
DeleteFun as a display in an art gallery maybe. But, seriously NO!
ReplyDeleteIt would make a great display, Anon!
DeleteUm, no. I mean, I think it was Ellen Byron who wore a sparkly pink pair at Bouchercon this year, but that's about as far as I'd go.
ReplyDeleteI saw a young woman with a blinged-out pair of Crocs at the Portland Jetport last week, Liz. It looked really cute with her whole 20-something fashion-forward look (and roomy clogs with a strap over the heel actually make good sense when flying.)
DeleteNot a footwear person – read only wear sneakers but they must fit my foot, have a good arch, and last longer than the blink of an eye (which also means that they are probably expensive!)
ReplyDeleteHowever… I do have and still wear my original pair of Crocs – navy blue, bought when they were a ‘thing’, and worn semi-regularly during the summer. I wear the sneakers all day, and then take off the sneakers and socks, as by then I will have a sock-farmer’s-tan, and toast my feet unless I need to get up, and then on go the crocs. I do notice that the sole is wearing so suspect that I will need a new pair next summer.
Double however… Does anyone remember the reverse shoe (it must have had a name), where the heel was lower than the toe? I think it was made by Dr Scholls. At the time, I worked in the lab at the hospital, and they were the most comfortable shoes. I think they were eventually banned in the workplace for some reason – it may have been noise or maybe it was because they were not white – there was a dress code back then – but as I remember, they were one of my favourites.
I may send the crocs cowboy boots to my DIL – she wears cowboy boots and even had a new pair for her wedding!
Yes, Earth Shoes! I had a pair at the end of college.
DeleteAre you talking about Earth Shoes, Margo? They were not made by Dr. Scholl's (which at the time only made those wooden sandals with leather straps). In the mid-1970's the clothing retailer I worked for made an alliance with US Shoe, which was headquartered here in Cincinnati, and the junior executive of our chain of stores eventually became a VP at "the Shoe". They made some kind of deal with Earth Shoe, which at the time was a small, hippie granola company, and they opened some stores just to sell those shoes. Wish I could remember more details.
DeleteYes, Earth Shoes - good memory on your part. Funny how they were comfortable, but I never could stand those ones with the speed bumps just after the toes, and you had to use your toes to hold them on. I see that they still sell Earth Shoes, but I think I will pass this time.
DeleteMargo, the Crocs cowboy boots could definitely be fun for someone like your daughter-in-law!
DeleteI’ve had bad feet since childhood so I’ve never gotten into any of the footwear fads. I don’t really understand the popularity of Crocs; they don’t look at all comfortable. I haven’t worn heels in decades. When I’m not wearing my New Balance 840s, I’m wearing my SAS walking shoes. For dressy occasions, there are some shoes I drag out of storage.
ReplyDeleteDebRo
SAS makes some lovely shoes, DebRo, and I appreciate the extra wide sizing. One of the biggest no-nos about the Crocs, to me, is the fact their made of plastic - even the more sober looking nurses shoes. When it comes to comfort and durability, nothing is ever going to beat leather.
DeleteOh, crocs, gah. .I really cannot understand them. To each her own, but no crocs for me. I never had earth shoes, either.
ReplyDeleteI love shoes! LOVE. But not those. Even comfortable shoes should be flattering, that's my two cents! xx
Yes! Even comfortable shoes should be flattering. I had to get a pair of shoes with arch support recently.
DeleteDiana
Luckily, there are more good-looking, comfortable shoes around than ever, the natural result, I suppose, of the aging of the baby Boom.
DeleteLong comment here....Trendy? I do not think I am into trends. Once in a blue moon, if a new trend is something that fits my needs like when the new Apple iPad came out.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the pandemic, we could not go to the library in person. In order to be able to borrow books online from the library via Libby, it was easier to borrow books on the Libby app. Very easy to use Libby on the iPad.
Or are you talking about flash in the pan trends of things that do not last? Despite my brief modeling career donkey years ago, I noticed that I never was a fan of some fashion trends because they were not my cup of tea. I know several people who are trendy and they somehow fit well with trends. I'm not sure how to explain.
Speaking of crocs, I do not think I know anyone who wears crocs. I bought a pair of boots from England because I needed a new pair of boots. And I heard good things about the boots company from reliable sources.
Different people have different styles. I want to look presentable. There is One trend (maybe not really a trend) that I really love. I have seen photos of long sleeved dresses and that works for me.
And I cannot wear sleeveless blouses nor sleeveless dresses because my bra always shows and it was embarrassing!
Some people love to wear "ripped" jeans. Not me. I also have seen some curvy celebs wear clothes that were created for Straight (no or little shape) celebs like Twiggy or Audrey Hepburn. Not flattering.
Diana
Diana, I was amused the first time I went shopping with one of my daughters and saw pre-ripped jeans. In my day (ha-rumph) we had to by them new and stiff and wear them until they ripped on their own!
DeleteHaving never been to China I don’t know if their escalators are different than elsewhere, but this is a cautionary tale, especially for children wearing crocs. . https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202307/06/WS64a6a841a310bf8a75d6da96.html#:~:text=The%20rubber%20material%20creates%20more,take%20escalators%20while%20wearing%20crocs.
ReplyDeleteMy friend’s granddaughter did get her croc-clad foot caught in an escalator while living in China. Her foot was severely bruised, but thankfully remained intact.
The croc cowboy boots are just dumb.
Yikes! I don't think they're great for kids anyway, Brenda - is there any support?
DeleteLooking back I was more of a fashion maven than I ever knew. I did have the ugly brown leather shoes with laces and crepe soles, but I am pretty sure they were not the Earth Shoe brand (which still exists by the way and they have some nice looking shoes!) I also had the wooden Dr. Scholl’s sandals with the ridges under your toes. Those were a good workout for your feet and calves. And of course patent leather go-go boots. I feel like by the time I had these things in the Midwest the fashion industry had moved on to something new.
ReplyDeleteOh, I had the Dr. School's as well, Brenda. They were quite the thing when I was in high school. Gosh, I can still feel that slippy wood under my soles, and the struggle to keep the darned things on. I suspect I looked like a 19th century geisha shuffling about.
DeleteMy grandfather has just turned over in his urn. He wore cowboy boots and only cowboy boots that made for his small feet by a company in Kansas. No, this new fashion for feet will not crossing my threshold.
ReplyDeleteBut wouldn't your grandfather have wanted little pop-in charms on his boots, Deana? :-)
DeleteNo way. If I’m going to wear cowboy boots I want something that’s going to survive being stepped on by a horse
ReplyDeleteAnon, I pictured someone turning up in these to ride and the instructor passing out from shock.
DeleteLOL -platform crocs. So funny. I have never owned a pair. They are much too wide for my narrow feet so I wasn't even tempted. And aren't they plastic? Nope, nope, nope. But the croc charms are cute.
ReplyDeleteTrends? I've never been much of a trend follower, but I confess to wearing water buffalo sandals in college. It was 1970, folks. These were the sandals with no support and you had to wet them down before the first wearing. They turned feet a lovely shade of blackish brown. A true rite of passage.
Oh, no, Kait! I had the much more supportive, but ridiculously hard-to-walk-in Earth sandals. Remember those? They tilted your heel lower than the sole, ( which having suffered later in life from plantar fasciitis, is absolutely correct, ) but they kept flying off my feet after every few steps.
DeleteVERY fun! My grandson would LOVE those boots. But he'd want to wear them all the time AND in the rain... hmmm.
ReplyDeleteRight? Perfect for the three-to-eight set. Older than that...?
DeleteHub told me that Crocs (new and unknown at the time) were the featured footwear in the movie Idiocracy because the costume designer had seen a pair, decided they were ridiculous enough to never be in fashion, and so used them in the movie…and here we are. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThat movie was prophetic in more ways than one, Jenn.
DeleteHere’s the link: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/idiocracy-crocs/
ReplyDeleteNo thank you. Some people have more money than sense.
ReplyDeleteA lovely old saying we don't hear enough of, Pat!
DeleteNo crocs for me. I have narrow feet so have never been tempted--not that I would have been anyway! I do, however, have a hot pink pair of Hunter wellies, bought a few years ago when wearing Hunters everywhere was all the fashion rage. I do NOT recommend them for every day wear, but they are perfect for going out in rain and muck--as intended--and they have good arch support.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I think the Shrek kids crocs are sort of hideously fun.
My kids would definitely have loved them, Debs!
DeleteWell, I'm going to defend the ugly croc--and I'm with you on their ugliness! I was very ill over the summer and one of the most annoying symptoms were swollen legs and feet. Only shoes I could wear were enormous crocs in a men's size. Not my choice, but needs must! - Melanie
ReplyDeleteMelanie, when they work, they work! I'm glad you were able to find something comfortable, and I hope you're feeling much better now it's fall!
DeleteI've never thought about it until now, but I've never owned a pair of Crocs. I've bought them for my daughter and granddaughter, but that's it. I will admit though that I like the Shrek Crocs. They look like pure fun, and you could wear them as slippers in the house.
ReplyDeleteKathy, if you buy them and wear them, I'll feature the picture on the front page!
DeleteI should deserve no less.
DeleteWhen I was 21, I worked for four months in a Saab factory near Stockholm, and we workers were required to wear traditional Swedish leather clogs with wooden soles---and steel-reinforced toes. I stood in those clogs all day long assembling Saab car engines. A precursor of Crocs, perhaps?! I also remember a stupid trend I fell for, Julia. When I was nine, I wanted a troll doll with long blue hair; the cool girls in my class were doing their trolls' hair and even sewing them clothes. I KNEW even then that I hated troll dolls and only wanted one to be "in"--but I still begged my mother for one (and got one--Mama understood what was going on). My mother helped me make that dumb doll some kind of elaborate outfit, and in a few weeks, no one was playing with trolls anymore!
ReplyDeleteKim, I think we all did something like that when we were kids. I, too, had a troll doll, but never made clothes for it. I don’t honestly remember ever playing with it. When you’re a kid, you want to fit in and sometimes you’ll follow the crowd to the Land of Fads. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a mom like yours who knows what’s going on but doesn’t make you feel badly.
DeleteMy husband likes Crocs and my son and I mercilessly tease him about it (with affection, of course). He saw the cowboy Crocs advertised and threatened to buy a pair for our son for Christmas. I told him if he wants to throw money away, there are lots of charities who would be grateful for the $100+ donation! — Pat S
Oh, my gosh, Kim, I did the same thing with the troll doll! I only really liked Barbies, but trolls were THE thing, and my mother, God bless her, also sewed several little outfits for them. Thanks, Mom!
DeleteThis is Kim. Thanks, Pat and Julia, for the troll doll solidarity! Being a preteen isn't always easy, is it?
Delete