No small talk this week, let’s get right to the point. I love clogs. The versatile, functional, timeless shoe worn by mountain and city folk alike. Lucky for us long time clogs wearers, first time trend watchers… turns out, they’re pretty chic right now. (But weren’t they always?) Preface for the clog-purists reading: I’m dumping any sort of house shoe/slip on/wooden mule type shoe into the clogs bucket. Thank you for understanding.
Thanks to the Birkenstock Boston resurgence of the past few years, a whole new generation has discovered the versatility of the genderless clog silhouette. I think every 10 years or so we all need to be reminded of this.
Many of us can bring to mind the fully wooden clogs of the 13th century Dutch, but the Romans, Spanish, Japanese, and many African countries also had their own forms of a wooden, clog-like shoe. It’s kind of a heritage shoe for nearly all of us.
Like many mountain dwellers, I have a soft spot for Dansko clogs. Where some people may see a shoe that is lacking a bit of sex appeal, perhaps more fit for a male nurse in scrubs, I see the shoe of the coolest moms blasting public radio on their way to Nordic ski. It’s what your rad aunt who’s on ski patrol wears at après and the funky artsy dad has on in the school pick up line. Growing up, my mom could dress up a leopard print clog like no one has even attempted to since.
And if I were a betting woman, I’d put money on it being the next Gorpcore craze.
I’ve seen the Merrell Jungle Moc on the trendiest of us- the Dansko can’t be far behind.
On Clogs, Christian Louboutin had said “When you hear the sound of someone coming, when you hear high heels, you imagine something immediately. When you hear clogs, what do you imagine? A donkey!” I mentioned in a previous letter that we are not zebras, but I think I’m comfortable with donkey.
For those of us out here blending different styles and mixing fashion and function because a.) it’s interesting and b.) our lifestyles demand it, then I deem the clog the Swiss Army knife of shoes.
(If any clog company out there wants to co-capitalize on a TOGS CLOGS collab, you know where to find me. )
Clogs are entirely genderless but I’m going to start off today with some clogspo for our male identifying or menswear wearin’ readers!
Sidebar: I love ‘clogspo’
1.) Birkenstock 1774 IV Tokio 2.) Diemme Maggiore Slip On, on sale here 3.) Roa Hiking Fedaia 4.) Plasticana Clogs 5.) LE17SEPTEMBRE Mules 6.) Birkenstock Super-Birki 7.) Seavees Bodega Clog 8.) Diemme x Nicole McLaughlin
I love the dressier trousers with a clog, or a cropped pant with a solid sock. I think they’re great with shorts and taller socks scrunched down or a poking out of alonger pant for just a pop of color or texture.
And now here are some of the clogs in my current rotation with some spring-ish styling.
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