Win Win
May 23rd, 2006After I moved in with Heather she had to come to terms with a lot of my stuff. While she loved the fonts, she wasn’t so sure about the clogs, prompting this blurb. I had a pair of Simple clogs that I got in 1996, which stood me in good stead and are still in the arsenal. I mostly wear them to take the dog out on wet mornings, as a driving shoe for snowboarding trips or for a quick trash take out. They are getting worn, and I should have gotten one size larger. I’ve been looking at a new pair for a couple of years, but I couldn’t see the Simple ones many places and when I did, I wasn’t in the buying mood. Heather would always cast a look that said, “If you even think about buying those, you will be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future. With zero hope of any kind of procedures.”
This from a woman who regularly wears shoes with an endorsement from the Marquis de Sade.
On a recent business trip to San Francisco, I journeyed with Heather to Shoe Pavillion in the hopes of becoming America’s Next Top Male Model wearing a new pair of clogs. I looked at the low end Birkenstocks, the normal Birkenstocks and a couple of designer pairs. They didn’t feel right and weren’t priced right. The elusive perfect pair of clogs had escaped me yet again. In our other thirty minutes of shopping, I was unable to find anything remotely approaching a clog.
I had put off looking at Crocs because of previous comments Heather had made during the summer of 2001 about a co-worker who had the O.G. green Crocs and she had strong feelings in the anti-garden shoe area. But it began to look like Crocs or a Croc-like substitute would be the only way I’d find a suitable replacement.
On a recent puzzle purchase trip with Leta (she’s starting to dig on the puzzles), I hit a store that carried a wide array of Crocs. I was happy that I didn’t have to buy orange or yellow or bright green or pastel blue and could settle on a pair of size 13 black Crocs:
I’ve worn these publicly, with Heather, without shame. It’s a special fun big day. o
Tags: clogs
Had to visit my Dad in the hospital recently.
I do not recall one, ONE member of the hospital staff, nurses, doctors, etc. who were not wearing crocks.
Evidently they are some comfortable shoes.
I’m not bothered by clogs on men in the least. I actually think the “Karl” by Dansko is pretty cool.
“Crocs” are an entirely different matter. I’m with Hemlock: plastic shoes have got to make your feet sweat, air holes be damned. I have jelly flashbacks when I see these… they were so stinky!
Our friend Spencer loves his Crocs, but I think that is because he wears them when he goes out in his inflatable kayak, which seems reasonable to me. Plastic boat, plastic shoes.
As I type this, I’m not even sure why I have an opinion about this… they ARE your feet, after all. Enjoy your shoes!
My sister has a couple pairs of those kind of clogs. I love clogs, but for some reason find those ones to be incredibly ugly. uglier than normal clogs. But…they are comfy. I just wont ever own a pair. More power to you. Sometimes its fun to wear things, not only b/c you like them, but b/c they bug the people you love.
I’m a pediatric resident and have worn my beloved Crocs through many shifts in the ER and through nights on call. I even wear them outside to do garden work (dunk in a bucket and scrub clean – good as new!). I just got my second pair and I can’t wait to put a few hundred miles on those suckers.
I want a pair of Crocs. Now what color is the dilemma I have.
My husband also wears a size 13, and he has the hardest time finding shoes that aren’t a special kind of fugly. His favorites are basketball shoes (ick) and slip-on $3 soccer sandals (double ick), while my taste in men’s shoes tend toward the metrosexual Euro-shoe that he doesn’t understand the attraction for. Of course, I live in my Adidas tennies and $2.50 Old Navy flipflops…I saw Heather’s post about the high heels from SF & shuddered at the thought of the pain. I may be short but the extra 4″ aren’t worth it for me.
I’m wearing my navy blue crocs right now. I’ve also got pink ones, and I’m thinking about some forest green ones I recently saw. I love them, and they’re so great in the garden. BUT…they’re freaking hot in the summer with no socks on.
Gotta love the crocs….. I just heard they have tie-dyed colors now, which I’m just resisting altogether. Three pairs are surely enough….
Just wait until you’ve slogged around the yard on a hot summer day & you finish by hosing off your feet in those babies. (Caution – they get a little slippery afterwards!)
Because I need to know:
Trace, what exactly is “comfy as fuck?”
Dying of laughter over here. Cold medicene rocks.
I have got to get myself a pair of those! I’m a total clog girl.
Speaking of the Marquis de Sade, have you ever read Steve Martin’s “Cruel Shoes”?
Thoes Crocs ROCK!
From my Futurist hubby’s company blog
http://changewaves.socialtechnologies.com/home/2006/5/12/consumer-creation-modding-from-cars-to-footwear-and-beyond.html
Let Heather know it’s only a matter of time. She will give in to the need, especially if she can bring the bling…
BTW those are my red Crocs in the photo.
I have to second napangels mention of Steve Martin’s “Cruel Shoes.” Considering today’s shoe fashion, it’s definitely worth a read. It will make you very thankful that clogs exist.
I must be honest with you John, I usually don’t read your site. I find it very hardware oriented, not my bag baby. However, I do read Dooce everyday,that is where I read your comment to Heather in reference to Leta.I am now convinced you are a great guy and I well read your post, hardware stories and all! The three of you..oops I forgot Chuck, make a wonderful family. thanks for sharing
I have to wear steel toed boots at work, so all I ever wear are Blundstone “Greenpatch” boots. I love them. For a saftey boot they are the most comfortable things I have ever worn.
hmmm, don’t have any but my neighbor does. she swears by them and made me try them on. still not sure though…
did you actually say heather was seen with you in public, while you were wearing them? wow.
i LOVE my crocs. i work in a clinic and it’s what all the nurses wear. i think the male docs would wear them if they could.
Crayon is pronounced cray-on, but on shoes I have to side with Heather: http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily/05_01_2006.html
All my love, Armstrongs!!
Welcome to the world of Crocs. I am wearing a Sage green pair right now. My husband hated them at first, but after seeing them strapped to the backpack of an Appalachian thru-hiker when we were on a lame 7 mile hike he finally decided they might be a teensy bit cool and now wants a pair. I now need a black pair pair without all the little holes for winter. Love me some Crocs.
Jon, I have to be honest with you – don’t EVER wear those things if you ever visit England. We just don’t do that. We don’t. Backpackers, maybe – but normal, everyday living people? Nooooo…
My dentist wears the BEST CLOGS EVER!!! I have to ask her where she buys them.
Yours are pretty righteous too. I WISH my husband would wear them. He’d look so adorable. No such luck however.
Rock the clogs!
I BEG my husband to wear clogs. I think they’re freaking SEXY as sh– on men.
My step daughter and I both were our crocks practically every damn day. It absolutely breaks my heart that he won’t join in. And I don’t get it, especially in consideration of how randy he knows it would make me.
Alas. If only he were as cool as you. Heather should be proud (and horny).
I resisted Crocs for a long time. I really did. But then, I was in the local outdoor sports store and there are no shoe stores in my tiny town and they had Crocs and I couldn’t resist the temptation. I bought me some orange Crocs. And then I ordered a pink pair on the Internet. They are so comfortable, great in the rain or for boating. I even wear them when I’m teaching and have to lecture for an hour or so. They are one of the best shoes to come along in some time.
I am a proud orange Croc-er. They are the most comfortable shoes on the planet. Excellent for wearing to and from yoga, the gym, etc.
And I’m trying to get my shoe-phobic father into them, too.
Cheers!
I have those Simple clogs but in a light brown suede. They rock! Luckily my wife is a hippie at heart so she is cool with them. I dont own Crocs, yet, but I really admire a shoe that light and aparently comfortable.