CLOGS - THE CLASSIC LIVES-ON, PERFECT FOR STOMPING DOWN THE RUNWAYS OR JUST AROUND THE HOUSE

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

There they were – in the DÉJÀ VU Designer Consignment Shop, in Portchester, NY – of all places. I’d dreamt of owning a pair years ago, while serving as Michael Kors’ PR Director, way back in the mid- Nineties. ASHLEY KENNEDY, then my newly minted intern, came in on her first day wearing a burgundy red pair. Ashley had wonderful accessories, so it wasn't a huge surprise when a few years later, she scored a job as Accessories Editor for Elle Magazine.
I was in love with her patent leather clogs, with gold tone nail detail and the classic Gucci Horsebit. I walked home that night, marveling about this guy no one had ever heard of – TOM FORD – who had just officially taken over as Design Director for Gucci. Here was true genius, someone who had made the dorky clog into something I couldn’t peel my eyes off of.

There have been other clogs in my life since then – camel brown DANSKOS - UNBEATABLE AFTER BUNION SURGERY[I've had two], and the OKABASHI red ones I now wear when I want to treat myself to a little reflexology. They also get top marks as a cute alternative to bulky rain boots when it’s gross and wet out and you want to keep your feet dry. Okabashis are made in the good old USA, in Buford, Georgia. They're reflexology-based [but don't hurt like the Adidas Adissage sandals - 20 minutes max in these for me, thank you]. Okabashis are endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, BUT ARE MINUS THE FRUMP FACTOR THAT USUALLY GOES ALONG WITH THAT ENDORSEMENT. If you think rubber shoes get smelly, that's not a concern, Okabashis are anti-microbial. Just throw them in the dishwasher, and voila! They're sanitized. They're guaranteed for 2 years, and when you're done, they're 100% recyclable.

THE BOTTOM LINE: OKABASHIS= FASHIONABLE + AFFORDABLE RECYCLING.

A clog discussion would be incomplete without mentioning the ONCE UBIQUITOUS CROC CLOG. I understood their appeal for the Elementary School Crowd, but Adult Women [non-nurses]? Shame on you for wearing these ANYWHERE other than while you're gardening. I can't think of anyone who would voluntarily wear these "Croc Bermuda" pair that resemble Laura Ashley sheets from the early eighties. CROCS have since diminished in popularity and I laughed out loud when I saw their kiosk at the Mall, right next to the Pet Rock Stand. Like in real estate, a BIG FACTOR OF A SUCCESSFUL RETAILER IS LOCATION. WHO ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS? Pet rocks that glow in the dark? How unfortunate. One last lash-out concerns CROC'S BRAZEN BRAND-EXPANSION, NAMELY RIDING ON THE COATTAILS OF OLD SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES SUCH AS KEDS. Why would I buy Croc's knock-off version when I can get the real deal at Keds?


Back to the Guccis. Today, I finally added THOSE VINTAGE PATENT LEATHER GUCCI CLOGS to my designer shoe collection. I’ll be proudly stomping around Lincoln Center and Milk Studio, doing the rounds in my black pair while running around at the upcoming NY Fashion Week, reporting for www.thefashionexaminer.blogspot.comSadly, Tom Ford no longer designs for Gucci, but TOM IS ONE OF THOSE RARE DESIGNERS WHO CREATED A CLASSIC. HIS GUCCI CLOG GOES TO SHOW THAT A TRUE CLASSIC IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WORTH INVESTING IN, AND LOOKS AS GOOD TODAY AS IT DID OVER A DECADE AGO.
IF WE'RE REALLY LUCKY, THIS SEASON, WE'LL BE TREATED TO A NEW "GOTTA HAVE IT" CLASSIC, THAT SOME YOUNG UNKNOWN HAS ON TAP FOR US AT THE UPCOMING COLLECTIONS. STAY TUNED.