To Croc or Not To Croc? That is the Question!

Crocs are not new. In fact, they have been around since 2002 when they were invented as a non-slip boating shoe. But I noticed the other day at a playgroup that about half of the kids were wearing Crocs and the others well, were not. It made me curious so I brought up the topic. I asked some of the mothers what they thought and the room was evenly divided.

But you may ask what is so great about Crocs? Well to get the exact answer, I surfed on over to the official Crocs website. This is what I learned: Crocs “are designed with built in arch support, circulation nubs, and an orthotic heel cup to support and protect the heel. In addition, Crocs™ shoes are ventilated for cooling and filtering purposes, as well as slip and marking resistant.” What more could you want in a shoe? Style maybe?

Crocs have been called some of the ugliest shoes ever and there is even a blog dedicated solely to the hatred of Crocs. Maxim magazine came up with a list of the ‘10 Best & Worst Things to Happen to Men in 2007. Guess which ugly but lovable shoes came in at #6?

I love Crocs. I think that they are comfortable and I especially love how long they last. They have progressively gotten much cuter and there are so many more styles available. I bought my husband a pair plus my father and my mother bought have a pair courtesy of yours truly. My kids love Crocs. Each of my three children has two to three pairs. And don’t even get me started on the Jibbitz (why couldn’t I have invented them?). Jibbitz are those little charm like things that start at $3 each and go up from there. My children each have 6-8 Jibbitz for each pair. Ridiculous, I know. 

I consider myself an early adopter when it comes to new styles and fashion. I love to try new things. I bought Croc when they first came out. I still buy a pair every year or so. But recent media reports discuss some of the hazards of wearing Croc. A child got a Croc caught in an escalator and some businesses have banned the wearing of Croc with holes in them (there are many styles that no longer have holes) due to safety reasons. In fact, my five year old cannot even wear Croc to school. We are Urban dwellers and those wood chips on the playground can stick in the plastic or stab the feet. But the second that my son gets home from school, even before he reaches for a snack, he has a pair of Croc on his feet.

Back to the playgroup. The division of mothers was really based on style and price. Half of the mothers just thought that they were too ugly to be that expensive. The other mothers loved them for their durability and support. It was truly evenly split. As I sat there comfortably in my beloved hot pink Croc, I decided to do a little test. I took off my shoes and asked the women to try them on. Every person that tried them on commented on how comfortable they found the Croc. Many of the women had no idea because they could not get past the look. But as mothers, many of us are familiar with that concept where comfort trumps style (the majority of maternity clothes) and Croc feel good on your feet.

Croc are not what Jellies were in the 80’s. (Remember Jellies? They came back for five minutes one year, didn’t they?) They appear to have some staying power and Croc evolve with the times. Styles change from year to year. I am still not brave enough to try the Croc heels but those Black Mary Jane Croc are looking cuter and cuter every day. I may have to invest in another pair soon.

See Also:

Tips for Keeping Kids Busy on the Road
Swimwear Trends for Summer 2008
Summer Safety Information for Parents