There are some crazy trends going around on the internet, but which ones are worth the hype? What’s the Buzz is a column by lifestyle editor Sangeeta Kocharekar where she (along with our editorial team) will test out viral trends to tell you if it’s worth trying for yourself. Do we recommend doing it, and will we keep it up? Or is it a trend we’ll never want to hear of ever again? Find out here. This month, we try out Crocs.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Crocs — also called foam clogs — have been around for 20 years and are showing no signs of slowing down in popularity anytime soon, with celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Nicki Minaj and even Post Malone all spotted wearing them.
But what is it actually like for a non-celebrity to wear them out in public? Can they pull them off? Or are they a (long-standing) trend that’s better left to the famous?
So… what did we think?
Valentina Todoroska, Managing Editor
To be honest, I’ve never been a big fan of the look of Crocs. Many of my family wear Crocs while gardening and I’ve always considered them to be quite daggy, so my expectations of what it would be like to wear them were not high.
I opted for the Crocs sandals which were mostly black and had two thick glittery straps. I’d call these ‘transitional Crocs’, they’re not as chunky and out there as the original version. They’re also pretty on-trend now when considering the chunky style of sandals or ‘dad sandals’ that have become popular over summer.
I wore them to work with a long black dress and denim jacket and what surprised me the most was how easy it was to make them work with my wardrobe. I had spent the evening beforehand Googling how to wear Crocs and started to feel a bit intimidated by all the options. But because of their simpler style, it really wasn’t hard to make them work with my existing wardrobe when getting dressed in the morning.
When wearing them they were really comfortable and had a lot of grip, a bonus considering all of the rain in Sydney over the last few weeks. After trying and testing this style, I would recommend them and think they’re a good place to start if you’re new to Crocs. I feel like they could be worn with a variety of different outfits and sub into any outfits you would wear with thicker sandals.
Jack Revell, Culture Editor
Crocs are definitely the Vegemite of the shoe world; you either love them or you hate them. As an ex-pat Brit, I always thought I would never get my head around the bitter, earthy flavour of what appears to be the most popular addition to the global culinary table that Australians could come up with.
Turns out, though, after three years in-country, you’re not actually supposed to treat this stuff like peanut butter or any other toast spread and lather it on. Less is more. I’ve seen true blue Aussies scrape an absolutely minuscule amount of the stuff across their toast to the point that it looks like a kind of bread tanning lotion instead of something you actually want to eat and therefore actually put on your food. It is, in fact, seasoning. Just threaten your bread with an open jar of the stuff and you’re golden.
What I’m trying to say is that, much like Vegemite, I’ve come around to Crocs. The blue and white chunky soles of the ones I’ve been testing out seem way more practical than I first thought. You can get these guys wet and there’s no issue while they actually grip super well on slippery surfaces. They’re also a thousand times more comfortable than just going barefoot in environments like rockpools and creeks (canyoning is one situation I never thought Crocs would come in handy but now I wouldn’t consider it without).
While I’m still somewhat hesitant to wear them out in public due to fear of public ridicule, I’m more than happy to slip them on while out and about in the garden, beach, or nature walk. Much like Vegemite, the key is to start small and see how you go. You’ll be surprised how good they can be.
Sangeeta Kocharekar, Lifestyle Editor
While I’m always up for trying a fashion trend, I try to get the style in a neutral colour to give it more longevity. So, for that reason, I opted for the classic Crocs in black. Fit-wise, they’re true-to-size.
I was surprised by how much I wore them! It was raining non-stop for over a week, and nearly every time I left the house to get a coffee or go to the post office, I slipped on my Crocs — I knew they wouldn’t get ruined in the rain and, unlike thongs, they’d keep my feet covered. One day, though, when I got caught in the rain and wore them for the full day, I had to walk around with squishing.
In saying that I wore them everywhere, though, I have to mention that I live in Bondi where ironic fashion – think bum bags and wrap-around sunnies – is the norm. Wearing them to my office, a high-rise in World Square, that was… a different story. I felt pretty self-conscious because while my team knew I was wearing the Crocs for this story, others in the building might’ve been wondering about them. Though, maybe not — again, they’re black and, with pants, aren’t actually as eye-catching as you might think.
So, will I continue to wear my Crocs? Yes! While I definitely wouldn’t wear them to the office again (as possibly not anywhere outside of Bondi), they’re easy shoes to slip on for errand-running around the neighbourhood. And plus, mine are black so go with everything.
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