There is no denying that Crocs have become an international phenomenon, beloved in dozens of countries by comfort-loving gardeners and grandmas, playful kids and their parents.
But we in The Denver Post style department have long maintained that on anyone older than 18, Crocs look foolish, their bulbous and bloated shape all the more unattractive when in the loud colors that have become the style’s signature. The fact that the brand spawned a slew of imitators was yet another reason to shun them.
Then Crocs jumped on the style train for spring, introducing sleek-looking thongs, cute Mary Janes and simple slides in their famous cushy Croslite material. Hmmm, something fashionable was afoot.
Things are looking even more stylish for fall, when the company introduces a high-fashion collection of leather and suede shoes and boots that will sell for $150 to $300. We can only surmise that the prices – five to 10 times the cost of a pair of basic Crocs – result from the use of leather and suede in the boots and the labor needed to craft them.
From what we can see on the youbycrocs website, the styles built on wedge heels are in chic but muted shades of green and red, and feature such fashionable details as buckles, laces and O-ring hardware.
The ankle boots, in fact, are spot on.
If they prove as comfortable as they are cute, we might think about stepping out in a pair. But would we admit to our Prada-shod sisters that we were wearing Crocs?
Don’t count on it.
