To clog or not to clog
MANILA, Philippines - It’s a fact that fashion will always be about the “what’s next” as opposed to the “what’s now,” and trends picked up by forecasters are the ones— albeit referenced from the past — that still give style acclimation. But some bubbling under the surface, as potential readjustments to the fashion eye, should just stay under and drown a natural death. Case in point: Clogs. When I first saw them in the spring 2010 shows with no less than major fashion houses Chanel and Louis Vuitton showcasing them as the next footwear to be seen in, my first reaction, next to the involuntary cringe, was to shake my head and mutter a silent sigh of disbelief.
The first resurgence of the statement shoe — which was overtly misshapened to the point of being ugly — had that keen, twisted sense of beauty, enough for a fashion high (with an audible sigh), drool-worthy even when seen up close. As for clogs, I’m not entirely sure. There are some trends that sort of creep up on me in an acquired taste sort of way. Match unfamiliar pieces with a new shape or familiar silhouette and it suddenly becomes the “Oh yeah, I think I can rock that” sort of moment. But bulbous wooden slip-ons, with their nod to Dutch roots as the nation’s safety shoes, make me think of an almost eerie Crocs fashion crossover. Personal style insurgence threatening to throw a fashion coup.
Zooming in on the contemporary take, Chanel with its classic approach has the basic wooden platform soles with the chunky square heels and are riveted on the base. They’re made current and familiar with the brand’s signature cap toe design. Louis Vuitton, on the other hand, is more perplexing as it came with a tiered kitten heel, cutouts for design, and a strap with a buckle. Looking more Birkenstock-ish than a clog, it came with a tasseled hair detail that, pardon the crude comparison, resembles a dog’s mustache. But if stamping one’s identity on an overly saturated footwear market is the goal, then the weird mashup of shoe components definitely seals the deal. The genius that is Marc Jacobs just might have a point. And you never know, just like the return of the power shoulder, clogs might have enough stomp to carve its own footwear army.
In hindsight though, if this reintroduction of a completely different shoe shape means that it’s a contender in dethroning the ubiquitous gladiators, then by all means, I support the revolt. Fashion is a temperamental lover, and it can love and hate in just one season. So it would be interesting to see how this forecasted trend will fare in the hands of the consumers. As it is with the inevitable battle of fashion against wearer, anything odd just becomes plain normal.
