The Enigma of Crocs

When it came time to purchase non-slip shoes for my service job, I wondered what my possible options were. Luckily, in a light-hearted manner, my coworkers suggested I match them and purchase Crocs. It was suggested to me as a shoe that is extremely easy to clean in nature as well as the ability to personalize the shoe with various Jibbitz, ones that I could match with my friends or coworkers. However, I was definitely on the fence about this purchase as Crocs were never something I truly saw as “fashionable” or something to be worn outside of work.

However, once I began looking around online for them I truly realized that Crocs had begun taking over the shoe industry and more and more people were starting to purchase them. Even across UCSB’s campus, students were wearing Crocs, whether that be in the library or in between walks to class. 

Now, what makes Crocs such a daring fashion choice? While the reasons may be specific to certain people: it may be the wide shape, the bold colors, or the fact that people view them as a children’s shoe. Singer Dua Lipa even stated in her “Vogue: 73 Questions” video that she would never wear Crocs. I even found them off-putting at first and merely viewed them as undesirable. While Crocs have been a fashion taboo for many years, as of the past few years, the shoe has recently entered its fashion “renaissance” after the pandemic. 

Crocs have just recently seen a bounce-back in popularity and sales, with their stock soaring up 140% in 2021. This past year, the company succinctly decided to refurbish the company after many years of stagnant sales, using collaborations to spark media attention. With celebrities like Justin Bieber, Pharrell, and more wearing Crocs, fashion analysts and influencers have also taken to the trend as well. 

Some of my favorite collaborations include: Justin Bieber’s drawn collection and SZA’s collection. In my internet research, I also discovered multiple collaborations that were quite surprising such as KFC (which sold out in a mere half-hour) and the makeup brand, Benefit. If you’re interested in viewing all of Croc’s collaborations, you can click here. These collaborations were quite smart in terms of creating a marketable product. Building brand collaborations in line with high-end sneakers add to the “hype” that has begun to spiral around the brand.  

Even high fashion brands have taken to including this piece of footwear in their collections, whether that be Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer ‘18 Runway or Christopher Kane’s Spring/Summer ‘17 Runway. Red carpets have also displayed various Crocs with Teyana Taylor and Justin Bieber wearing the new Balenciaga Crocs. Even global fashion media outlet, Lyst, stated in their 2020 Report that Crocs were one of the world’s most wanted items of the year. With the inclusion of celebrities and high fashion, the brand Crocs has been able to establish itself as a brand mass consumers would want to purchase. 

I think that the “campy” nature of the shoe adds to its desirability. For me, my light lavender “Clog” Crocs adorned with various Jibbitz add to a rather basic fit of leggings and an oversized tee. As Crocs have always been associated with more children’s footwear, adding it to adult fashion perhaps also adds a more playful component to an outfit. 

At the end of the day, I love my Crocs and would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a comfortable slipper to wear on the go. While it may be considered “ugly”, fashion is quite subjective and the shoe offers much more than just its stylistic characteristics. 

• crocs
• Shoe recommendations
• shoes