Fashion is my Imaginary Friend: To Clog or not to Clog

Clog- such a funny word for a funny-looking shoe. Associated with many Eurpoean cultures but most notably the Dutch, clogs have managed to creep their way into the trends this spring, much like the brogue has done before. Shoes are the one thing in fashion that tend to go full circle, dating back a number of years and all of a sudden explode onto the catwalks and filter down to the streets in a matter of months.

Once predominantly made out of wood, the clog has been tweaked since the 19th Century and has been reinvented by designers such as Chanel and Miu Miu. Soon you will no longer need to learn how to clog-dance before stepping out in a pair of these wooden wonders. Karl Lagerfeld came under a lot of criticism when he styled his models for Spring/Summer 2010 in custom made clogs with the Chanel logo encrusted onto the familiar bronze studs that attach the linen to the wooden sole. But anything Vogue praises tends to become an instant hit, and when Alexa Chung sat cross legged on the cover last month donning a pair of these Chanel clogs, it has been all that fashionista’s can talk about. She admitted herself that they are quite difficult to walk in, especially with tights, but since when has fashion been practical?

With an array of fabrics to choose from, such as linen, leather or suede, clogs are set to be this seasons ‘it’ shoe. Try a pair of Miu Miu’s sheepskin lined ankle boot clogs, or stick to the traditional silhouette but with a patchwork twist, the chunkier the heel the better.

And it doesn’t have to have a designer stamp, high street stores such as Topshop and River Island have imported their clogs straight from the Netherlands (well, from their factories, but who knows, they could have one in Amsterdam) Not to be mistaken with the extremely comfortable crocs, these new takes on the traditional comfortable clog are far from clumpy and frumpy as they have once been described. So, you have to ask yourself, are you a cloggy?