And now a word from my readers...

sually this would be a Guy Day Friday. Usually there would be some satisfying activity in the world of men's clogs. Usually I would have some news to deliver and some styles to report and some insights to offer. But I'm sad to say this week did not come from the land of Usually. I've got a few things brewing including what I hope will be a Guy Day Friday exclusive, but at this point I have to fall back on the cliche placeholder message: stay tuned. 

What I can do, though, is bring us all up to date on some of the things that have shown up in my Inbox from ECHID readers this past week or two. Not surprisingly, it's an interesting crowd that gathers here. But then what would you expect from people who have such discriminating taste in footwear? 

 

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Ugglebo feedback

 

 

 

 

On Monday I posted a request for feedback from the clogmakers at Ugglebo. They wanted to have your input on the spring/summer line they're planning to begin manufacturing soon. So I had a series of questions listed on the post and suggested you respond via the Comments. Unfortunately, I heard from two readers who wrote lengthy responses...only to find that their efforts could not be uploaded. A quick check with tech support suggests that perhaps the comment feature timed out while they were composing their replies. Since it happened to two regular visitors to this blog, I fear it may have happened to other people. I suggested those two readers e-mail me their insights and I'm publishing them here today. If you'd like to supply your own feedback on the upcoming Ugglebo styles, feel free to e-mail me using the e-mail link found under the About section. Which is: yiny7yang64 at comcast dot net.

 

 

From regular reader Johanna:

1.  What do you think of the collection as a whole?

On the whole I find it a little too 'virtuous'. As Debby said: I'd welcome a bit more edge to them. Clogs that remind me of district nurses or elderly aunts are out (sorry). I absolutely hate the punched leather (the air holes): they remind me of health shoes and sticking plaster.

2.  What styles are your favorites and why?

The slingback wedge and the bootie are my favourites. The slingback is sleek and summery, with just the right colour to set off a tan. The bootie looks sturdy and has the right height to be interesting (and versatile).

3.  What do you think of each of these new Ugglebo features: slingbacks? Peep toes? Wedge clogs? Semi-wedge clog sandals?

Slingbacks: great. Peep toes: love 'em too. Wedges: yes, please. Semi-wedges: no, I don't like the curves on them. Also they seem to say: I'd rather be a wedge, but I don't dare.

4.  What do you think of the colors offered?

I really like the colours. They're either gentle and nicely faded, or warm and deep;  good colours.

5.  Which do you prefer: light wood base or dark wood?

Depends on the colour of the upper. In this case, I prefer light wood.

6.  Which do you prefer: staples or nail heads? 

Sometimes staples, sometimes nail heads. I think the booties could do with nail heads. It would be great to have a choice when ordering.

 

 

 

 

 

From regular reader Melissa Krebs:

1.  What do you think of the collection as a whole?

Safe. Will be popular in those parts of the US, like my town (Washington DC), that run two years behind trend. Buyers in Dallas, LA, and NYC are not going to take a second look.

2.  What styles are your favorites and why?

The boots. I walk right out of backless styles. Plus the bulk of the styles are very "resort-wear." And I don't get dumbing down clogs to make them girly; to me, clogs are, by their nature, chunky and clompy.

3.  What do you think of each of these new Ugglebo features: slingbacks? Peep toes? Wedge clogs? Semi-wedge clog sandals?

The semi-wedge is graceful; I'd like to see it paired with an androgynous upper, perhaps an oxford style with laces and perfs. I'd like to see higher heels on the boots.

4.  What do you think of the colors offered?

Generally outdated, especially the greenish-taupe; red is so overdone—why not blood orange? The boots should be offered in pale gray and cream for spring-into-summer, to compliment sun-browned legs; the sandals styles should reflect what designers the world over are pushing for spring: mustard, silvered gray, and kiwi.

5.  Which do you prefer: light wood base or dark wood?

I want my uppers and my soles to read of a piece—jewel-toned leathers with medium stained soles, dark leathers with dark stain, and pale leathers with honeyed stain—the black upper with the pallid unstained sole is tired. Also, painted soles goes against the grain (HA!) of wooden soles—I want everyone to know I'm sporting wood, so please? Stain and not paint?

6.  Which do you prefer: staples or nail heads? 

Very much depends on the shoe: a dress-up shoe wants less hardware; a casual tomboy style wants nailheads.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Case of the Cracked Heel

Once upon a time I published a query from a reader who was looking for a pair of tall clog boots. Without sending you back to the post itself let me just jog your memory by saying that at the time Ms. 36 wrote

I want to wear the knee highs with skirts, possibly even to work/dates, and I think it looks better if you can see the curve of the leg and/or ankle more. But I want the comfort of a clog!

The research team here at Every Clog Has Its Day rose to the occasion and suggested a number of styles that might scratch this deserving fashionista's desires. Alas, I received a fresh e-mail from her this past week and got the news that her search came to naught. But she expressed an amount of shopping wisdom I had to applaud.

I didn't find any boots I liked well enough to spend the money on (too chunk, too much hardware, not sexy or sleek enough) - I see this as saving money for when the perfect ones appear and will, inevitably, cost more than I'd like.

Bravo, Ms. 36!

But then she went on to write,

My beloved 8" all black No 6 clogs broke!

 

The wood cracked in the middle of the heel - smoothly, but still. I don't think this has anything to do with any quality issues - I'm very very hard on my shoes and probably wore them daily for at least six months of the year on Manhattan pavements. I ended up buying replacements, but had thought about trying to more or less glue the bottom back on. My sense was that this would mess up the balance and not be particularly long-lasting. I wondered if you had any thoughts?

Well, you know me. I always think something. And in this The Case of the Cracked Heel I replied,

I'm not sure I'm picturing the break in your wooden heel properly, but I will share with you what a friend with great home repair expertise once told me.  If you use a proper wood glue and the pieces to be joined have been clamped properly together, the bond will be better than before the wood was broken.  In fact, he assured me that if the wood breaks again, it won't be where it broke before.  So the essential ingredient is to get a true wood glue.  Be sure that pieces fit as they're supposed to.  Apply the glue according to the instructions.  (I think sometimes you're instructed to apply the glue and let it get a bit tacky before joining the pieces.)  Then once the pieces are joined, clamp the joint tightly shut.  This may take some doing depending on the angle of the crack.  I'm thinking you might simply be able to put the joined shoe upright on the floor, then put something heavy inside the shoe (like the leg of your dining table) to exert pressure downward on the glued bits.  Or if you have a friend who's handy with home repair materials, get some help.  I've cracked...and repaired...a couple of favorite wood shoes in the past.  It can be done.  And successfully at that.

But that's just what worked for me. If you have any additional insights to offer this grieving clog boot owner, please chime in. I've rescued at least four pairs of fractured footwear over the years using the methods above, but I'd love to hear of other solutions.

Ms. 36 went on to write with great passion about a couple of other clog related topics (which I'll share next week), and then she made me smile by closing with

oh, and please don't share my name or info if you wouldn't mind - I try to keep a low web profile if possible - and really, I wouldn't want potential dates to be able to google me and find out about the degree of my shoe obsession before we met, would I?

My dear, your secret is more than safe in this community. We all get it.

 

 

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Tea's Newest Acquisitions

And as if to prove that last point, Tea wrote from her corner of the clog loving world to show off a trio of new styles she's particularly proud of. And I can certainly see why! She apologized for the lighting being less than perfect. Apparently the pics were taken in a brief moment of downtime between the end of her workday and the start of her duties as mother and wife. Naturally, I thanked her profusely for going out of her way for us. To which she replied, 

Just warn me before they get posted so I don't have my husband looking over my shoulder! He doesn't know about the Karen Kells or Elm boots yet. ;)

I offered to remove her name from the post when these images reach the web, but she responded,

Oh, you can mention my name. That won't matter; all that matters is that he's not looking over my shoulder at the pictures. As soon as he sees them, he'll know that's me. I don't know how he'll know, but he'll know. He's smart that way.

Well, I have to say these styles are certainly worth the "risk". They are stunning!

 

 

Elm clog bootie from Sanita

 

 

Anemone clog boot from Sanita

 

 

 

Tooled leather sandal from Karen Kell

 

 

 

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[On my feet as I blog:  me and my Storytime clog booties from BC Footwear spent some quality time together today.]

 

 

Comments

[Tea]

Good Ugglebo feedback. I kind of agree about the styles being safe, and that the perforations are too hospital-ish. That's one of my annoyances with my beloved Swedish Hasbeens the last couple of seasons: They've had some super cute boots if it weren't for the perforation to allow all the snow right in. I also want to mention, I like the nail heads. The more the better. Sometimes I look down at a pair of clogs I'm wearing and mentally replace the staples with nails. I almost want to actually go do this, but it would have to be a pair I don't care for because I'm afraid the experiment would run afoul.

In the realm of me and all my beige clogs: My Matisse Savannahs arrived, and I had no idea how much they would feel like bedroom slippers. There's barely a rise at all for as drastic as the heel looks. What a great deception!

And lastly, my lighting really was awful. Those Anemone boots are actually teal blue, but they look black in my photo. And I'm wearing green tights, but they, too, look black in the Elm and Karen Kell photos. Oh well.

[Melissa Krebs]

This is going to sound like I'm bragging, but it is a wonder to have a boyfriend from whom I in no way have to hide shoe purchases; he not only enjoys my shoe buying skills, he sends me all sorts of fabulous images to ramp up my acquisitiveness. And since we share a healthy lust for fabulous shoes, new ones only serve to bring us closer together!

Tea, I hope your husband is ultimately supportive?!

[Melissa Krebs]

P.S. Super-strength rubber bands make terrific clamps for holding the split pieces together; the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, as a part of their annual "best in industrial design" recognition, now sells the coolest, most-useful-ever rubber bands that wrap in an "X" shape that works great for holding things together while the glue sets up. Everyone who operates a home needs these rubber bands in her or his bag'o'tricks.

[Tea]

Melissa: Bragger! (ha ha). My husband makes fun of me, but he doesn't get mad. So I guess that can be considered supportive.

RE: Ugglebo. My input: I agree that the collection is kind of tame. I prefer nail heads. And I dislike the perforation for the fact that the weather can get in through the shoe.

In looking at my shots, that lighting really is bad! My tights are green (not black as they appear) and my Amoeba boots are teal blue (also not back as they appear). Oh well! One day I'll have a perfect combo of good light, camera accessible, and spare time.

[Lindsey Cochran]

Tea: Your photos are just fine! To me it's important to have "real people photos" on my blog. Not models. Not insanely wealthy twenty-somethings with time to do nothing but shop. But real people! Your pics were perfect!

[Frederik Sisa]

Los Angeles in the house. Represent!

I'm not the intended customer demographic, nevertheless, my general impression is that while the collection clearly demonstrates the craftsmanship and design quality Ugglebo is known for, the artistic vision doesn't resonate. Melissa is spot-on; this isn't a collection that would command attention in my part of the world. The designs are nice but on the dated side of retro, with too much that is familiar and not enough that surprises. What is a surprise is how the styles they have currently listed are more dynamic then what they propose for SS12.

However, the question is exactly who Ugglebo aims to reach with the collection. If it is those towns that aren't hip-deep in the cutting edge of fashion, as LA and NYC are, then the collection is surely fine. A reliable offering of established styles. If the collection is intended to appeal to the broadest range of customer tastes, then I think it will elude the more avant-garde.

Tea: I love those Karen Kell sandals. Beautiful!

[Karen Kell]

Hey Tea, What a surprise to see my clogs on your cute little leggies. I remember sending them to you. I think they look great, forget the green looking tights, they still look great. I owe Lindsey an e-mail that's for sure... but it has to be with good news and I'm almost there! I'm selling my accessories in Free People and fingers crossed soon enough will be my clog shoes! Lets keep in touch! Karen PS. I'm loving LA! Oh and I have my new website set up now, although it will still direct you to my Etsy for purchases.