And What About the Guys?

Menswear is often an afterthought in the world of fashion. And not surprisingly so considering how men are not applauded for their desire to spread their plumage like a peacock. (How ironic that it is the males that show their colors and put on a display in the avian world!) It is a courageous man who steps outside the societal norms to express himself. Not only is the weight of cultural opinion against him, but he faces the potential ridicule of his peers. 

With these things in mind, I was having a discussion with a clog designer recently on how she might make clogs that would be more appealing to men. For some reason, here in the U. S. the style is seen as more of a woman's shoe. Which is odd when you think about it. There's nothing particularly dainty or prissy about the basic clog. Maybe it has something to do with the perceived vulnerability of an open heeled design. Or simply that women were the ones who responded most to the clog craze in the 1970s. My clog making friend and I talked about the different design touches that could transform a simple Swedish clog into something more masculine in its appeal. Was a more rugged look all that was needed?  Or what about straps or buckles or other traditional shoe hardware?  Would closed heel or clog boots styles be more appealing?  It suddenly occurred to me: who better to put the question to than an assortment of male readers of this blog and then open it up to the rest of you for your insights and input. So for today's post, let's consider the question of clogs for men. What would you like to see on a guy's feet when it comes to clogs? What would you not want to see?  

 

British Army High Boot Clogs--army boot upper on a wooden clog base--available through Denbigh Army Surplus

 

 

German Para boot--German army boots fitted with a clog sole--currently out of stock through Denbigh Army Surplus

 

Here's what a number of my male readers had to say. (I've color coded each contributor's responses. These opinions represent the views of men from three different continents.) Feel free to react via the Comments link below.

 

1. Do you favor open heel or closed back design?

Normally open heel.  Work shoes? - Closed.

Open heel.

I would say open back.

Open-backed – but also with a back strap!

I prefer open heels. I like the way the clogs look and feel, of course, and the slip-on ease is wonderful (given my habit of sitting cross-legged, being able to take off my shoes easily is always a plus). 

 

2. Do you prefer wooden midsoles that are light or dark...or stained black?

That really depends.  But I do favor light stained wood.

Depends on leather colour - but generally I prefer dark soles.

Dark midsoles, black with black leather, brown with brown.

Definitely lighter.  I have a pair of black-stained clogs that disguise the woodiness of the sole.  However, black-stained is best for camouflaging clogs (heaven forbid!)

Since my personal colour palette starts and ends with black, with either grey or sanguinary colours in between, I lean towards dark woods and stains. However, I have seen clogs with light-coloured alder wood footbeds that I would gladly wear because the uppers look great and the alder wood provides a nice contrast.

 

3. Which of these upper materials would you prefer:  Leather?  Suede?  Nubuck?  Canvas?  Denim?

I like leather, suede, and nubuck.  Canvas/Denim not so much....

Suede.

Leather for sure.

Only pure leather.

As an approximate vegan, I am wary of animal products. While I'm not closed to the idea of leather, I'd love to see clogs made from non-animal, non-plastic materials - it's just better for the environment all-around.

 

4. Are there any special design additions that turn you off?  Strap over the instep?  Strap and buckle?  Cap toe?  Two tone colors?  Harness (such as on a traditional Dingo boot)?  Fur trim?  Faux laces?  

Not a big fan of two-tone, depends on the style I guess....

No, I am open to any of these accessories.

Two tone, no. No fur or laces.

Two –tone, fur trim, and faux laces are no-no’s.

About the only addition that would turn me off from the get-go are fur trims and animal print designs.

 

5. Are there any that you would enjoy?  

Steel or brass toe plate.  Something rugged looking that gets better with age and wear.

Hmm, too many to mention - I like variety :-)

Cap toe, maybe. Straps or buckles could do it. Harness style is cool.

Yes! Straps, buckles and possibly a harness.

There's a fine line between the ornamental and the baroque, and while womenswear designers have no fear about skirting that line, let alone utterly obliterating it, menswear seems afraid to get within sight of it. Without crossing into the baroque, I would love to see designers have more fun with ornamentation.

 

6. Would you like a clog boot design more than a clog?

I do like both.  Depending on the time of year, sheepskin lining & trim are major plus.  

Not "more", but I would also like a nice clog boot design.

Clog over a boot for sure.

No, not more, but would appreciate having the choice –would love a pair –why not?

Without the ease that comes with wearing clogs, and with too much of a visual departure for my tastes from the clog look, I take the view that when I want a boot, I'll stick with my Corcoran field boots, and when I want a clog, than I'll stick with the shoe style.

 

7. How would you feel about clogs with lug soles?  

Absolutely.  Very masculine, like a work boot.  Pratical too....

I prefer a thin rubber/plastic layer under the wood sole only (regular clog sole).

Lug soles would be cool.

Hate them – how would they SOUND??? There should be as little separation between the wood and the ground as possible!

I like them. 

 

8. What would make a clog something you'd feel more likely to purchase and wear as a man?

I like the sound and wear of a wood base!

If it has a rough look, e.g. western or biker style.

I would say a substantial wood sole with more platform. Shaped more like a traditional clog, but stockier.

Brilliant marketing –celebrity endorsements by (say) football players, macho actors, etc. – not feeling like being the only guy on the planet wearing clogs.

If I were to sketch out a future direction for men's clog design, I would have to say that I would be most interested in clogs that are imaginative without flamboyance. The rest is marketing and showing men how clogs can work with their wardrobes and personal style.

An example of a stockier midsole

 

Men clearly want and need men's clogs to look like men's shoes before they'll feel totally comfortable wearing them. And I find it heartening that there is indeed a market for men's clogs. It's just that the available supply isn't addressing their wishes and desires. Though as Frédérik Sisa, the blogger at The Fashionoclast suggested when I raised the subject with him, 

My advice to men who might be interested in wearing clogs but are wary of looking "femme" is to consider that how one looks doesn't typically depend on a single accessory like footwear or jewelry. It's the overall look that counts, along with a good posture and a good dose of confidence.

What more can I add, but, "Here! Here!"

But what do you think? Weigh in via the Comments below and I'll follow up on your reactions in a future post.

 

_______________________________

 

[On my feet today:  Had to run out to the western 'burbs on the day after a significant snowfall here, and my Lindsey clog boots from Multnomah Leather Shop were perfect for whatever walking surfaces I would have to encounter.]

 

 

Comments

[Tea]

About 10 years ago, I lived next door to a very manly man who wore overalls and clogs all the time so he could go around and fix things. Very sexy.

[Lindsey Cochran]

I think its simply about being confident in who you are.

[Lindsey Cochran]

Which is...as is the case with so many things in this life...easier said than done.

[Ryan]

It seems every few years clogs become big again, for women, but rarely if ever are more options put out for men. Personally, I'd love to see thicker midsoles, especially with lug soles - AM Toffeln (via L.S. Rhoads) has a "smith's clog" with a "tractor" sole that appears to fit the bill. (My wife also had a great lug-soled pair from Eddie Bauer from the late 90s.) Usually, however, I find that most men's clogs, whether the wooden-soled variety or something like Danskos (which I quite like as well) simply don't have enough visual heft. It seems manufacturers keep the forefoot midsole and heel heights the same regardless of size, so that my 42s or 43s are no thicker than my wife's 38s - resulting in a thinner, "stretched" look.

If this current trend stays around for awhile, maybe we'll see some better offerings for men. You can pull some strings, right? :-)

P.S. Great job with the site!

[Lindsey Cochran]

Thanks so much for your comments. I wear a larger size myself, and I absolutely agree on the thin, stretched look that comes into play if manufacturers dont expand all the dimensions equally. What looks cute in a size 7 begins to resemble a supertanker in a size 11.

Ive noticed the AM Toffeln clogs on the L. S. Rhoads site, but theyve never replied to my e-mail. Im not sure theyre still in operation or taking orders. Tessa Clogs does regularly offer lug soled mens (and womens) clogs, though. And my favorite custom clog maker, Multnomah Leather Shop will create a pair with lug soles if you request it. Hell also make the wood midsole thicker, too.

I know of at least one clog maker whos paying attention to this post, and there may be more. As I said, theres a market for mens clogs if some manufacturer can only put the pieces together correctly.

[Rabiah Hodges]

Im Listening! and we are in the process of purchasing a sole maunfacturing plant in Sweden so we can start developing our own bases, and higher heels for women and Lug hefty soles for men are in the top priorities!
Keep the feedback coming :)

[T Scott]

Headway has been made with the marketing of men’s clogs. From Simple a few years back, to Birkenstock’s, crocs and Dansko. I think it’s an uphill battle though. It wasn’t long ago when the only men I can remember wearing clogs in a movie or on TV was Nathan Lane in “The Birdcage” and in skits on “In Living Color”. Not exactly good press.
Men are fashion followers, not trend setters. I agree with an earlier post, that male celebrities and others seen wearing a more “manly” clog design could play a part in getting a trend going. Years ago, I stepped into Clog Master in LA and saw a wall filled with celebrity heads shots of the day, and many were guys. None were out in the public eye sporting their clogs that I knew of but it helped me buy a pair that day.

[Lindsey Cochran]

Ive long thought that with the right design and a couple of high profile sightings of men wearing them on talk shows and the like, a mens clog style could do well. Think of Utilikilts. I would never have thought guys would go for those, but I saw a surprising number being worn when they first came out.

[Ed Robertson]

Apparently I go opposite to some of the posters above: I'd like to see a men's clog with a lower heel (maybe 1/2 inch to an inch total height?). I own a pair of Bastad mens clogs, and find that the heel is a bit too high for my liking, and also for my wife's liking! I'm sure more guys would get on board if such an option existed.

[Lindsey Cochran]

Good to get your input! Thanks for commenting!

I dont know if you noticed the right hand shoe depicted in the illustration at the top of my blog, but its a low heeled skimmer style that I believe Ive also seen in mens sizes on eBay. Ive wondered if that might be an option for men if more clogs were created in that silhouette.

[Lindsey Cochran]

Actually, your comment makes me realize I totally overlooked the question of heel height. When I run a follow up to this post, Ill have to pose that style option for readers to respond to.

[John Harrison]

I like the picture of the tan clogs with the stockier midsole above and would wear them if I could find them in my size. I think they look masculine and I appreciate the heel and thick sole as I'm short.

[Lindsey Cochran]

I definitely agree that a more rugged looking clog is the way to go. Though I can relate to an earlier commenter who preferred a lower heel. Well, if that leads to more variety in mens clog styles--some low, some medium---that would be great. The more the merrier!

Thanks for your comment.

[Frederik Sisa]

Although I agree that rugged is a good direction to go, I wanted to chime in with the suggestion that there's room for more refined designs, too, to go with more formal apparel. Clog designs for lumberjacks and urban professionals, in other words.

[Jaime]

I don't speak english.
This clogs are made in Brazil by "Cravo&Canela". (1998-2004)

Bongo, Candie's and other brands imported this clogs.
In Brazil is very rare that clogs. Just for export.
Some clogs selled by Hanna Anderson and many american brands are made in Brazil, but the Brazillian girls don't like clogs.
Sorry. I tried write in english.

[Lindsey Cochran]

Obrigado!

I am happy you visited my blog and gave us some information about the clogs in the picture. I remember noticing years ago that a lot of clogs and wood soled shoes were made in Brazil. How ironic that few of them were ever sold there.

Feel free to contact me via my e-mail address (the link can be found on the About page). And feel free to write to me in Portugese. I know a couple of people from Brazil who could translate!

via Google Translate:

Estou feliz que você visitou meu blog e nos deu algumas informações sobre os tamancos na imagem.Eu me lembro de anos atrás, que um monte de tamancos de madeira e sola de sapatos foram feitos no Brasil.É irônico que alguns deles nunca foram vendidos no país.

Sinta-se livre para entrar em contato comigo através do meu endereço de e-mail (o link pode ser encontrado na página Sobre).E sinta-se livre para me escrever em Português.Eu conheço um casal de pessoas do Brasil que pode se traduzir!

[Jaime]

Hello.

Que bom.
Conheço muito a historia dos tamancos aqui do Brasil. Tenho algumas fotos e referencias sobre eles. Gosto de tamancos e minha esposa tambem e os usa. Aqui em Sao Paulo é mais facil encontrar tamancos suecos Moheda do que brasileiros. Agora está mais fácil por estar na moda novamente.

Escreverei mais.

[Lindsey Cochran]

Jaime,

I would love to learn about the history of clogs in Brazil.  Especially if you have some photos you're willing to allow me to publish.  A lot of my readers remember owning shoes that were made there.  If would be wonderful to read the story that goes with the shoes.  May I contact you via your e-mail to discuss this more?

Gostaria muito de aprender sobre a história de tamancos no Brasil. Especialmente se você tem algumas fotos que você está disposto a permitir que eu publicasse. Muitos dos meus leitores me lembro possuir sapatos que foram feitos lá. Se seria maravilhoso para ler a história que se passa com os sapatos. Posso contactá-lo através do seu e-mail para discutir isso mais?

Lindsey
www.everycloghasitsday.typepad.com

[sheree ann wetjen]

theres that smile its magic and when you think about it so are clogs i have a name for you paul coudamy woodwork wooden shoes saw on web site designer planet thank you sheree ann

[Lindsey Cochran]

Brilliant!  Wonderful!  What a treat!  Thanks for the tip.  I'll feature Paul's work some Sunday (the day I take a break from covering only shoes) soon.

[Ed Robertson]

Follow up: I like the traditional clog silhouette (the Skimmer style: not so much), but am looking for a shorter heel. That's pretty much it!

[Lindsey Cochran]

Good to have that clarification!  

How do you feel about rounded toes?  Would a squared off toe a la the old Dingo boots be more appealing?  

[Jaime]

Olá.
Sim. Voce pode me enviar o e-mail. Assim que eu puder enviarei as fotos para voce publicar.

Até mais!

[Lindsey Cochran]

Bom!

[John Harrison]

In your opinion, would the Tessa Extreme Heel clog, shown on this link
http://02eb682.netsolstores.com/extremehigh.aspx, work in black for a guy?