Crocs: the Clog, the Myth, the Legend (An Object Lesson by Alayna Trier)

In 2007, my 7-year-old self was flying high. She followed pop culture religiously and considered herself to have a finger on the pulse of youth trends and fashion. She rocked the low-rise, boot-leg jeans when they were in vogue. She wore “feathers” in her hair for the six months or so that they were trending. And of course, she had a pair of Crocs’ classic clog shoes, complete with a wool liner to transition them for winter, and fully customized with a number of Jibbitz charms to add her own personal flair. Since I outgrew that first pair, however, I’ve not owned a pair of Crocs in the past fifteen years. In order to understand why the infamous foam footwear has made a comeback in the past few years, I purchased some. Sure, I did my research, too, but in order to understand the incomprehensible, I needed to experience it myself.

Trodding the hallways of middle schools, stuffed away in the locker rooms of gyms and natatoriums, and padding around in university dorms, the Croc is and has been a staple of American youth culture. Ten years ago, however, the company was on the brink of bankruptcy and had to liquidate excess inventory because no one was buying their clogs. After Crocs fell out of favor with pop culture in the late 2000’s, Times named it one of their top 50 worst inventions in 2010 (Oloffson). The famously ugly foam shoe was pronounced dead, and many assumed that was the last we would see of it. 

So why does every teen girl in America own a pair of Crocs in 2020? And for that matter, why did every teen girl in America own a pair in 2007? To understand the success and cultural significance of the Croc, one must take into account the multitude of perspectives factoring into its rise to fame. Some wear crocs for their comfort and practicality, such as athletes and healthcare workers. Others intend to make a statement with an unorthodox fashion choice. Still others are just going blindly with the trend. But to gain a basic understanding of where the hype surrounding these clunky foam shoes, we have to go all the way back to the beginning.  

In 2002, three friends with a love for sailing, Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson, and George Boedbecker Jr. developed their first Crocs shoe based on a design by the Canadian Boating company Foam Creations (“Crocs”). Using Foam Creations’ design, the three business partners crafted a boating shoe that provided maximum comfort and utility. The brand new material Croslite, a foam resin which Foam Creations had patented and Crocs continues to use to date, made for a shoe that was ideal for sailing because it was both lightweight and flexible while also providing necessary traction on wet decks (“Crocs”). The company that would later become Crocs added the iconic heel strap to Foam Creations’ design, and the classic clog was born.

Crocs' Classic Clog

The perforations on the top and sides of the original Crocs clog were intended to allow the shoe to dry out quickly, as they were to be used primarily in wet conditions. The heel strap, while often considered obsolete now that Crocs have metamorphosed into street shoes, was also useful on sailboats to keep the shoe from slipping off. When Seamans, Hanson, and Boedbecker discovered the shoe that would become Crocs and purchased the patent for it, they simply believed they had discovered a niche shoe that would entice sailing hobbyists around the world. Inexplicably, the product was a hit with a much wider audience than anticipated. Fast forward 20 years, and the Crocs company has expanded to sell over 200 million pairs of shoes in 90 countries (“Crocs”). 

With expansion, of course, came some inevitable changes to the company and the shoes it produced. At the peak of their success in 2008, Crocs began introducing new products, such as high-end women’s sandals and sneakers. This development was met with mixed reactions. Although the company did profit from marketing their shoes for more than just beach-going and athleisure, they began to lose a part of their identity that came from the simple, ugly, and iconic clog. This, in turn, led to the aforementioned liquidation of inventory and near-bankruptcy that Crocs battled with in the late 2000s (DePillis). What Crocs failed to realize at that time was that the staying power of the classic Croc shoe had little to do with its aesthetic qualities, and everything to do with its status as a cultural icon.

The cultural value of Crocs is hard to quantify (apart from the 200 million pairs sold), but is rather a measurement of perceived social capital that young people gain from flaunting their “ugly” shoes. To its supporters, the Croc is a symbol of rebellion against the social norms that govern fashion and beauty. By wearing them, consumers make a statement that they “don’t care” what others think and would rather express their own individuality than be a trend-follower. Ironically, however, millions of people had the same idea about the Croc, and ended up creating a trend of their own. Once it was a trend, the Croc lost a part of its uniqueness, and sales dropped. This may be part of the inspiration behind Jibbitz charms, a product developed by Crocs as a means of personalizing the ubiquitous shoe. 

An assortment of Disney themed Jibbitz

The charms, which are applied by punching a peg on the backside of the Jibbitz into one of the holes on top of the shoe, are a triple-threat for the company: they increase the “ugly” factor, give consumers the illusion of individuality, and create a whole new market to bring Crocs more revenue. I did not purchase any Jibbitz for my Crocs, as I tend to prefer the minimalistic look, but I borrowed one of my cousin’s three pairs as an example. Her “winter” Crocs are adorned with a dozen charms that represent her various likes and interests. She has Jibbitz to represent her love for animals and nature, her patriotism, and her favorite Disney princess. By decorating their Crocs with unique Jibbitz, consumers are convinced that they are no longer just following a trend, but truly expressing their individuality.

Apart from the oxymoronic “unique” trend that drives young girls to wear Crocs, there’s also a cultural component to the older market for the iconic clog. The “Millennial” generation, or those who are in their early 20s to late 30s right now, are more preoccupied with climate change and preservation than any generation prior. Crocs have been hailed as “eco-friendly” because they are plastic free and vegan, and their durable design makes them long-lasting and they don’t frequently need to be replaced. The company even offers a shoe recycling program through “Soles4Souls” for when your clogs do get worn down. Another reason this older crowd might be interested in Crocs is plain old nostalgia. CNBC hypothesizes that “older” consumers such as college students and millenials are drawn to Crocs due to a nostalgia for their childhood years (Wu). The pattern that Crocs’ market value has followed over the past decade is mirrored by several other iconic brands such as Converse and Doc Martens. As young people reach adulthood, they begin to romanticize and idealize the defining elements of their childhood: its music, clothes, even technology. Because they have these fond memories of the past, they’re then more likely to buy from these brands again as adults (Wu). A prime example of this beyond the world of fashion is the resurgence of Animal Crossing in the past few months. In a time of crisis, young adults turned to the familiarity of childhood for comfort, and started playing the same games again. 

The latter of these two options was what drove me to purchase my own (apart from the academic implications of this Object Lesson). I fondly remembered the Crocs of my childhood and therefore was predisposed to purchasing a pair when they started trending again over the past couple of years. What I could not recall, however, was if the actual shoe would live up to the hype surrounding it. Due to COVID-19 policies affecting nearly all online shopping in recent months, it took over a week for my Crocs to be delivered to my home. When they finally arrived, I felt the familiar rush of unboxing and holding in my hands the product that had just been an image on my computer screen a week prior. They were finally here. I had selected the “Coast” clog, a slightly different design than the original, but with all of the essential components: heel strap, perforated sides, etc. The only significant difference is that the “Coast” model is more slender than the wide-toed “Classic” clog, and features fewer perforations for an overall sleeker look. I ordered mine in white, which was almost blinding when it came out of the box, and I hope will maintain its brightness over the next few months of wear, unlike some white shoes I have owned. Then, it came time to try them on.

I’m sad to say, I did not find the feel of wearing Crocs for the first time in 10 years particularly life-changing. They’re decently comfortable, lightweight, and flexible, but do not feel like walking on “marshmallow fluffiness” as some fans suggest (O’Rourke). While falling short of life-altering comfort, I can see why Crocs are popular among workers who are on their feet all day. The malleable Croslite material that standard Crocs clogs are made from prevents joint pain from walking and standing for long periods of time, and they are of course washable and slip-resistant, making them a popular choice for manual laborers as well as hobbyists such as sailors and gardeners (O’Rourke). Personally, I’ve found that they make great dog-walking shoes, and as long as I wear socks, they do not give me blisters even after miles of walking, if I’m bold enough to venture far from my house in them. 

Some studies have also suggested that Crocs’ patented Croslite material is bacteria-resistant, further increasing the interest of healthcare workers and nurses especially (O’Rourke). This fact, paired with the aggregate benefits of a lightweight, non-slip, washable work shoe, make Crocs perfectly suited for hospitals. The ongoing relationship that has existed between Crocs and the healthcare industry has been beneficial to both parties over time. Nurses have kept clog sales afloat, and in turn, Crocs is giving back to nurses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In late March, the company announced that they would be supplying a free pair of clogs to any healthcare worker who submitted a request on their website. So far, they’ve fulfilled 400,000 requests, and don’t plan on stopping any time soon (Rodriguez). 

This of course is a prime example of those few instances in which Crocs’ return to popularity is due to their practicality. The majority of the brand’s success in 2020, however, has been due to a cultural resurgence in its relevance and visibility. Sales data reveals that the majority of Crocs’ sales in the past few years have been correlated with strategic celebrity endorsements. Part of the reason the company nearly went belly-up in the late 2000’s was that their product didn’t seem adaptable. While they tried desperately to introduce new products, the iconic clog remained the same, and consumers eventually got bored with it. In 2018, however, Crocs’ clogs went viral after being featured on a Balenciaga runway with a brand-new design (Wu). The notoriously outlandish designer had altered the classic clog by adding a platform heel and putting it on the runway. No one really bought the design, but they were talking about it, and that was all the dying brand needed. 

Balenciaga's take on the classic Croc

The Balenciaga design had revealed the perfect formula for Crocs’ success: the notoriety of a mainstream brand paired with the rugged individualism of an unfashionable icon like the classic Croc made for a product that was just unique enough, but still in touch with mainstream culture, for consumers to feel comfortable associating with it again. In contrast to the bad publicity Crocs received from chef Mario Batali’s endorsement, in which he embraced the “comfort over fashion” perspective by wearing orange Crocs to work every day, brands and public figures commonly associated with fashion proved to be the best publicity. After the Balenciaga media frenzy in November of 2018, Crocs collaborated with rapper Post Malone for a December release that not only hit higher peak “buzz” online, but had more sustained interest and profits through the end of the year and into 2020 (Marzilli). Since then, they’ve already released collaborations with actresses Zooey Deschanel and Drew Barrymore, country singer Luke Combs, and handbag designer Vera Bradley. While they may never again reach the height of popularity they saw in 2007, Crocs have proven that they’re still relevant, and plan on sticking around for the long haul (Marzilli). 

the Post Malone collection

the Luke Combs collection

the Vera Bradley collection

And so the Croc, in all its awkward and nostalgic glory, seems to have “gamed the system” of American individualist culture: it simultaneously commands the mainstream and fringe culture while churning out profits of over a billion dollars annually. Furthermore, while this reveals quite a lot about Crocs, I believe it is even more telling of the nature of American pop culture. The critical struggle of American culture and consumerism is the disconnect between what we want and what we think we want. We think, for example, that we are buying Crocs because we want to be different, or because they’re a comfortable, practical shoe. The driving factor for most Crocs purchases, however, is not individuality nor practicality, but bald-faced conformity. Whether we know it or not, we as a society long to fit in, even as we tout rugged individualism and the American Dream as our core values. We are not a self-made people, and we want to belong just as much as anyone else. As a result of this, we tend to buy what others are buying and wear what others are wearing. 

Crocs look at this situation, this eternal paradox of desire, right in the face and laugh. Because Crocs are both. They embody the spirit of individualism that is non unique in that it burns in the heart of every American. They are different. They are ugly. But they are exactly what we are looking for. We may forget about them for a while, write them off as a fad, but they will always be there. And so will that still small voice inside telling us to “be our own person” and “make our own choices,” to “stand out from the crowd.” The irony is that the moment we give into that voice, that primal desire, we become just like everyone else anyway.

Bibliography

Cupper, Rob. “How Crocs Became An Unlikely Fashion Success Story.” Highsnobiety, 24 Oct. 2019, www.highsnobiety.com/p/crocs-divisive-footwear-2018/.

“Crocs History.” Mastershoe, www.mastershoe.co.uk/en_us/crocs-history.

DePillis, Lydia. “The Rise and Fall and Rise and Fall of Crocs.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 15 Nov. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/11/15/the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-and-fall-of-crocs/.

Marzilli, Ted. “Are Crocs' Celebrity Endorsers Helping?” YouGov, YouGov, 19 June 2019, today.yougov.com/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2019/06/19/are-crocs-celebrity-endorsers-helping. 

O'Rourke, Meghan. “How Crocs Conquered the World.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 13 July 2007, slate.com/news-and-politics/2007/07/how-crocs-conquered-the-world.html.

Rodriguez, Leah. “Crocs Is Donating Thousands of Shoes to Health Care Workers Fighting COVID-19.” Global Citizen, 27 Mar. 2020, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/crocs-covid-19-donation-program/.

Wu, Jasmine. “Ugly Is in: How Crocs Have Taken over Teen Footwear, and Sent the Stock Soaring.” CNBC, CNBC, 15 July 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/07/15/ugly-is-in-crocs-have-taken-over-teen-footwear-and-boosted-its-stock.html.

Oloffson, Kristi. “The 50 Worst Inventions.” Time, Time Inc., 27 May 2010, content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1991915_1991909_1991743,00.html.