Creeping Cloginization
Manolo says, one of the Manolo’s internet friends has asked the Manolo the question.
Dear Manolo,
I work in Los Angeles in the part of TV no one sees, post-production. It’s where editing, sound, captions and graphics are put together to make the actual programs on the magic box. To say it’s a VERY casual environment would be an understatement. Jeans and sneakers are the order of the day and one can even see flip-flops at the office. I have recently fallen deeply in love with Dansko closed-back clogs and they are now the only shoe I want to wear ever. I am of a petite stature and they add a little height while still being easy to run around in and come in many cool patterns.
I am a woman of a certain age (54, if you must know) and am afraid that this cloginization means I am becoming frumpy, but I do have to say that I get LOTS of compliments on my shoes. Such as these: Dansko Professional Tooled Clogs which I am wearing with dark jeans and a white tuxedo shirt today. Am I fooling myself?
Your blog is brilliant, witty and charming, by the way, and I say this not to try to get you to answer, but to thank you for all the reading pleasure you give.
Robin
Ayyyy! Perhaps the effusive praise is befogging the Manolo’s powers of judgment, but these Dansko clogs are not entirely repulsive, although the pattern is not exactly to the Manolo’s taste.
On the one of the hands, the clog has the long and honorable tradition of service as the durable European peasant feetwear.
On the other of the hands, the clog is the peasant shoe for the peasants who work in the muck and the mud of the rural barnyard, where the ability to scrape the noxious effluvia from the shoes is of the highest priority…. Which, now that the Manolo considers it, may perhaps make it the perfect shoe for those who work in Hollywood.
On the third of the hands, for the briefest of moments, late last year, the clogs were considered especially stylish.
On the fourth of the hands, unless you are the 15-year-old Belorussian super model, you will not look stylish in the clogs, no matter what your slovenly co-workers and the Teen Vogue are saying.
On the fifth of the hands, “Rock on, Comfort Shoe Lady”.
On the sixth of the hands, “What do you mean, ‘Comfort Shoe Lady?”
On the seventh of the hands, “Nothing, nothing, just that you look so comfortable.”
On the eighth of the hands, “Is there something wrong with that?”
On the ninth of the hands, “No, no. Nothing wrong, nothing at all, Comfort Shoe Lady.” *snicker*
On the tenth of the hands, “I don’t care what you think. They make my feet feel good.”
On the eleventh of the hands, “Rock on, Comfort Shoe Lady.”
On the twelfth of the hands, perhaps you may consider upgrading to the Clergerie clogs, because then, when you are called the Comfort Shoe Lady, you may reply, “But they’re French, from Paris!!!”
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Comments
Jason 14 years ago
On the thirteenth hand, as a man who lives with a woman who wears Dansko clogs, I say “Rock on, Comfort Shoe Lady” to the nth degree. I would much rather go out on the town with a woman who can keep up while looking good, rather than a woman who falls behind while looking fashionable. If you love them, they are beautiful.
watchinginkdry 14 years ago
Jaysis, Manolo my dear, you just hugely missed the boat. You have a comfort shoe lady who runs around a lot and you recommend giant clompy-heeled mules (which never stay on when dashing happens)? Some clog-lovers might like these shoes, but you totally misread your letter-writer.
JC 14 years ago
Agreed, watchinginkdry… She’d be better served with a nice pair of loafers/other cute flats.
blackbird 14 years ago
Nicely handled, Manolo.
I couldn’t agree more.
Stephanie 14 years ago
I have never been much of a fan of clogs. They always seem to fall off my feet.
moxie 14 years ago
Honestly… I’m all for nice, beautiful, well-made shoes. But it’s also about the shoe being appropriate for the wearer and for the situation. And in this situation, if Robin is rocking the Danskos, then by all means, continue to rock!
Miss Plumcake 14 years ago
I am vexed to nightmare by a Rocking “Comfortable Shoe”
and what rough clog, its hour come round at last
is slouching toward Birkenstock, waiting to be worn?
FYI Robert Clergerie usually run extremely narrow since French women have skinny little banana feet. I’d size up if your foot is on the wider side of medium.
Vicki 14 years ago
What rough clog, my foot. The tooled leather black clog is a long way from the desolation of Birkenstan, at least a 12 hour flight. Don’t worry Hollywood worker bee, they look great.