The last time that the humble clog had any degree of notoriety was in 1965. Of course at that time it was on the foot of a mouse, the star of Ronnie Hilton’s hit “A Windmill in Old Amsterdam”, and the perpetrator of the “clip-clippety-clop on the stair” noise. It was amusing, it was quaint, but it certainly wasn’t chic. On Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2010 runway, however, Karl Lagerfeld attempted to make the clog just that thanks to the addition of the house’s classic camellia and sundry other luxe embellishments.
Somewhat surprisingly, it worked. The wooden soles provided an anchor to the frothy femininity above. They were sweet, wholesome, and emanating a sensible practicality not usually associated with a three or four inch heel. ‘Jolie laide’ as the French would say; a mix of the pretty and the ugly which worked in spite of itself.
The good news is that those of us wishing to jump on this wooden soled bandwagon won’t need to break the bank to do so. Banana Republic showed clogs on their 2010 runway, and those of us not wanting to wait until next year can find winter versions available now from Rachel Comey, No.6, and traditional Swedish firm has-beens.
