Crocs: so bad they’re just good

“What did I just buy? This is the ugliest shoe ever,” said Caidy Klein, a third-year consumer science student at the North-West University (NWU) who focuses on fashion communication, when she bought her first pair of Crocs last year. “Now I will lay down my life to defend my purple Crocs.” 

Launched in the early 2000s, the American footwear company has faced many highs and lows but peaked with a record annual revenue of R41 billion (US$2.3 billion) in 2021. Regardless of commercial success, the shoes are a divisive trend, a fashion statement that most either love or hate.

Crocs saw a boom in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic when we were locked inside and comfort was king. “The brand took a very [relatable] approach to their marketing [during the pandemic]”, Klein said, “focusing heavily on utilising influencers and emphasising the comfort Crocs provide.” 

Such celebrity endorsements include Bretman Rock, a social media influencer known for his impact on the beauty community, and Bella Poarch, who paraded in her Crocs for her nearly 100 million TikTok followers. Crocs marketing also extends to brand collaborations, such as Disney and Coca-Cola. 

The hot-and-cold relationship many have with whether Crocs are hot or not is credited to its design and wearability. “Crocs offer unmatched comfort,” said Klein, securing their place in closets regardless of how trendy they are at the time. 

Timeless comfort, alongside Jibbitz, makes Crocs an easier pill to swallow. Jibbitz are charms adorning the holes of Crocs. Coming in a diverse array of shapes and sizes –  ranging from letters to bits of pop culture – making the shoes highly customisable, with room for self-expression.  

“My refusal to wear a shoe that looks like a child’s helmet tells me that I’m still alive, I’m still trying, I’m still vying for a better life,” said Scaachi Koul, senior culture writer for BuzzFeed News. The self-proclaimed Crocs hater said that “duck-bill-resembling shoes” only look good when attractive people wear them. Koul, like most who dislike Crocs, acknowledges how subjective “ugliness” is.

With 90 countries selling the shoes, the world seems Crocs-crazed, and the NWU’s Potchefstroom campus is no exception. When scouring the campus grounds for students’ opinions, it proved a challenge to find students who have not yet come around to the shoes. 

Even though most students like these lightweight, breathable shoes, some are still giving Crocs the cold shoulder, especially when it comes to their steep price points. “I personally feel that the Crocs trend is overused and overconsumed by the youth,” Ianthé Avontuur, a second-year BA in Graphic Design student, said.

Thanks to staggering price tags, many students we came across on campus wore Crocs alternatives. These are not necessarily the more affordable rip-offs that many inevitably flock to. Instead, alternatives are often other brands that capitalise on Crocs’s success, such as Adidas Clogs or Vans Slip-On TRKs, providing their own spin on the shoes. 

Zelenzy Osborne, an honours student in physiology, said that Crocs never go out of style, to begin with. Although she favours the trend, she is shocked that people are only now re-discovering the shoes. To her, they have been both fashionable and useful all along.

Keacha Karriem, a final year BEd Foundation Phase student, said that her pair of pink Crocs makes her feel nostalgic. “I had a pair of Crocs when I was young, and these remind me of those days.” 

Osborne and Karriem are fond of Crocs regardless of the limelight the shoes enjoy. If the shoes were not as popular, their modern-day appeal would have been short-lived. 

“I think people being so [torn] over Crocs add to the appeal because it keeps the shoes relevant,” Klein said. The shoes keep audiences entranced as they continue to experiment and expand with new shapes, such as Balenciaga stilettos. 

Trends wax and wane, but it looks like Crocs are here to stay. Through the years they have become an iconic and controversial staple in many a closet.

If the trend fizzles out back into hiding, your Crocs will be safe in the closet until they make a comeback. After all, Crocs have shown a knack for (re)surfacing when we least expect it. By Janlu Fourie