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A lot of Croc
They're not pretty, but Crocs are the hottest shoes around

by Molly Tanenbaum

They're audacious, clumsy and look like Swiss cheese. But they're irresistible.

An early hit with gardeners, athletes, nurses and chefs because of their comfort, arch support and slip-on-ability, Crocs are a new fashion staple.

Ask most wearers of the rubber sandal about the shoes and you'll think they're part of the Colorado company's marketing team.

Take Barbara Anderson, who, between sips of coffee with a friend at the Stanford Shopping Center, couldn't stop raving about the black Crocs she picked up for a month-long trip to Eastern Europe.

"I had two other pairs of shoes with me that I thought I'd wear more but I wore these 25 out of the 28 days of my trip," said Anderson of San Jose, pointing at her feet.

She wore them with and without socks, for long days of hiking and sight seeing.

"Your foot kinda sinks into it. They don't slide or slip," she said.

"The people I traveled with were tired of me talking about how great they are," she added.

With Crocs — as with Ugg boots — comfort has triumphed over looks. Unlike $100 Uggs or Dansko clogs, Crocs are relatively affordable at $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for kids. And there are plenty of colors to choose from for men and women. The standard "Cayman" style comes in a wide array of hues from neon pink to army green.

However, because the wide-toed sandals—originally intended for boating in Boulder, Colo. —are clown-esque, they were first worn like other unsightly shoes: house slippers and gardening slip-ons.

That's all changed, said Donya Disperati, shoe sales manager at Nordstrom in the Stanford Shopping Center, where Crocs are big sellers.

"Now, it's more casual wear," she said.

When deciding on a new pair of shoes, buyers must determine their needs along the look-good/feel-good continuum. It's rare to find both extremes in one shoe, and Crocs are up there with other hideous-comfy shoes like duck boots and aqua socks.

But even the trendiest trend-seekers are having trouble ignoring them.

At the Stanford Shopping Center last week, Thais Barrocas, 15, in Ugg boots and a miniskirt, said she was tempted to buy Crocs.

"They're ugly but they're comfortable," she said, adding that one of her friends already owns them in four different colors.

Crocs have become the most popular shoe at Paul's European Cobblery on California Avenue.

When a Crocs representative approached owner Jessica Roth about carrying the strange sandals at her family's shoe store, her initial reaction was: "Oh, no thank you. They're really kind of funny looking."

But she soon changed her mind. Clad in brown Mary Jane Crocs last week, Roth said she's had them in stock for the past year and estimates to have sold about 600 pairs.

"Right now, if I put in an order, I won't get it until 16 to 18 weeks. That's unheard of in the shoe business."

What began as a shoe for adult outdoor enthusiasts has become a must-have for kids.

Barbara Salinger, of Menlo Park, has given her 3-year-old son, Danny, two pairs of Crocs—navy and khaki—because he wears them so much.

"He always requests wearing them," she said, adding that many of his friends also have them.

The initial attraction for curly-haired Danny, Salinger said, was the friendly cartoon crocodile on the shoe.

Crocs' selling points—for mother and son—have been their affordability, "the ease of a 3-year-old being able to put them on himself," the fact that they can be hosed down when they get muddy and most of all, "just the fact that he likes them," Salinger said.

But mom admits that Crocs have a downside.

Danny's preschool won't allow them—only enclosed shoes on the playground. And when he plays in a park that has sand or woodchips, his feet are vulnerable to splinters and irritation, Salinger said.

Though they do provide comfort, with an orthotic foot bed and an anti-microbial, slip-resistant material that molds around the wearer's feet, they may not have the staying power of Dansko clogs.

Gail Moore, a nurse at Stanford Hospital, says her black Caymans have worn out over time.

"After about a year and a half, there's not a lot of support left," said Moore, who stands in them for 10 hours a day.

She still prefers her "Birkies" to the Crocs she sees all over the hospital.

"I think there are more comfortable shoes out there," she said.

And there are more attractive shoes. But fortunately, Crocs has made strides in the appearance department.

The company has expanded its line of shoes — adding the narrower, more feminine Mary Janes and "Prima" ballet flats. Roth says styles to come are: high-heeled Crocs, Stanford Crocs and Disney Crocs.

Croc wearers can also accessorize their sandals with "Jibbitz," little $2 charms used to adorn the holed top of each Croc. Jibbitz charms come as ladybugs, skulls, flowers, jewels and other collectable shapes.

"We've had a customer buy 90 Jibbitz in one transaction," Disperati said.

During the chilly months, Crocs don't have to hide in the closet next to the flip-flops. Roth recommends slipping Crocs over a pair of furry fleece socks for extra warmth.

The company also sells enclosed rain boots and is coming out with other cold-weather shoes.

So, move over, Uggs. Your time is up.

Staff Writer Molly Tanenbaum can be e-mailed mtanenbaum@paweekly.com.