Hmmm, I think you're a little late, Victor. Among foot-saving folks, ugly shoes have been in for a while. Consider Merrell or Mephisto shoes.

The best thing I can say about getting older for me, is my complete comfort in selecting comfort (aka ugly shoes) over fashion.

Good point, RT.

If Crocs are in and the ugly-casual-shoe-market isn't growing, it may be time to short Birkenstocks.

Of course, I never really understood those weird Ugg Boots either. So clearly no one should be taking fashion advice from this blog.

This is starting to make sense. Eric Goldman, the resident Californian on the Marquette faculty, wears sandals during... well, it seems like it's clear through the Milwaukee fall, when sane people are breaking out the winter coats. He wears white socks with the sandals, however, and I'll give the Golden State the benefit of the doubt and assume that not too many of the other 30 million Californians make that exact fashion statement....

I'm like so stoked about my Reefs, but socks with sandals? Bogus, dude.

For the love of all things good and holy. Victor, just so that I can better understand the mental calculus of the highly-educated American male, could you please explain to me how the reefs are significantly better than the crocs? Ditto the reefs v.s. the sandals with socks. Do you wear reefs with slacks? Or just with shorts?

(Mind you, I am not a hierophant of fashion in the academy. I might even be viewed as a fashion dolt, given that I appear to be one of the few women here in the former capitol of the south who does not lecture in a skirt or a suit. Bless my heart.)

With board shorts, of course. But don't worry, I clean up okay for teaching days.

As for the mental calculus, what can I say. Branding is not about functionality.

If you are interested in all things good and holy, you will have to check with Gordon or Christine. I'm the Gen X existential angst guy. You are what you buy.

I shall stick with conventional footwear as flip-plopping is a croc(k). Even a heel should have a worthy sole. See you later, alli ....

http://shoeblogs.com/horrors.html

'nuff said

My six-year-old daughter asked for crocs the other day, but I told her we needed to buy some real shoes. Like Tevas.

I desperately hope that Vic did not mean to imply in this sentence (If you are interested in all things good and holy, you will have to check with Gordon or Christine. I'm the Gen X existential angst guy.) that I am not young enough to be in Gen X. That would really make me mad.

Of course not, C. You are Gen X all the way. I only meant that you are long on church camp and short on existential angst.

Fascinating narcissistic exchange.

Richard, if you want to avoid personal commentary on blogs because you think it's "narcissistic," I have a suggestion: (1) Avoid postings that quite obviously are of that nature -- for example, a posting about the blogger's taste for novelty shoes.

Or you could choose a different course: (2) Read those postings and then make snotty personal comments about the bloggers, based on your dislike for these posts that you chose to read.

In fact, given the number of blogs that are 100% personal commentary, you could spend your whole day as a civil servant posting "you're narcissistic" on other people's blogs, because you're offended by bloggers talking to each other.

I only now have realized that my fashion sense was being critiqued behind my back. It should be obvious that I am a trendsetter...but in the wrong direction. See http://www.salon.com/sex/feature/2002/08/07/deal/index.html Eric.

I do agree that the Crocs are an ugly shoe, but they are comfortable.

They are ugly but they are also comfortable. I found this website that sells knockoff Crocs.

They are great!

....used to look for some comfortable shoes and crocs are one of them.