'Crocs are cool, and I will no longer stand for the slander'
OPINION – My entire adult life I have been ridiculed, judged, even laughed at by my own best friends, all for one simple fashion choice that I continue to make to this day.
You see, no matter how many people point and laugh, I refuse to let it get to me – one, because of the comfort and versatility of the fashion choice in question and two, because I happen to think this fashion choice slays.
And no one can change my mind about that.
READ MORE: Ultimate test: We stepped out in heeled Crocs
Crocs have gotten a bad wrap, and it's time for that to end. Getty
'What is the fashion choice you continue to make?', I hear you ask.
Well, of course, I am talking about Crocs – the shoe that seems to be taking over Australian Fashion Week.
For years, Crocs have been given a bad rap... but why?
One thing everyone who has ever given me a tough time for my Crocs has in common is that they can't seem to give me a valid reason for their hatred.
Often people will say they're ugly, but that's just a matter of opinion, not fact – you don't see me going around laughing at everyone in Adidas Sambas, do you?
Through years of field testing, I have come to realise people who hate on Crocs are simply doing so because that's what we've been told to do.
For some reason, Crocs are seen as a shoe for a clown.
But I say, no more!
I think the poor Croc is a vastly misunderstood shoe, and let me explain why.
People seem to think the only Croc around is the simple flat clog in some ungodly bright colour, but that is just incorrect.
As somewhat of a Croc connoisseur, let me walk you through my three pairs (previously four, before my dog chewed one pair as a puppy. The anti-Croc propaganda got to him before I could).
The 'four-wheel-drive Crocs' in question (and the croc-hating dog who has since come around to the idea). Supplied
First of all, we have the white platform Croc, a stylish shoe I often refer to as my 'four-wheel-drive Crocs' due to its ability to trudge through over any ground with poise and grace.
Next, we have the Croc slide, which I purchased in a versatile taupe colour. The perfect shoe to throw on with any outfit – they add a bit of height and they look stylish while doing so.
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On the left you'll see the taupe Croc slides mentioned. Getty
And finally, we have the most controversial of the lot... my Croc heels.
They are my most recent purchase (in sleek black, of course) and my prized possession of the group, but they also happen to be the most ridiculed.
Let me ask you this, though – who is the one laughing at the end of the night out, the person in stiletto heels with no support and aching feet? Or the one in Croc heels, having bounced through the evening on a bed of rubbery clouds?
That's what I thought.
Who's feet do you think were more sore by the end of the night (disregarding the moon boot)? Supplied
Not only is it the comfort of a Croc that warms my heart, but the versatility they offer.
I recently went on a backpacking trip around Vietnam and, like a fool, I did not pack a single pair of Crocs – but one of the friends I was travelling with brought his.
When it came to trudging through mud to get to waterfalls, riding through the mountains on a motorcycle in pouring rain or even having something to throw on your feet to go get a banh mi, no one was more prepared for every situation than my friend and his Crocs.
The rest of us ended up with blistered feet from unsupportive sandals or soaking wet socks due to the lack of waterproofing on our sneakers.
Then, when we got home and vigorously tried to scrub dirt and all kinds of stuff off our shoes (our sneakers have never been the same since), Crocs friend simply gave his shoes a quick rinse and they were as good as new – one of the many beauties of a rubber shoe.
(Just adding in here that Crocs aren't actually made of rubber, it's a rubber-like substance called Croslite, which is suitable for both land and water, but it just feels easier to refer to it as rubber for now.)
READ MORE: I joined the Crocs bandwagon. Here's why you should too
Crocs are a shoe perfect for all situations. Getty
As I'm sure you've figured out by now, my love for Crocs runs deep. Aside from everything mentioned above, I also happen to think they're quite fashionable when styled correctly.
I used to think I was alone in that thought, until I began to see images from Australian Fashion Week.
In sad news for the fashion elitists, Crocs seem to have taken over the event. They've been spotted left, right and centre and may I just add that the people wearing them look great.
Let's not forget Margot Robbie is also a Croc supporter, having been spotted out and about on multiple occasions in her baby yellow Crocs Crush Clogs (similar to a 'four-wheel-drive Croc', but with a little more pizzazz).
Crocs have even made their way to Australian Fashion Week, pictured here on model Unice Wani. Instagram/unicewani
So, if you've ever been guilty at laughing at someone wearing a pair of Crocs, I hope this article prompts you to go have a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself, "Am I the problem?"
Crocs are a versatile, easy to clean, stylish, comfortable and all-round brilliant shoe, so it's time the Croc-hating sheep of the world realise the utter vitriol directed toward the shoe comes from nothing but elitist propaganda peddled to us from a young age.
Crocs are cool, spread the word.
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