Should a man ever wear Crocs in public? How one refusenik was won over

It’s one of the most divisive subjects of our times; not Brexit, nor the handling of the pandemic, but a particular pair of shoes. Crocs - love ‘em or hate ‘em? Because either way, you can’t avoid them. Sales of Crocs rose 64% in the first half of 2021, and a hefty amount of celebrity endorsement has helped propel them into the fashion stratosphere.

The camp I have always fallen into is firmly in the ‘I would rather have burning torches held to my feet than put a pair of Crocs on them’. But two things happened to coincide last week that had me pondering these curious podal points of contention. The first was attempting to don an outwardly comfortably looking, easy pair of slides to counteract the unbearable London heat; reader, I don’t mind telling you of the brutality. After 12 minutes of walking, my feet were slashed and bleeding. Not from some hardy pair of Oxfords, but a breezy poolside staple.

The next was a chi-chi book launch in the sweltering heat, at which a number of well-heeled gentlemen wore Crocs, even pairing them with formal tailoring. So in the name of research - how noble - I donned a pair myself. The first thought? My word, they are comfortable. And cooling - the perforated details made them more fitting in the heat than other summer shoes. Their other USP is their lack of preciousness; many men, myself included, veer towards driving shoes, and although handsome they do require a degree of care and consideration. Crocs are made from a special kind of resin, rather than plastic, and can take anything you throw at them, from gardening to robust walks.

They’ve also undergone a high fashion transformation in recent years, with cool designers such as Christopher Kane and artist Takashi Murakami lending their style panache to Crocs. So in what context are they best suited?

Stick to the more informal end of your wardrobe. Despite golden Crocs featuring on the Oscars red carpet, on the feet of cult director Questlove, unless you’re making a serious style statement they are tricky to team with anything smart and dressy. But at the opposite end of the scale, often men wear them with cargo shorts and T-shirts, a look straight from the geography teacher’s orienteering field trip. A happy medium is the best way forward; relaxed summer shirts and smart shorts - rather than Duke of Edinburgh-style cargo iterations - to temper the practical nature of said Crocs.

And if you’re still unconvinced? Summer footwear for men is a tricky beast, but the best tack lies in aping our Italian brothers - soft fit driving shoes, espadrilles, and only showing your toes if you’re at the beach or the pool.

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