What’s the Next Status Clog?
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
The clogerati is an easy enough group to join. Unlike the literati, you need not publish several acclaimed texts. And unlike the illuminati, the clogerati isn’t a secret. Look downward, and you can identify members (mostly adult, coastal women) by their bulbous footwear. Dues to join are a pair of clogs — preferably a pair ofNo. 6.
Writer Lauren Mechling deserves credit for both coining the termclogerati, and confirming No. 6 as the current clog that confersstatuson its owner. In herNew Yorkeressay, “The Life-Changing Magic of Clogs,” she describes losing her job and then hurrying to the No. 6 store in Soho, to begin her new and fuzzy “grid-adjacent” life.
“I needed a pair from No. 6, there was no question,” Mechling told me over email. “They’re the priciest, yes, but the most pleasing to the eye and also the most flattering — you could say they’re the Manolo of the increasingly crowded klompen field.” They’re also not even really a trend anymore. “They’re absolutely classics. They passed into the pantheon a while ago,” saysKim France, founding editor ofLuckyand current owner of seven pairs of clogs — not counting clogboots. Of the No. 6 clogs, she says, “It’s my everyday shoe.” So. If clogs are here to stay, and No. 6 is the agreed-upon Cachet Clog, the obvious next question for the stylish and competitive among us is, what’s the next clog to buy (or at least covet)?
Luckily, members of the clogerati are easy to find, and they love clog talk. On her siteGirls of a Certain Age, France linked to Mechling’s story. Here on the Strategist, and on other style blogs likethis really good one,Sweetbitterauthor Stephanie Danler has praised herclogs. On Twitter, women clamored to announce themselves as members of a group that wearsugly-but-adored shoes. Mechling’s entire social-media presence is now about#cloglife, a hashtag and an Instagram account where the clog-curious can look atchunkyfootwear, but also pictures of stringy fisherman grocerybagsor blobby abstract paintings, to catch a more holistic glimpse of the lifestyle. She’s even consideringWomen in Clogsas a title for her forthcoming book. These women are clog oracles. Here’s what they predict of status clogs.
New! You can now save this product for later.
No contest,Beklinais the next clog to know. The most ardent No. 6 fans I spoke to all agreed, without pause: This line is for the true appreciator. “They are super niche and in-the-know,” Mechling says. “They say, ‘I am queen of the clognoscenti.’” Beklina is a studio with a “tight edit of beautiful and thoughtful fashion and objects,” in La Selva Beach, California, just south of Santa Cruz. The small company makes a Platonic-ideal kind of a clog, with a platform and a sloped heel, and a tufted upper. Mechling heard about Beklina from Lori Leibovich, editor-in-chief ofHealthandTime Healthmagazines and a lifelong clog-wearer, who said people constantly stop her to ask about her pair. But they’re an unlikely starter pair, she adds. They’re comfortable, but the colors (like this blue) and the stitching make them a more fanciful choice — your second or third pair, maybe. “They’re your outlier,” France says. “But they’re a little more on trend.” Plus, unless you’re in La Selva, you can’t try them on in a store before buying, and elusiveness is always key to status. It’s also nice that they cost a little less than most No. 6 styles.
New! You can now save this product for later.
The Lego also comes in some everyday colors, though, like this mahogany brown …
New! You can now save this product for later.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Perennial style-maven favorite Rachel Comey makes a shapely wooden and leather clog with a slightly higher heel, similar to Beklina or No. 6. Like those lines, the Comey silhouette is also elegant, rather than just chunky. France has two pairs. It’s truly beautiful — but at $430, less attainable.
New! You can now save this product for later.
For the clog owner who’s got the basics covered, the Comey also comes in this handsome mossy green.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Stephanie Danler ison the recordas loving her Danskos, but told me that for another low-key option, she also loves her backless Troentorps. Jody Williams, James Beard winner and chef behindBuvetteandVia Carotain the West Village, turned Danler onto the Swedish brand. Lower-heeled than some other shoes on here, these have a Dansko-like clunkiness, but look more organic, and less clinical, thanks to a wooden sole. (Williams, clearly a clog lover, says she once biked all through Martha’s Vineyard in them!)
New! You can now save this product for later.
A small operation, Bryr makes each of its classic-looking wood-and-leather clogs upon getting orders. The San Francisco shop uses only American materials and manufacturing processes, which appealed to Stephanie Beard, the designer and founder of Austin-based apparel lineEsby, who name-checked them as her new favorite. “Their clogs pair so well with our minimal apparel line,” she says. The Bryr Chloe is also pretty similar to the No. 6, just with a slight enclosure around the heel.
New! You can now save this product for later.
“Loeffler Randall clogs for events,” Danler said of her collection. The exactAustenstyle she wears is from another season and out of stock, but these Swedish Hasbeens have a similar vibe: a higher heel, and a little detail beyond one solid dome of color. (Strat note: For a lower-heeled clog similar to the classic Hasbeens, but cheaper, check out writer Maxine Builder’sfavorite style.)
New! You can now save this product for later.
These also mimic Danler’s Loeffler Randall Austen clogs, what with the sandy-brown leather, the lift, and a little extra detail — this time in the form of a buckle strap.
New! You can now save this product for later.
They’re divisive. Danler andLove’sGillian Jacobsare into them; France takes a pass on them: “There are certain girls who can wear uncool things because they’re so cool. I’m not going to explore.” But if you want to explore, and you’re cool, then get Danskos —whiteDanskos. “They are having a moment, but it’s one that’s best left to teenagers and semi-recognizable actors,” Mechling says. “The only time I wore them, I felt rather ‘sociopathic nurse.’Katja BlichfeldofHigh Maintenancepulls them off with far more aplomb.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
New! You can now save this product for later.
The starter clog, and the one that inspires mad fandom and lasting loyalty among the clogerati. Can’t go wrong with these.
New! You can now save this product for later.
And as a bonus for making it this far: No. 6 released these extremely cool platforms this year, with some groovy cutouts on the sides. They come in a few regular colors, but I think these lemony uppers are the coolest. Would pair well with cozy heather-gray socks.
The Strategistis designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the bestwomen’s jeans,rolling luggage,pillows for side sleepers,ultra-flattering pants, andbath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links,New Yorkmay earn an affiliate commission.
