I Replaced All My Uncomfy Clogs With These Super-Comfy, Also Stylish Ones
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Once upon a time, I was known for my wooden-heeledclogs. I had an enviable collection of over 20 pairs in every heel height and permutation — mules, sandals, boots — from every brand under the sun: No. 6, Sven, Swedish Hasbeens, Maguba, Troentorp, Mia, and others (the pricier of which I tended to purchase used on sites like eBay, Poshmark, and Etsy). Then, in 2020, as I was approaching my 55th birthday, the arthritis I’ve lived with since perimenopause seemed to suddenly ratchet up. All my joints hurt, especially my hips, knees, and ankles — and, sadly, they felt the worst when I walked in my signature wooden-heeled shoes. So I gave them all away.
This was not an easy step to take. It was downright heartbreaking. I had a deep attachment to myclogs, a feature of my identity since junior high in the late ’70s, when Ifinallyconvinced my mom to let me get a pair made by Olof Daughters. (She’d been afraid I’d turn my ankle in them, which of course I did, many times.) The cool girls a few years older than me had madeclogsirresistible to me — my babysitters, camp counselors, my 20-something seventh-grade art teacher. I wanted as many of those artsy status symbols as I could get my feet into. Over time, I garnered enough of them to warrant their own shoe closet.
Last October, I turned 60, and my arthritis pain is now off the charts. Still, I miss having an assortment of clogs like I used to. When I posted a few times onOldster Magazineabout forgoingthem, readers left comments recommending brands with orthopedic properties — light rubber soles, comfortable memory-foam footbeds, and even a wooden-heeled style with a rubber insert that allows the clogs to bend. It made me eager to try some of them — if I’m being honest, with an eye toward starting a new, eclectic collection with options for every occasion.
So I began my hunt. I wanted a pair or two that would look like the clogs I’ve always loved but would offer the comfort and support I need in shoes now that I’m older — and achier than ever before. My ideal clogs had to be able to handle walking long distances but also be stylish enough that I could wear them for work meetings or out to a nice dinner, even to the kind of fancy 60th-birthday parties I’ve been getting invited to a lot lately. I started out on a hunt for one, but ten pairs later, these all feel really good on my body — and make me feel like my old self (someone with a million clogs).
TheClassicClogs
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Reminiscent of standard wooden-heeled clog sandals I used to own, these really satisfy my nostalgia. They’re also incredibly comfortable. The footbed on these is so wonderfully soft and spongy, the weight so light, I could walk in them all summer long — or with socks in spring and fall.
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I was especially excited to try these Danish clogs. So many people have told me about them, singing their praises. I’d wondered if I could even handle a pair of wooden heels, but these were easy to choose because they are an exception — the soles are broken up with a rubber insert that allows them to bend. This is the only wooden pair in the mix, and I’m happy to report that they are light and easy on my joints. They’re also the only pair that make the blessedshwoop-clompsound that reminds me of the clogs and Dr. Scholl’s sandals of my youth. While they’re great, I couldn’t afford more than one pair at $350, and there aren’t enough variations to fill out a new collection, anyway,so they’re not quite right.
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Dr. Martens Unisex Zebzag Anywair Mule
This pair is a mash-up of two classics — clog style, with Dr. Martens’s time-worn favorite rubber sole — with a useful orthopedic twist: a Velcro-secured flap that allows you to adjust them to the width of your feet. In my dozen or so years in the East Village, where I’d moved to try and reinvent myself as cool, I made a go of wearing Docs. I never found them quite as comfortable as their stans made them out to be. These, though, really hug your feet, but they’re a little on the heavy side. They’re a joy to wear for short distances, but not light enough for wearing out all day.
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Many friends had recommended the SeaVees brand to me, and I was eager to road-test them. The company sent me three variations on a classic — the rubber gardenclog— and these were my favorite. They’re light and flexible, and the little lip at the back helps hold your foot in place. They’re also much more presentable than, say, the Crocs I’ve owned since 2003 that no longer have any tread. I won’t just mow the lawn in these, I’ll wear them to the very socialKingston Farmers’ Marketon summer Saturdays. But that’s about as far as I’d travel in these — they don’t feel like the kind of mainstay style I’d wear to brunch or to a party or even to meet a colleague for coffee.
TheModernUpdates
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Dankso Platform Pro
Like a lot of Gen-Xers, all my adult life I’ve struggled to “dress my age” (and act it), whatever that means. But at 60, I do want to sometimes look more polished and put-together — more grown-up. With that in mind, I tried a different variation onthe typical Dansko, one without the fake-wood rubber sole and a leather-covered one instead. I love how sleek and modern these look, and the light blue on these is a nice alternative to my many shoes in dark and drab colors. They come in other attractive shades, too — rose, coral, green, black, honey, a metallic/patent pewter. They’re also super light and comfy.
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Here’s another style with a leather-covered sole. Just about every woman I know has sung FitFlop’s praises to me, and I’m now a convert. While these have a standard clog shape, there’s a simple, understated elegance to them that makes me feel like I can wear them to work meetings. The leather all around is perfectly supple, the “triple-density cushioning” makes the insole among the most comfortable I’ve tried, and they hug your feet in the best possible way.
TheGoing-OutClogs
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My default style is scruffy art-student chic, but at the dawn of this new decade, I’ve been wanting to add a little more style to my look — to be a little more daring with fashion. The retro-platform style on these clogs belies their orthopedic comfort. Of course they have FitFlop’s signature patented footbed and “CushX™ Technology.” But unlike the other FitFlops, these make a fun fashion statement. I love the height and the dark denim, and I love that I can wear them without compromising on comfort. I can see wearing these out to some of the tonier new places in nearby Rhinebeck, Hudson, and Hillsdale this spring.
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I am drawn to theseclogsin part because they look just like a pair my mom had in the mid-’70s that I would play in. Just like those, these give you the feeling of walking on marshmallows. They also have a little notch in the side of the instep that makes it so the shoes move with your foot as you walk, which makes for an easier, more comfortable step.
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Speaking of clogs that make you feel like you’re walking on marshmallows, these also fit that bill. The internet really wants me to own these cheery red clogs with a versatile strap that can go on top or around the back of your heel. I love having alternatives, and anyway, according tothe Arthritis Foundation, a strap around the backis better for you, support-wise, than no strap. For the past few months, the algorithm has shown these to me at the top of just about every website I’ve visited. I hear you, Cherokee. Sold! I love not only the fit and comfort but the style.
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Yes, this is the second pair ofDanskoshere. Of all the candidates for my new comfy clogs collection, these half-metallic Mary Jane sandals might be my favorite. The silver front, combined with a tan strap, takes a common, casual style and jazzes it up a bit. It’s the best of both worlds, looks-wise: a classic clog, with a little something to make it chic, plus they feel great on. The insole, made of soft, odor-killing Dri-Lex® and shock-absorbing foam, renders these super comfortable. When I first discovered Danskos years ago, I was a bit put off by the fake wood appearance of their rubber soles, but my eye has since acclimated to the look. And the lightness, bendability, and overall comfort these offer heavily outweighs any sense of impostor syndrome. I have a feeling I’ll be wearing these out all summer, especially when I dress up.
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