by Christine Hayden

Created on: May 04, 2009   Last Updated: May 09, 2009

What do you get when you take plastic material molded into a shoe in neon bright colors and wear them out in public? You get the most controversial footwear in recent history, the Croc. Why are they controversial? Obviously, personal taste notwithstanding, consensus seems to say they are the ugliest shoe ever invented but, they are inexpensive and comfortable. They are also tough wearing, they have no natural predators (because nothing comes even close to them), they can live on land or water and they live a very long time. It would seem the name truly says it all.

Are Crocs a temporary fashion craze, soon to drown in a swampy grave or are they now a staple of the shoe repertoire? Market stats lean towards the fact that they won't be walking off into the sunset anytime soon. In 2003, Crocs started as a humble but effective boat shoe to prevent slipping on deck. Since then they have morphed into a multi-million dollar company whereby the masses have developed a definite love/hate relationship for them.

They hate the way they look but they love the way they feel. The material they are made from is Croslite PCCR. This material molds to the foot, is anti-microbial and incredibly lightweight. The shoes come in every color imaginable and new styles are emerging every year. They are easy to clean, they breathe through the large holes and they even can be made more interesting with accessories called Jibbitz, charms that fit into the Croc holes for decoration.

Crocs are now worn by folks from all walks of life. Not just for boating or gardening anymore, no siree. They have donned the hooves of Presidents, to Actors, to Artists, to Doctors, to Chefs, to Writers. They have been slammed and praised by the best in the fashion industry and yes, they continue to create passionate dialogue when spoken of. Even folk who think they are hideous still wear them.

It is obvious that fashion and comfort, when it comes to the shoe, are two distinctly different matters and yet we are forever searching for that perfect combination. Must we sacrifice one for the other? I suspect we do not have a choice. Historically, the most comfortable shoes made have also been the ugliest. Look at Birkenstocks, Uggs and Wallabees. Need more be said?

It would seem to that as much as we would like to look terribly chic at all times, our quest for comfort ultimately outweighs our desire for appearing fashionable. Maybe we think that we are fashionable when we wear Crocs because Crocs are all the rage? Does that mean we are fashionable or just followers hoping to be that way? Perhaps we secretly don't care if we are "in" or "out". We only care how our feet feel? Regardless, the Croc seems to be stepping up to the plate and hitting a home-run every time. For those of you who dislike them, maybe you should walk it off, in a pair of Crocs.

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