We know, we know.
Crocs.
Rubber shoes.
(now just stop recoiling in horror, and read a bit more pleasethankyou)
I know. I do.
But.
Bear is oh-so-gracefully modelling the Crocband style, with its retro striped banding around the sole
I can’t actually think of any item of footwear more suitable for a child than one made of rubber?
But you HAVE to get the real deal. Please don’t think it’s okay to opt for the cheap imitation versions out there – there’s a whole world of difference between the two.
Real Crocs are genuinely excellent, utterly practical summer footwear.
They aren’t so flimsy they allow thorns to pierce them in the woods, I’ve never had a strap break off, and toes will never peer through the holes after an ambitious jump-and-landing. Oh no. These are seriously sturdy shoes – well up to skate parking, field yomping, mountain stream dam building, and rocky beach clambering.
I’ll admit the 12yr old curled a lip when I showed him his classic navy pair – they’re clearly not the obvious style choice for your sartorial pre-teen. But it hasn’t escaped my notice that since the day they arrived he never chooses anything else to go on his feet. Ever.
Hot tired feet that had spent the day charging around the pool were more than happy to be encased in the protective softness of some Crocs for a quiet evening stroll through the lanes of the Dordogne as the sun went down.
And the 8yr old, who can’t remember her last pair of crocs from a few years ago now, eyed their rounded pinkness rather dubiously. But she willingly slipped them on her feet, bounced, grinned, and declared them the very best shoes EVER. She even chooses them over and above her colourful flashing light-up shoes. Which should tell you everything you need to know about their innate fabulousness.
Even the local wildlife stopped by to appreciate her shoes… (and you can see Jolly’s navy classics getting in the act too…)
And that’s the thing with Crocs – the sheer comfort and practicality beats everything else hands down. When the weather’s hot, feet need room to spread; but shoes need to be able to handle the outdoors life and not be too flimsy or slippy to mess up the perfect hurtle-down-a-hill.
And if you like the idea, but just can’t learn to love the boat-like clogs? Fret not. There’s LOADS of styles to choose from – I think these Mary-Janes are a fabulous sandal alternative.
I love them – and my children love them. My children’s feet love them. And you can stop shaking your head, because even Prince George loves them. So there.
Just head over to the Crocs sight and take a look – all manner of fabulous shoes will burst into your world, each and every one of them as practical a kids shoe as you can possibly get. Trust me.
Prices start at just £20 for classic Crocs – and there’re some brilliant bargains to be had in the Sale section too.
