Swedish Clogs Journey From Rags To Riches

Swedish clogs which were popular in the 1900’s as a practical footwear, have now reincarnated themselves into a fashionable footwear and captured the attention of fashionistas and even celebrities. This simple footwear which was used by fishermen and laborers of yore as a protective covering for the foot have now evolved into a fashion staple, seen mostly on fashion parades of renowned brands.

 Clogs from Sweden were made partly or completely out of wood in the past. They were crafted by hand by dexterous clog makers. Wood became the primary choice for manufacture of clogs since it is durable, doesn't hold moisture and insulates the feet from the ground. 

Nowadays, Swedish wooden clogs are made by machines, but there are some places in the Netherlands and the EU where these clogs are still made by hand. The mechanized process of making clogs has erased the personality and distinct features that are imbued in the handcrafted clogs.

Swedish wooden clogs receive a sort of traditional opulence when they are forged by hand. A clog maker adds his own set of designs and embellishments when he crafts a clog by hand to bring individuality and uniqueness to the shoe. The handcrafted Swedish wooden clogs have a distinct texture and eye-catching color and are valued more since they are an expression of the person who made it. A handcrafted clog cannot be duplicated as the maker adds his own creativity and variety in each pair which makes it one-of-a-kind.

Clogs from Sweden have become a personal favorite among women. These shoes have become an indispensable part of a women’s shoe rack and are used by everyone, ranging from business magnets to housewives. Career-driven and ambitious women of today want a footwear that accentuates their sense of style without going over-the-top and clogs perfectly fit the bill. 

Clogs come with chunky heels and metal stud detailing over the edges and modern women don’t feel shy to flaunt those. The 21^st century women is well-informed about the ill-effects of standing for long hours wearing the wrong footwear. So she prefers clogs since those shoes have orthopedic values and take care of the feet, besides providing comfort throughout the day.

Heeled Clogs Have Become A New Favorite For Women. Know Why?

Have you ever come across the wooden shoes of the 70s? Clogs!!!  Those flashy, chunky and noisy shoes have become a woman’s best friend since they came back in grand fashion in the early 2000s. 

Clogs come in a wide array of shapes and designs, so that they can fit the requirement of every woman. These shoes go well with every attire and can be worn in every season. Clogs are fashionable footwear and so women nowadays buy them to match every dress and for every occasion.

After their hallowed debut in glitzy fashion ramps, clogs have never looked back. Their popularity has grown in leaps and bounds and they have become a common appearance in glittering award shows or fashion events. 

Of late, heeled clogs have taken the fashion scene by storm. Though clogs were traditionally flat-bottomed shoes, the heeled clogs have attracted quite a sizeable number of fans from the celeb fraternity and other fashion-conscious women. A few years ago, Kate Moss was spotted wearing a pair of heeled clogs while walking down a sidewalk.

So why are heeled clogs in vogue now? The answer is simple- heels enhance the shape of your feet. Besides this, heeled clogs bolster the confidence level of a woman. Heeled clogs improve the posture and gait of a woman and help make her legs appear longer and leaner. Heels also change the way a woman looks and carries herself. The greatest advantage of heeled clogs is that you can team them up with any outfit-be it a pair of skinny jeans or a skirt.

Heeled clogs come in a variety of heel heights-low heel, high heel and high-rise heel. The toe box area of the low heel clog is roomier and has a slight arch at the base. The high heel clog has a slightly narrow base than the low heel. The high-rise heel height is narrower than the other two heel heights. For people with wide feet, the low heel clog will be perfect while high heel clogs are suitable for people with a narrow feet. These heels of the clogs are made of wood and so the wearer will not experience any pain, putting them on for a considerable length of time.

An In-Depth Look At The History Of Clogs

Clogs were a staple footwear for peasants and mine workers in the 70s and were worn to provide protection and comfort to the feet. Though considered a footwear for the labor class, wooden clog sandals came of age and became a fashion accessory towards the end of the 20^th century.

These wooden clog sandals had their roots in Holland and eventually spread into France, England and Scandinavia. During the time of Industrial revolution, clogs became the most preferred shoe for workers. The all-wooden shoe was manufactured from a single block of wood and were called by different names in different countries. In Netherlands, they were called Klomp, in Germany, Klompen and in France, Sabots. The Dutch clogs were made entirely of wood whereas the French clogs were made of wood and leather.

Wooden clog sandals were popular since they provided warmth and protection. Wooden clogs kept the feet in good stead and so were worn by miners, agricultural workers and construction workers. The clogs protected the feet of agricultural workers from mud and from injury caused by sharp tools used in the field. Farmers used to wear specially decorated clogs to attend church on Sundays and also on holidays.

The working clogs were just simple ones and devoid of decoration. However, clogs which were worn to church or to weddings were painted and carried embellishments on them. Red, black and yellow were the only colors used on the clogs. The wooden clogs also didn’t carry any decoration but to make them look a bit fancy and give a leathery feel, the upper portion featured laces and lace holes.

Wooden clog sandals are made from three types of wood- European willow, yellow poplar and tulip poplar. These woods are hard and resistant to water. After the tree is felled, the wood is cut and made into clogs. No other material is used to manufacture these shoes. Wooden clogs were traditionally made entirely out of hand by specialized artisans though nowadays the shoes are carved by machine.

The wooden clogs have staged a graceful comeback after their downfall in the 70s, thanks to their sudden appearance on fashion parades of elite brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton. The clogs have since become a fashion accessory and are a rage today among fashionable women. These wooden clogs for women look extremely appealing with every type of dress and have become a firm favorite of fashionista women.

Why You Won’t Go Wrong With Clogs?

“Fashion is a part of the daily air and it changes all the time, with all the events…”-Diana Vreeland. 

Fashion is an outlet though which we express ourselves. Whether or not our week is going on a gloom note, going out in a new dress or an elegant pair of shoes can weather away the drab. It has a profound impact on our emotions and so we seek to don newer fashion trends to uplift our persona and our day. 

Fashion is never constant. It reveals itself in new colors, patterns and styles every week, every season without a stop. Among the fashion staples that glitter fashion ramps, shoes are one of them. 

Shoes make a statement and add function to fashion. Your style is defined by your outfit which include shoes too.

Shoes have elevated our style profile to a whole new level. With the hottest shoe trends spilling out on glitzy fashion parades, it’s no time to be shy and play it safe, but to flaunt your sassiness with élan. Fashionista lasses don’t mind putting themselves in loud, embellished towering heels or wedges even if they meant cramming your feet for fashion’s sake and making your pinkie toes hate your guts. They have accepted the fact that heels are ‘pleasure with pain’. And they make them look hot and conventionally sexy.

But when clogs broke into the fashion scene, it became the cynosure of every fashion-conscious woman. The elegant wooden footwear with its bold leather uppers piqued the interest of style magnets and they embraced it as an accessory for style and beauty. 

Clog sandals breathed a new air of fashion into every women’s wardrobe. Their rich history and flamboyant versatility which allows women to style them with different dresses has helped them move up the echelons of fashion and place themselves head and heels above conventional footwear. 

If it’s their style and ergonomic design which women couldn't stop drooling over, it’s their unwavering comfort which made the softer sex go weak in the knees. Clogs became the perfect fashion staple for every season and occasion. Whether you are gearing for a glamorous dinner party or a romantic escapade with your other half, clogs will save your day. You will get the attention you deserve.

Read More: Fascinating Facts about Clogs Sandals

How can you add glamour to your feet with clogs?

Shoes are the most quintessential part of any wardrobe. Take a sneak peek into a women’s closet and your eyes will meet her prized collection of footwear immaculately stacked from top to bottom. Now, a woman is naturally inclined towards fashion. It’s something she is born with. She is always on the quest to update herself and don those clothes and accessories which are in vogue. Her fastidiousness comes to the fore when she is on a shopping binge. She makes sure that the accessories complement her dress and everything is perfect to the miniscule detail.

It is no secret that to look their best women spend countless hours in front of their wardrobe trying to figure out a dress which will ooze glam and give them a celeb-like feel. And then, when the make-up is done with, they just slip into a footwear which they find in front of their eyes or on the top of the shoe rack and ramp-walk on their way. Here goes the blunder.

Women!! Listen!! We notice what you wear and draw conclusions from what you are wearing. It’s your outfit which piques a guy’s interest towards you and increase your chances of developing a connection with them. But, pairing a gorgeous dress with a garish footwear will be an anomaly and will put a bad taste in the mouth of men who will come up to you. Your feet garners the same attention as your dress. So to make it look dainty and a bit vainglorious, you should wear a footwear as glitzy as clogs.

The striking shoes with thick bottom have become the staple fashion fodder for fashionistas of all ages. Coming in a plethora of designs and materials, clogs have moved up fashion charts and have reigned supreme till the present day. They embody Swedish craftsmanship and contemporary fashion sensibilities which give them a chic appeal. The ergonomic curvature of the foot-bed is a blessing for the feet and can benefit the overall posture of the body if worn daily. The wooden sole helps the feet breathe well in summer and keeps them warm in winters. 

How Can Clogs Add Pride To Your Feet?

Fashion is more than just about the clothes which we wear. It is a reflection of our personality, our feelings or moods, our sartorial sense and how we want people to see us. Our fashion choices are constantly changing with the ebb and flow of trends and with our personalities and lifestyles. The fashion essentials which we deck ourselves remain closely linked with our identities. The lifestyle we choose influences our wardrobe. Just as we are fanatical about the clothes we wear, same should be our attention towards the shoes we pair with our clothes.

Shoes make or break an outfit. They provide a finishing touch to an ensemble. The right shoes can save your day even if you go wrong with your dress. Not only do shoes enhance your outlook but also exude confidence. Women have a long-held love affair with shoes. They are never finished when it comes to buying shoes. No matter how many shoes do they have in their wardrobe, they will shop till they drop.

Trends in footwear have been constantly changing. Nowadays we are seeing that the demand for shoes with comfort over style has been on the rise. With people getting more and more aware of the factors that add to a healthy lifestyle, they are waking up to the benefits of comfortable shoes. The only shoe to have made the cut is clogs.

Clogs with their ergonomic design and superior comfort have instantly made their way into the hearts of fashionistas and poked their sartorial instincts into accepting them. They became a rousing success within the first few months of their debut at the elite fashion parades of famous brands.

Though heeled clogs had a boring design during their heydays in the 70s, clogs made their entry in the 2000s with a tweaking in their original design. The bottom of the shoe is now shaped in an upward curve to form arch. Due to their unique styling, the popularity of clogs have reached dizzying heights in recent times. Style them with or without socks and you will be a head-turner as you saunter down the streets with exuberance. 

A Brief History Of Wooden Clog Boots

Wooden clog boots are a typical Dutch heritage. Through the ages, wooden shoes were found all over the European mainland from the Scandinavian countries up north to the Mediterranean south. There were even claims that it was the French who invented clog shoes. But nowadays, wooden clog boots are a true symbol for Holland.

In the Netherlands, the oldest wooden shoe ever found were from 1230 AD. This shoe was found in Nieuwendijk in 1979. Another antique wooden clog shoe was found in 1990 in a dam near Rotterdam’s rotte river. This wooden clog boot dated 1280 is made from alder. Thus, we can conclude with certainty that wooden clog boots have been worn for over 800 years or more.

Trippen were wooden shoes having two bulges at the bottom and two triangles shaped pieces of leather on top for attachment, which is showing resemblance with sandals. However, wooden clog boots gained in popularity since the beginning of the 16^th century. The main reason behind this is the shoes are made out of one piece which proved to be firm and practical with a relatively cheap alternative. 

They protect the feet from dirt and formed a useful additive in the moistures climate.

Nowadays, wooden clog boots are made little different from their ancestors 800 years ago. After the 1890 flourish of industries, shoe manufacturers incited a negative trend in demand for wooden shoes. But then after World War II, almost every village bore its own wooden clog shoemaker, resulting in a variety of styles, colors, carvings, and decorations. 

Men’s clog boots were black or yellow usually where women were lacquered black or had elaborated decoration motifs.

Alder is said to be very good at absorbing moisture and keeping the feet dry. It’s light and can be worked into shape easily, so it’s good in industries. Most wooden clog shoes made of alder wood gives it more survivability.

Unfortunately, the wearer of wooden shoes is becoming rarer day by day. Wooden clog boots are merely seen in the countryside used by farmers, gardeners, fishermen and road workers. Luckily, wooden clog boot manufacturers are still active at present, adopting developed techniques.