Maybe you wore them in 2001 but think of clogs now and what springs to mind? Gnomes. Old people. Gardeners. Pippi Longstocking... Those clunky, backless wooden little shoes don't get a fabulous rap, do they?
They did have a fleeting renaissance circa 2011 when Alexa Chung wore some sling-back tan versions in a kind of Ali MacGraw, down-on-the-farm kind of a way, and we all totally ate it up.
Well folks, you might have noticed folk is back as one of the biggest trends of the year. In fact it's largely down to Gucci's flamboyant creative director Alessandro Michele, who's single handedly dressing the red-carpet in his geek chic Wes Anderson-esque designs that owe more than the odd kick flare and pussy-bow tie to the '70s.
In fact, we should have seen (or rather heard) clogs coming when Michele made them over with the addition of a cheeky fur lining and Gucci's signature horse bit buckle. Fancy, huh? Then cult Parisian shoe designers Robert Clergerie and Amelie Pichard gave clogs the once over in calfskin and patent flame embossed styles and we had to start re-thinking the garden gnome shoe of choice.
Then Fashion East's favourite dress-maker, Molly Goddard paired up with Penelope Chilvers and hatched some peach-haired heeled clogs to die for, and we all but kissed goodbye to our ankles.
This time keep things super '70s (if it ain't broke) and take tips from the queen of funky dressing, Florence Welch who, in Gucci top-to-toe shows us how to style a clog best, now. Wear with lots of denim and say a little prayer before you walk down the tube steps for your balance. Otherwise, may the clog be with you in 2016.
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