Let's get something straight. We've endured toe socks, leg warmers, shoulder pads, Flock of Seagulls hair and sagging pants. It goes on, of course. They're all fashion trends destined to be easily ridiculed.
Then along come Crocs, and shortly thereafter, a cottage industry devoted to hating the not-exactly-plastic footwear. Search tells the story of a sandal scorned, and not just by the stylerati. Web searches for "I hate Crocs" are spiking this summer.
And a video search for the same phrase turns up examples of real hate alongside ads from the company embracing the contempt. The Crocs "Scream" ad pretty well captures it.
At the same time, plain-Jane searches for Crocs are slumping compared to last summer.
It's not just about style for some.
Hospitals on at least two continents banned their staff from wearing the shoes. Why? Administrators worried that dropped needles might poke through the holes. Crocs responded with a hole-free model, but still other hospitals fear that Crocs may generate static electricity that would interfere with life-saving medical equipment.
Can a vegan clog/sandal/shoe get a break? Is this the end of the affair for Crocs? Will the Crocs high heel be able to keep the clown-shoe trend alive? Can we just dab a little crocsbutter on it all and make it better?
Although it's true searches for Crocs are declining, the fact is, they still dwarf searches for any other type of sandal, including Tevas and flip-flops. We hate to say it, but maybe the shoe-wearing masses are voting with their feet. Go ahead and let your orange freak flags fly.
You'll be in good, even great, company. When Sexy celebrities caught wearing Crocs.