I probably don’t even need to write anything after that photo, right? I don’t think it’s possible to look at a pair of bright green clogs and not immediately want to put a pair on your own feet. At least that’s how I felt when I saw first these shoes at Lily, a very sweet little clothing store near my apartment in Brooklyn. It was insanely hot and humid out and the last thing I felt like doing was trying anything on any part of my body, but these green clogs beckoned like only green clogs can. And so they were on my feet, and then they were mine. The end!
For the last few years, I’ve been making an effort to only buy shoes that will last for many years. To that end, the shoes must be not only well-constructed and made of good-quality materials, but they also need to be repairable (I ♥ my cobbler) and relatively timeless style-wise. To gauge the latter criteria, I usually ask myself whether I would have worn the shoes I’m interested in 20 years ago. Would I have worn bright green clogs when I was 18? HELL YES! That’s a pretty good indicator that I’m still going to want to wear bright green clogs 20 years from now, when I’m 58. Orthopedic shoes FTW!
(The other thing I do when I’m looking at shoes is ask myself WWMD? What would Mommy do? If my mother would wear them, they’re probably a good choice.)
Two years ago, I bought this exact same style clog in natural leather, and I wear them all the time. That pair was made by the relatively new Swedish company Hasbeens. They took a while to break in because the leather is very thick and hard, but eventually they became very comfortable. I got mine on sale, but Hasbeens are on the pricey side normally. This new Herringbone Green pair was made by another Swedish company, Cape Clogs, who have been hand-making clogs in Småland for 150 years. They are much cheaper than Hasbeens ($89 vs $179 for virtually the same shoe), and they are super-comfy right out of the box. Seriously — I could have walked in these for hours on the first day with no issues. Plus, they’re GREEN!!!
In short, there are several Swedish clog makers who are all making their own versions of classic clogs, ’70s-style clogs and contemporary designs, and, at least as far as I can tell, they’re all more or less the same. I’m sure there are differences in the type of wood used and the grades of leather and so forth, but I honestly can’t tell them apart upon visual inspection, not to mention actually wearing them on my feet (podiatric inspection?).
And did I mention they’re green??
p.s. As of last week, Lily still has a few pairs in stock in you’re in the area! Otherwise, they can be ordered from Cape Clogs.
62 Comments
beauty! love love love love!
Those are adorable! I had blue clogs when I was growing up (thanks to my German mother). I don’t think they were in fashion at the time because I got a lot of flack for it. But goodness, these are the prettiest I’ve ever seen. Don’t tempt me to bring these back into my life!
Yeah… I’m pretty certain I need these in my life…
I’ve been lusting after a pair of clogs! I checked out Swedish Hasbeens and though they look amazing, I just can’t with the price. Thanks for the recommendation! Also, the green is fabulous!
those shoes are beautiful. and the green color is fun! i would love a pair.and i totally agree on shoes lasting many years… i just bought myself a pair of tan saltwaters to wear for the summer and i can imagine myself wearing them many years later.
Those are ridiculously awesome!
These are gorgeous!. I have a purple patent leather pair and have just bought a silver pair – you can never have enough methinks. They also work with socks or tights in winter.
Someone once gave me a great piece of fashion advice (when I was trying on yellow shoes): “If it doesn’t go with anything, it goes with everything”. Your shoes are adorable and will go with everything!
Love the green and the herringbone pattern is spot on.
Sooo adorable. The green color is beautiful & kinda edgy. Love them- and thanks so much for the name of this company. I can totally justify $90 rather than $190!
Love them!!!
Love the green, love the clogs!
yes, please. love them.
My theory is that women love shoes because we still wear the same size we did when we were 18. Can’t say that about my jeans!
Dammit, now I want new shoes. Thanks. 😉
Katy
A long time ago, I bought a pair of Clarks black flats thanks to your blog; recently became a proud owner of Mary Meyer dresses; and now my heart’s set ablaze by Cape Clogs (I’ve not had luck with Hasbeens). The fact that I need you to help me get dressed is less embarrassing if I admit it?
Awesome Anna, just awesome, well done! G
I love these on you SO MUCH, Anna! Your pedicure is awesome, too…
Anna, Help! with sizing please! Hasbeens run long. (I’m normally a 39 but Hasbeens seem to run a full size longer.) And Cape Clogs???
Thanks so much for sharing this resource!
I’ve always found Hasbeens to run a full size small, so I’m probably not the person to ask! I wear a size 10 US, and these are a 41, if that helps.
Oh no…they come in orange! So now, a question…I used to love clogs growing up in Germany but now I have serious ankle issues (think bone death) and I’m always worried about the possible percussive nature (wow, that’s a phrase) of clogs. Do they seem to feel, for lack of a better word, much harder on pavement than other types of sole material? I love the idea of the arch support! Thanks, Anna…and yours look amazing!
P.S. I miss Lily. And the rest of Smith Street. Is Environment 337 still there?
I don’t think it’s still there. I’ve heard the name, but I think its tenure was during the period of time when I was living upstate full-time.
I have bad knees (and bad joints in general), and clogs are actually really comfortable for me to walk in on pavement…at least in this height, a 1-1/2″ heel. Anything lower is hard for me after a while, because of the impact on my heels.
They don’t have any flex at all, though, which is hard for some people to get used to if they’re not familiar with clogs — if you’ve worn them before, that’s not going to be an issue. I’ve worn Dr. Scholl’s and clogs since I was a kid, so they feel normal to me. The arch support is WONDERFUL.
I’d try getting a pair that’s fancy enough to wear with dresses and stuff in case they don’t work out for you to wear all day long. At least then you’ll still get use out of them for cookouts and lawn parties. 🙂
Thanks for the advice! We seem to have identical foot issues…I blame the need for a slight heel height on my very long arch (I’m a 41). No flex would be fine with me. I just splurged on a pair of Gentlesouls, though, so these might have to wait. But! ORANGE!
Also, “cookouts and lawn parties?” I laughed out loud. You have a very exalted view of my life in VT! My husband said, “tell her we’re playing gopher croquet this afternoon.” He’s kidding.
Too bad about Environment 337–Loren is a love and we bought our entire collection of Judy Jackson vases from her piece by piece. Oh well. We hope to visit again soon and see what’s new (the miracle of Brooklyn).
Thanks so much for sharing! I’ve been wanting clogs, but the Hasbeens are more than I wanted to spend. I’m dying over all the options from Cape Clogs.
I love the green clogs and I already am 58 years old and would definitely wear them! As for timeless I had a pair in a light natural color leather almost exactly like them in the early 70’s. I also had a pair of bright green shoes about that same time that were so fun to wear. I still have them somewhere. I guess if my shoes could mate yours would be their love child?
Love them — and your pedi 🙂
XO,
Samm
Dear Anna,
I love you and your blog.
I love your dogs.
Evan and mommy are darling.
Without you, I would have never found Adam or Mamma Biscuit or Daniel & Max (and Meeko & Linus).
Been reading for years and love going back to see how much progress you made.
Hope you have a great weekend.
(I also love your lists and live vicariously through you as you cross them off).
Paige! This is such a nice comment — you made my day. 🙂 Thank you.
I hope you have a great weekend, too!
Oh, I adore these. A very good investment!
THESE ARE SO CUTE!
I have wide-ish feet (thanks in part to klutzy childhood/nowhood aka I have broken all my toes at least once) and owned one pair of Hasbeens that fit great. All their other styles I’ve tried are far too narrow for me. I have a couple of pairs of Sanitas, and I love them. Seriously, clogs are the only way I get any kind of lift from shoes because heels and I are so not friends.
Oddly, there’s a clog shop a couple of blocks away from my place; it’s reportedly “the” clog shop of Seattle. I’ll have to see if they carry this brand so I can try them on.
I love that colour so much that it’s gotten to the point now that I’m scolding myself for unoriginality every time I take something to the till in any green but especially that very same absolutely favourite green. But weirdly/stupidly, since I’m like you I like to buy expensive shoes in amongst a H&M and vintage wardrobe (and shoe-buying is a chore because my feet are bigger than standard manufacturing size), I always think they should be ‘sensible’ colours that I’m not going to get ‘bored’ of over 20 years. Anna you’ve just made me realise how dumb I’ve been. What could be a more sensible shoe colour to buy than my favourite colour!? And LOVE that you ask yourself whether you would have liked a pair of shoes 20 years ago instead of the unknowable question I ask myself, will I like these in 20 years time? D’uh. Thanks for this post, I’m beaming appreciatively and going to enjoy using it wisely.
And zomg they’re in a 42! 42!!!! *faints* 😀
I love the clogs! but I have this leather dilemma… /-:
Yes, me too. Right now, at least, it seems more ethical in the long term to buy better-quality shoes that I will want to wear for 10+ years (and, which I mentioned in the post, are repairable — which often means leather) than it does to buy plastic shoes that are more likely to fall apart or may be trendier in style. Is it better to have 20 pairs of shoes made in sweatshops in a landfill, or to support the leather industry? I’m not sure I know. It IS a dilemma. I don’t buy a lot of shoes, so I try to make them matter when I do. (And yes, I know I am overlooking a lot of middle ground.)
Love the green…! Love the black with the green…! As a fellow alternative-to-hasbeens clog seeker I have to mention another great company I’ve just ordered from – Lotta clogs – http://www.lottafromstockholm.co.uk/ – based in England. They feature are “Torpatoffeln” all hand made in Sweden and delivered to your door for $90.00 ( which I find absurdly exciting.. ) They are super comfy and true-er to size than hasbeens. If you email the Lotta folks they are crazily helpful with sizes.. I’m a 7.5 and a 38 in the lotte clogs, and a 38 also in the cape clogs ( which BTW occasionally go on sale for half price on zulily.. ) Thanks Anna!
Once again, you’re at my doorstep girl. First Tarah with Outdated, now Cape clogs! Years ago I believe you had a post with a photo of something from Kareka, one of my fave stores in downtown Hyannis when I was a kid. It’s a small world after all…
I’ve never heard of Kareka, but I did post about a stationery store in Hyannis a very long time ago…
http://www.doorsixteen.com/2007/10/02/living-room-corner/
Are you the same Patricia who commented back then?
Yes! Charlbet’s! Of Course…I worked at the Hyannis Library as a kid and would go there for library needs…it was great saying at checkout, “please put it on the library account.” Loved that old stationery store — it was huge to me back then. I’ve been reading you since your absolutely vile/sock dog days.
for some reason, i am putty in your hands! i went right to the site and succumbed almost immediately. am planning on doing the same with the frye leslies once i get my next paycheck, too…
ps: sandgrens also makes great, less expensive clogs. fast shipping and great customer service. i got a pair but promptly lost them to my thieving little sister–but the two times i got to wear them, they were really comfy, even with the 3-inch heel.
am trying-really, really trying–to be a more thoughtful consumer and get fewer, better quality shoes (and stuff in general). i’m such a fricking magpie, though, that it’s a little difficult!
Jessie, the Frye Leslies with NOT disappoint. I have never worn any pair of shoes as often as I wear those! I’ve even been wearing them with bare legs and dresses this summer.
Thanks for the Sandgrens tip, I’ll check them out!
I was searching for a fantastic pair of clogs when I saw your Instagram photo, and bought them immediately. But they were too small. So I bought the next size up. But they were too big. Feeling very Goldilocks-y at the moment. And still in search of a new pair of shoes…
Oh no! Are you sure the smaller ones won’t stretch out a bit? I know how annoying that is — my feet are really about 9 3/4 (no kidding), so 10s are always sliiiiiiightly too loose on me, but that’s better than being too small most of the time. Too bad not many shoe companies do half sizes anymore. 🙁
Hi Anna,
I love the clogs, they are gorgeous. I just wanted to say that they offer vegan clogs on their website! They are just as stunning looking as yours albeit not in the green 🙁 but they do have black which makes me very excited. I have a pair of multi colored Dansko vegan clogs and wanted the black vegan ones but wasn’t as impressed with the “shiny” color. I may have to order a pair of Cape Clogs.
Hi Shelley, yeah, I saw the vegan clogs, but they’re not my style at all — they’re not “special” enough for me to want to wear them for years. That’s often the case with vegan shoes, sadly, and I have concerns about the longevity, repairability and comfort of synthetic materials. For now, at least, I’m sticking with leather shoes…but it is a dilemma for me. I’m still trying to work it out.
Anna,
Oh I wasn’t “judging” I was just pointing it out in case someone was interested! I have the same dilemma with leather, I’m an avid hiker and trying to find synthetic hiking boots that are comfortable & meet the rest of my criteria is near impossible. I do wish the vegan natural colored sandals came in colors, natural or white or light colored shoes are not something I’d wear. I do agree about spending the money for a good quality shoe, I hate the feeling of cheap plastic shoes something my mother always believed and taught me.
Oh, I didn’t think you were passing judgement at all! It’s just one of those things I think about a lot. I appreciate you mentioning the vegan line! 🙂
Even the most beautiful GREEN clogs cannot divert my attention from your awesome, skinny ankles. What gorgeous legs you have. They cannot go without GREEN clogs.
I fell in love with a pair of Cape Clogs red with white polka dots. Can’t wear them anywhere without people stopping me to see where I got them! Having to wear closed toe shoes at work (in this hot weather!) they fit the bill! Love!
Gorgeous! I want to get them! I have a pair of Hasbeens in the natural finish too so I wanted to ask you how do you clean yours? Someone spilled tea on mine and I can’t get the blotches off. Do you think I should just bring them to be professionally cleaned?
Other than occasionally sanding scuffs off of the wood, I’ve never cleaned mine.
I love them! I wear mostly black, but do love a bit of color once in a while and that green is so good. I’ve seen so many cute clog style shoes lately and its made me miss my Sam & Libby black clogs from 9th grade. I’m still upset my mom sold them during a garage sale along with my old Grinders. Gracias mom! 🙁 Anyway, cute shoes!!
Nice! I really want some hasbeens but they’re so effing expensive. I’m definitely going to look into these instead.
These shoes are so cute! I’ve been wanting to find more affordable clogs. Thanks, girl!
Thank you for sharing these – they are fantastic! I have been wanting some Hasbeens for years, but between people admitting they are not terribly comfortable, the high price and the fact that they don’t even come in my size (boo!), I have been on a search for something better. These might just be the ones for me!
LOVE your green clogs! I have some Hasbeens, also in green, that I’ve hardly worn (I have so many wooden shoes I just don’t get round to them), but I’m not worried, because I’m also likely to be wearing green clogs for the forseeable future, even if I don’t have a gap in my footwear schedule for them right away.
Enjoying catching up on your blog.
I. Need. These. Shoes.
And the best part is the colour!
I know I’m late to comment, but when a pair of pink braid wedge Hasbeens beckoned to me from a store window – I came back to work to re-read this post of yours. It seems like these are a great shoe and I am also looking for quality, comfort and longevity – but c’mon these shoes have style as well!
Long story short, I read your post & the comments & some reviews from the internet. I know the store owner’s husband – I asked for a discount even thought they were already on sale. I got the price I wanted so I bought 2 pair – the other being a cute closed toe sandal in a neutral! Score!
Your fashion posts really inspire me (please write more of them). I’m live in Toronto and you are in New York and I bought shoes after seeing your gorgeous photo and informative writing. The internet is awesome isn’t it?
Now, what I love is painting my toes the same shade as my shoes, especially for those more dressy barbeques in The Heat Of The South! Especially beautiful with silver toes and silver shoes…..
I know I’m commenting on a VERY old post, but I googled “Door Sixteen Clogs” to try to remember what brand these are, and love the shoes on the website. I know you commented about the size being true above, but I’m wondering how they fare in terms of width. I have somewhat flat/wide feet (for example, I wear Birkenstocks in the Arizona style size 39 which a lot of people find too wide, but fits me perfectly), but you look like you have narrow-ish feet? If you can speak to this at all it would be super helpful because I really want to buy a pair for my graduation, but have to order them online. Thanks so much Anna!