Boy, I wished I would have come to this site first. It would have saved me from going to the doctor. You guys are smart.

He probably just wanted to wear them so bad he crammed his feet in a size that was available.

If there is ANY shoe with a roomy toe box, it's Crocs. They are so big folks with narrow feet have problems wearing them.

I have found that Fodorites save you a trip to the doctor, the lawyer, the vet, the Travel Agent, the computer tech and now the stylist.

...without even staying at Holiday Inn Express!

My guess is that he tried them on and the smaller size "felt" like it fit his feet better.

I tried them and the size that felt more like a shoe fits hit my toes. The next size up seemed huge to me. But that's part of the Crocs fit is to feel looser and larger than regular shoes.

P.S. I didn't buy them because trying the larger size on, I tripped in the store - my feet don't "grip" shoes, so I tend to fall out of them.

It's been interesting to read these threads. As someone who is the least bit concerned about fashion, it is funny to me how many people get so bent out of shape about what people wear on their feet. I never knew that everyone was analyzing my feet so much?

Anyway, for what it's worth, where I live right now, it's hot enough for a good deal of the year to not wear socks with sandals. I need my feet to be able to breathe. For the winter months, I am usually too cold to wear sandals with socks. For the transitional seasons where it is warm in the day and cool at night, socks and sandals make sense. It's a lot easier to go out in the morning with the socks and sandals on and then shed the socks when the temp rises. I think that is why the popularity is big on the West Coast, where the diurnal (day to night) temperature swing is greatest. Anywhere in the Deep South especially, sandals are always worn sans socks. Same for the short but humid summer in the Northeast.

If I plan to do outside activities like hiking, I usually wear hiking socks and hiking boots so I don't get blisters, and when I run, I wear running shoes and white running socks. I don't do this for any fashion reason, but because it's better on my feet.

I work from home, so most of the time I am dressed *very* comfortably ;) but when I do have to take business trips from time to time, I always dress business casual, which means dress shoes, dress socks, pants, and either a short or long sleeved shirt depending on the weather.

I know the traditions of different places like Europe (don't wear white tennis shoes on the street, etc...) but the way I figure it, I'll never see those people again so why should I spend my money making other people happy.

So in short, I agree that for work (non home based) you need to be conscious of what you were (no need to lose clients because they didn't like what you wear), but any other time, I'll wear what I want, when I want. If you don't like it, well you know where to go... 'cause I ain't changing for nobody!

As for Crocs, I think they are ugly personally, but I've never tried them and now that I hear how comfortable they are, maybe I'll give it a try.

Y'all will be happy to know that I found a brand of shoes that satisfies my desire for comfort and your sensitivity to how I look:
SOFTT
I have never heard of these shoes but they have some really adorable low heel styles. They should be fine for the big convention I am attending in a couple of weeks.

I bought this one: http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/26240237/c/4902.html
And this one:
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/27450269/c/67723.html

Is anyone familiar with the brand?

Oops... SOFFT

Let us know. They look comfortable.

Nice looking sandals! What colour socks are you going to wear with them?

Whatever... everyone knows that you match your socks to your pants. So I'll get a pair of heather gray and a pair of tan.
That outta do it ;)

Has anyone seen the picture of Bush wearing black socks with Crocs? He has shorts on. The socks even have the presidential seal on them.

http://tinyurl.com/2tkrp3

OMG... they sell 4 MILLION Crocs a MONTH!!!!!!
It's hard to believe that they are all going to the West Coast.
Me thinks NYC will be full of Croc soon!
;)

I don't even wear shoes most of the time. So I can easily avoid all of these socks v. no socks issues...

A fair number of Crocs are going to Louisana. We saw a ton of people wearing them there.

Good article. I liked how it validated my (and a lot of other posters) view that comfort and fashion are sometimes mutually exclusive terms. Fun thread.

I thought this was a pretty funny blog about Crocs:
http://www.wisebread.com/case-of-the...hrinking-crocs

Am enjoying this thread, but am also taking advantage of it in that I'm very curious about kireland!!!!! I'm "Irishk" and wonder if we are coming from more or less the same place!!!!???????. Haven't tried Crocs yet but am going to buy them/try them for my forthcoming vacation to California - WITHOUT SOCKS!!!!

If you arrive here wearing sandals without socks, you will be issued a pair at your point of entry ;)

J - is that true for CA points of entry?
I was thinking is is only true of PDX and SEA and maybe FL if you are wearing SAS sandals with socks ;)

Today all 3 female clerks at my local liquor store were wearing camoflauge crocs, khaki capris, and their regulation maroon knit collared shirt. No socks.

Not a pretty sight, but they sure did look comfortable. ;)

Yep. Socks with sandals are very common in California, esspecially along the coast. Well, maybe not so much in southern California, I don't know - they are different down there ;) Fortunately my husband only wears socks with sandals around our house.

Funny LHS... I am wearing Camo capris and Khaki Crocs!

I'd rather see socks and sandals than black leather shoes and sox with
shorts. :)

J Correa - you mean he ONLY wears socks and sandals around the house?? Even if you have company? :-d

Ohmygosh! I just revisted this thread after 3 years and started reading about Crocs. I'd seen them in the stores and thought they were for gardening. Brr....Those things are so ugly they haven't replaced Birks with socks in the PNW. Those weirdo Keen shoes are making a big hit, though. They are so ugly and people swear by them.

Crocs. I see there is an "I hate croks" blog out there.

http://www.ihatecrocs.com/

Guess I'll have to try them on. I love my Danskos, but Croks - ya gotta love 'em.

Heehee - I didn't even catch that. Nice visual image for you all ;)

This is just a fashion statement and I know I'm going to get some static for this. I just want to see how much.

Thank God, the fashion industry have blessed women to begin wearing short shorts once again. I do not feel that sandles (or flip-flops) are a good match with short shorts. YES! They are comfortable and that seems to be the majority consensus -- I'll give you that. Personally, women look better in sneakers & short shorts. Women who wear sandles with short short look ....."dumpy". Not trashy. I can't think of any other word but dumpy. Jeans and sandles are a great match, but not shorts.

That's it. Let 'er roll. Please remember that I made a fashion statement. You have all convinced me that sandles do have a purpose and I would have never considered wearing them until I read this column.

I've enjoyed reading this thread. I love my Crocs, and especially love them for my kids. No socks needed, no tying, no velcro, just slip your feet in and go.

If they want to run, they put the straps in the back. If they get wet, no problem.

And for traveling, the kids can use them for the beach, pool, and walking around town.

"if they get wet, no problem".

I love my Crocs, I really do. But, almost wiped out this weekend coming down steep carpeted stairs in wet Crocs.

So, as much as I love them, be careful out there :-)

Here in the mountains of North Carolina, we have learned to differentiate the tourists from the locals by the way they dress. The tourists are the ones wearing socks with their sandals.

Unfortunately, the black bears have also learned this.....so they know who will be easy to catch and eat. The bears know the humans wearing socks with their sandals will be easier to catch and subdue.

Or, perhaps the bears are just making a fashion statement.

You North Carolinians should listen to your bears.

Well well... Here in my hometown, the local news just announced the completion of a study on flip-flops and sandals. The study found that these shoes could cause foot problems. Doctors say the footwear is responsible for a growing epidemic of heel pain. Flip-flops have no arch support, and the abnormal motion of the foot leads to irritation and heel pain. WOW! Just when I was about to go out and try on a pair. I think I'll see if there are any with good arch support anyway.

I own about 20 pairs of sandals and flips and 2 or 3 pair of closed toed shoes that I only wear when it goes under 40 degrees and some of them have great arch support, you just have to try them out. Sketchers makes some decent flips.

Saw the cute Croc sandals this weekend :-)
...on someone else's feet! :-(

good arch support though

"Author: J_Correa
Date: 06/26/2007, 04:00 pm
A fair number of Crocs are going to Louisana. We saw a ton of people wearing them there"

J_Correa, you're right. The combination of heat, humidity, going to the swimming pool, going out on a lake/swamp in a boat, and occasional thunderstorms mean that a water resistant shoe is highly desired in Louisiana, hence the popularity of crocs. Perfect for the climate.

bk - Yeah, that's what I figured. They seemed pretty practical. My husband took his Keen sandals, which are some sort of treated waterproof leather with a neoprene lining and rubber soles. They are great in an out of water - they are even machine washable. They worked really well for him down there. The shoes aren't cheap though.

Wow I can't believe this post was revived, I posted on this when I first met my hubby!!

My stance on the subject is still the same, and the same for crocs and cowboy boots with shorts.

Here in NYC there is also a great debate on flip flops and chinese slippers. Apparently some NYers hate women (and some men) who wear them. You would think someone would explode the way they argue on craigslist. LOL

I am currently in Berlin where my beloved Crocs are totally accepted and cost 60 Euro!
For this reason and many more, I love Berlin!

LOL TxTP! I'm going to Berlin, loaded down with Crocs. I can see the headlines now: "Crocs Pay for European Vacation"