In many ways they are the perfect choice for summer shoes: at 6 feet tall I struggle with flat shoes, but the thick wooden platform makes them comfortable to walk on. The only challenge is stairs, which require me to hold on to them with my toes, otherwise they fall off my feet (the model also comes with a strap, but I found them too small for my ankles).
Thanks to Chemena Kamali’s Chloé debut show, my clogs – which have been updated twice in the past three years – still feel very current, with Sienna Miller and Lily Collins both spotted in the French fashion house’s sky-high Jeanette style in recent months. . Meanwhile, Sarah Jessica Parker was also spotted in her Cape Clogs in the spring, proving there’s still plenty of mileage in the old clackers.
I did feel personally attacked by my colleague Daniel Rodgers shared his styling tips for the still-trendy shoe. “It’s best to keep the milkmaid dresses at arm’s distance… otherwise you’ll want to be mistaken for a 19th century Swedish farmhand,” he wrote. Swedish milkmaid…c’est moi? A large dress combined with clogs is my signature summer look.
In fact, another colleague of mine, Vogue Business‘s sustainability editor Bella Webb once joked that she could instantly see me from behind thanks to the “Emily Chan silhouette.” However, I felt vindicated at the time she wrote recently that “developing a stronger sense of personal style could help people resist the urge to overconsume” – meaning it pays to have basic products.
While some people, especially those who work in fashion, may be embarrassed by being seen in the same shoes so often, I consider it a badge of honor. After all, who really needs more than one pair of shoes for summer, and another pair for winter (plus a pair of heels for evening, and the aforementioned sneakers)? I wear my clogs until they literally fall apart.