Each day we stray farther from what god intended, and by god, I am of course referring to Hank Williams Sr. Had the influential Western songsmith lived long enough to see the new Crocs Classic Cowboy Boots in the flesh, he may well have donned his best Stetson, saddled up and headed West for good. A ‘what in tarnation’ abomination, the latest creation from the slip-on sandal sensation is truly something to behold. Forget snakes, this time there’s a Croc in your boot.
Launching on Croc Day, the annual celebration of all things comfortable, the new crossover signals a rare push into workwear for the American footwear brand, however, it does follow a familiar pattern. Originally conceived as an affordable slip-on shoe for casual wearers, Crocs have steadily become part of the uniform for some of our hardest-working countrymen. Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to find a chef or line cook who doesn’t sport a pair of the soft-moulded shoes, so perhaps ranch wear is the natural evolution.
The new Crocs Classic Cowboy Boot takes the design language perfected by the likes of Tecovas and Ariat, and reimagines it for a modern age. Featuring a high shine croc-embossed texture and bold western-inspired stitching, the boot nods to the hard-wearing staples favourited by ranch hands and cowboys for decades. The only difference? Jibbitz.
As expected, the new cowboy-inspired Crocs come embellished with metallic Jibbitz and, quite interestingly, a first-of-its-kind spin-able spur charm attached to the backstrap of the shoe. Even the brand’s beloved crocodile mascot has gone country, now featured wearing his very own cowboy hat.
Admittedly, the all-black design is quite fetching and for the most part, Crocs has managed to stay true to both bootmaking principles and its own heritage – a feat that may be an explanation for the whopping AUD$209.99 price tag. For all the surprise and awe associated with the release, perhaps the most shocking thing about the new Crocs Classic Cowboy Boot isn’t the design, or the jibbitz or even the exorbitant price; it’s the fact that I don’t hate them at all. Not one little bit.
