I can't help but think there's something in here that helps explain the Trump voter. Perhaps it's the likelihood that most of these women are proudly "progressive" and support all the right causes. And then there's spending more on shoes and a "strap" than many people earn in a month. I don't know, I'm probably with these women on the many of the candidates and causes; but something about these kinds of choices just feels ugly and disconnected (from normal people), and I would imagine helps breed the separation and resentment that leads to the rise of a demagogue.
278
The most interesting thing for me was the linking of "new mothers" with "middle-age." The article seems to take as a given that motherhood and children are not for the young (who are busy on Instagram); that assumption, rather than the type of clogs being worn, is the real news.
80
Interesting. I am curious to know if this Park Slope Mom Uniform is also worn by moms of color in the area? That is, if there are any in the area.
224
I like clogs, I like cool straps, I like mom's, I don't care much for the blovisnts who read way too much into footwear choices.
74
The moms in Fort Greene are all wearing Blundstones. So are the dads.
29
Where can one buy these clogs outside o Brooklyn? Like he blue ones?
13
I love this look but am appalled that we are calling this a middle aged trend or saying that ‘moms’ are doing it. So two assumptions here- middle aged women are more likely to be mothers and there is a separate fashion category- middle aged fashion; no longer young, not quite old, but well past one’s youth. Middle aged moms in Brooklyn are the coolest and must be followed. Yikes!! You want to see a middle aged mom look at Kate Moss and Stella MC- neither are in clogs in a recent picture from Kate Moss’ Birthday. In fact they are wearing pumps. Can we stop typecasting by age. Your editors say they are open to diversity and yet your pieces keep stereotyping women and perpetuate agism. Also all white, skinny, mostly upper class women here! Come one NYC! Ask me to write a piece on fashion!!
96
I live in Park Slope. It’s still yoga pants.
50
This article encapsulates the reasons I left Park Slope for the mid-Hudson valley
152
"On the one hand, it links you to people you want to resemble, and on the other it separates you from people you don’t want to resemble."
wow.
98
I kept on reading this article, graf after graf, trying to decide whether it was serious or satire. I read all the way to the end and I still don’t know. Every paragraph made me chuckle anew, but I have no idea whether I was laughing at the writer or with her.
167
Sorry, but this is bad fashion. Where is Bill Cunningham. I miss him. He found the best of New York.
192
Clogs were a fad when I was in junior high school in the early 70s. We all had a pair or two. Maybe things are different now but clogs and the Dr Scholl sandal are tied for the most uncomfortable shoe ever.
108
I enjoyed the article for what it was. A glimpse of street fashion in 2019 Brooklyn. I miss Bill Cunningham.
82
I’m confused. The article repeatedly mentions clogs but the women in the pictures appear to be wearing ankle boots. Can someone explain this to me?
78
@B
Each of the shoes pictured has a thick wooden or synthetic base. It's a sole that doesn't bend with the arching of the foot or the flexing of the toes. It's the rigid base that makes the shoes *clogs*, not the height or shape of the leather/cloth upper.
33
@A Mazing, Dansko makes clogs and they make boots that look like the clogs shown in the article.
21
I'm guessing these new mothers (that's how the headline reads) won't be going back to work as a cashier at Fairway or a paint department worker at Home Depot. (Both Fairway (grocery) and Home Depot have stores in Brooklyn.)
Perhaps Target in South Brooklyn is hiring, or is that over the line in Queens?
Oh right, "Salt"...
70
Anyone else notice there is no one above a size 4 in any of these pictures?
128
There are good fashion trends,
There are bad fashion trends.
This would be the latter.
72
I felt sad for the people in this because their trend is already passe by the time this prints and by having it printed, they must now move on to something else to look original.
However, they don't owe anyone an explanation of how they spend their money and people should not be judging them and saying "they could have..." That's what happens when it's other people's money; you don't have a say. My favorite are the ones who feel they ought to pay higher taxes. Why, because you don't approve of their choices? Start with yourself and don't forget to tell us all about it while you pose.
13
1.7 to 3.3k for an accessory which has no practical value..... what am I missing?
57
This makes me appreciate my Jackson Heights life all the more.
40
And I thought my Dansko clogs for my very sore “teacher feet” were over the top luxury. Yikes!
43
What amazes me about these comments is that almost no one has mentioned the poor role models these women have become for their kids by investing in trendy, overpriced clothes. Regardless of whether they purchased them at discount, these brands (clearly obvious on the bags) are known by their high price tags. It reminds me of the line one of the high school partipants said on the MTV series, Laguna Beach, after a successful day of prom shoe shopping, “Well, THAT was $600 well
spent!” Parents who trumpet materialistic status symbols miss teaching their kids empathy, charity and service to others. I hope these moms’ privileged kids get chances to see how lucky they are and opportunities to help by giving time and charity where it is most needed. Unless wealthy parents provide this perspective, their kids will grow up with a crippling mindset of entitlement.
138
@Ellen Girardeau Kempler yes, materialistic status symbols.
17
What's with the mom = middle-aged? Ageism & sexism writ large.
38
How boring to all have the same thing on.. and I never noticed anyone in Park Slope looking this cool... was always called “Park Slob” for a reason.
21
Yes, we all agree: "It's like we're matching."
But no. Look up the word unique: "Its's a unique way of styling yourself."
20
Reminds me of those celebrity "fundraising" parties that you see in the magazines. Can't they just directly donate to a good cause? Do they have to treat themselves to a chic luncheon and shopping spree at a famous actress friend's house before they actually help others? As for the clog and strap uniform, it's like any fashion trend ... it only works if it mirrors your established personal style; not the other way around.
35
I will keep my $100 Dansko clogs, thank you.
31
I know four of the people mentioned in this article. They all know each other. Is it really such a trend when there are only seven or eight people within the same circle with the same bag strap and clogs? Seems like a narcissistic echo chamber of conspicuous consumption.
240
@Dan read, "narcissitic echo chamber of conspicuous consumption."
26
Everything old is new again. This indeed was the Laurel Canyon go to look of 1969. . . and I loved it then and I love it now. . . with the current twist. It's practical, boho, and just great.
There's only one thing missing. We need to bring back the jeans skirts made from cutting off the legs and sewing the piece into the V. Remember them???
33
@Deb
Yes! I made a floor length skirt aka a maxi-skirt and a knee-length skirt. I purchased fabric from the remnant bin to fill in the V. Good times.
25
Dear NY Times,
Thanks for reminding me of things I DON'T miss about NYC (lived there 18 years, gone 1 1/2).
p.s. "bead collective"?! Seriously? (Insert eye-roll here.)
122
Very entertaining article and even more entertaining comments. Just look into any annual/yearbook from the early 1900s to the present, and you see everyone looking the SAME. We are human and we want to fit in - even my mother in assisted living dresses for the approval of her peers (all 80-somethings). My generation is struggling to stay slender, and we tell ourselves it's for our health and not our vanity. I think I'll go back and read the whole thing and all the comments AGAIN - I haven't thought about President Blowhard for an entire 15 minutes! A real mini-vacation...
96
The Scandinavian Clog the fashion trend that never stops.
15
I have to say I had never even thought of a bead collective. Kind of curious about it...
14
Oy. Why do these folks need uniform trappings to legitimize themselves? Trust your own tastes and find your own style.Not chasing the latest "in" thing will save you lots of money for retirement, too.
31
Nope. Absolutely not. I don’t know why we go and remover our individualism like this.
11
I have always loved a clog. My mom let me get a pair when I was 10 yrs old (1977)and I wore them to school with brown tights and a brown corduroy prairie skirt. My math teacher was so annoyed with the noise they made, and that made me love them even more! I have worn clogs ever since; hasbeens, danskos, birkenstocks. I may have to get some No 6 off poshmark. As a nurse I can attest that they are the best shoes, hands down! Especially trucking around with kids in tow, easy on/easy off.
30
My first thought on reading one woman's affluenza mantra ("That looks good. I want that.") was that the cost of one pair of those shoes paid as a supplement to a minimum wage worker would house that worker for a month.
My second thought was of the NYT article I'd just read about the incompetence of the privileged British 'ruling class'.
Here's that failure of inherited (or overpaid and unearned) wealth walking in NY City in matching shoes and purse straps.
Lordy, Lordy. High time for higher taxes on the 1%.
217
Reading the comments I saw how much this article shocked, and in a way I can certainly see why.
However I am not 100% sure this article should be taken literally. What I mean is that in the way Mrs. Krischer mentions as soon as the title a "Uniform", it seems to me that there is a bit of irony in it.
Plus when she mentions the "two accessories" with "Part 1" and "Part 2", I feel like even though she isn't criticizing it explicitely, she does not seem to praise it either. She rather seems to aim at showing the mechanical, automatic and conformist side of it.
Besides she mentions that after all it could be "just about good timing"...
I think the point of it all is just to present a phenomenon, a reality, which is none other than the feeling of being willing to adapt and be part of a group.
Now I am not saying it is "bad" or "good", but just that it is downright human after all...
And whether we like it or not, we have to acknowledge that this is a somewhat widely spread phenomenon, and that even though it may not be ideal nor fully commendable, it is a sociological phenomenon that is worth noticing and studying.
17
The gentrification of fashion really hurts the budgets of regular folks.
Back in the 1970's, a pair of blue jeans was around $20.00 and a 3-pack of white 100% cotton t-shirts was around $6.00. The quality of these jeans and t-shirts was excellent--the items would last for years.
Wooden clogs and plain leather sandals also used to be inexpensive, working class items.
Now, the working class can only afford cheap polyester blend clothes that look old and worn after a single wear and wash.
It's bad enough that people can't afford anywhere to live. Do we also have to take the clothes off their backs?
94
@Heather
Adjusted for inflation, your $20.00 blue jeans in 1975 would cost over $98.00 today and your $6.00 3-pack of cotton t-shirts would cost $28.00. Nostalgia ain't always what it used to be...
44
@Heather I can't say how much clothing/shoe prices have increased as related to income levels but... I do know this much... there are some people out there who simply aren't very 'smart' in how they spend their money. Some insist on having a 'new wardrobe' every season, every year. They spend $ on 'junk' clothes (which are often purposefully trendy in style), then moan that the items are no longer 'in fashion' or have fallen apart. And so it goes...each season they have the perfect excuse to 'shop', simply for the sake of it. For some...that's what it's all about ....shopping, and having 'new stuff'.
Spending $ four times a year, every year, on cheap clothing, and spending money now and then on more expensive, but less trendy, better quality clothes.... a smart person understands they might actually save in the long-run, but buy less but spending more on any given item. And yeah, I know the bleeding-heart line of 'well many of these folks don't know when their next check will come...they can only afford to spend $20 on a shirt...not $50'.' But again, I know for a fact that some people simply don't know how to budget, save, or exert self-control.
12
"I'm a unique, soulful person, so therefore I'll wear the same expensive, faddish, gaudy clothes as everyone else in my clique."
179
Ironically, when I worked in a guitar shop in Louisiana in the late 1970's, I met a bass player (he was the best I had ever seen, (and I saw many) who wore clogs with no socks. I played lead guitar and bass (plus were are both male). Less than a decade later, I moved to NY City; however, before I moved I had already begun wearing black Gucci loafers without socks. This was the latter 80's, & I see this again, now.Of course, I was a "clothes horse" (and much younger!) in those days, so I dressed differently anyway.
2
Imagine if each one of these women used the strap that came with their bag and used the $1,700 or $3,300 to support a government worker who is furloughed or helped a family in need. I understand the desire to be fashionable, I love fashion, but the price of a strap could feed a family or pay their mortgage or both.
58
@Angie Say what now? I went to Salt's website and the straps that I saw there were $138. If you can pay a mortgage with that, please let me know where. I'll call the movers straightaway!
20
@Angie from Ojai Those prices correlate to the bags of various brands, not to the straps.
15
@A Reader
Ahh good catch, it’s the bag that costs that much not the strap. My point still stands however, whether that much money is spent on a bag or a strap couldn’t it be put to greater use. Even if you don’t care about your fellow man, a person could support a sustainable farmer or rancher and get something for themselves out of the deal.
12
Not the best support for ankles (as if any "trendy" shoe is) . . . but the clogs are so good at keeping the short people from looking like they're standing in a hole . . . .
27
@Chris
Plus, I can reach the second shelf in my kitchen cabinets.
11
I just made my own "semi-trendy"
version from the strap on my laptop
case.
Plain black and it's got a little cushion.
Thanks, Park Slope moms.
32
I don't any women who were "shamed" out of yoga pants.
36
And your point is?
Spare us (or, at least, me) of additional idiocy. We have more than enough with Trump et al.
36
Repugnant in every way. Lemmings are smarter than this.
69
As Abbie Hoffman said (and I paraphrase), there's a reason "fashion" and "fascist" are on the same page of the dictionary.
Be yourself.
69
I literally just vomited a little in my mouth.
80
Wow, that's surly the longest article about absolutely nothing that The NY Times has, for some reason, seen fit to print in quite a long time. I thought for a moment that it must have been satire... but, skimming my way to the very end, I swallowed hard as it quickly dawned upon me that a reader was actually solicited to care. Please.
237
First world problems.
87
What's interesting here is to see how this one example seems to encompass the whole essence and daily practise of fashion.
First because we can see how fashion changes all the time (as explained in the first paragraph, and in that these women can change their straps whenever they want to). And actually that's one of the main reasons why I love fashion - it is NEVER the same.
Now I think it relevant indeed to mention Georg Simmel's theory, because it shows the whole power of fashion, which is that you can be part of a community and at the same time be special, not only from other communities, but also within one community. Fashion definitely has the ability of including and distinguishing, and frankly I can't think of any other thing that do it so well..
What's funny though, is to see how fashion applies constantly, for it kind of reminds me of the Gossip Girl kind of outfits (the ones the girls wore at school) which were all kind of the same but never quite the same. Looks like it is still relevant later on in life, and I find it reassuring.
I also like the fact that the straps are very varicolored, which makes this whole practise akin to a game of sorts. It's much more fun than always seeing the same kinds of bags. I remember high school when all the girls wanted to have the same bag. It was definitely boring. This isn't.
And since the essence of fashion is about going forward, I guess there is definitely something fashionable about these women bringing in a new style.
7
@Agnes G .....I think one also must consider that fashion and style are two very different things. One can have great style (marches to the beat of their own drum) but yet not be considered fashionable (wearing what is considered 'au courant')
11
Don't the handbags already have straps?
60
@Seabiscute
You're missing the point.
Always. Be. Consuming.
42
What would Carrie wear?
10
My mama always said that only someone who had no “class” would ever dream of wearing something that advertised its price tag.
54
As did mine. Also if you can see the name brand, they should be paying you to advertise the product. My daughter took this to heart, and all her thrift store finds and sewing made her the coolest fashion person I ever knew.
28
@Lynne C
There's a long-ago New Yorker cartoon in which a stuffy upper-class businessman says to a clerk in the travel section of a department store, "Had my parents wished me to have Yves St. Laurent's name on my luggage, one thinks they would have named me Yves St. Laurent!"
49
This article is insane. This has to be a gag of some kind. None of these people actually exist! If these people are alive and in the world we live in, how is there not an equivalent of the French Revolution going on right now!
There is no sane decent society that could have people who would willingly admit to doing what is described in this article.
67
@ John E. Lee, it really should be about the bead collective.
45
“separates you from people you don’t want to resemble”. Let the weight of that sentence sink in. Not only because it is profoundly infantile, but because it is the typical, uncreative narrow-minded thinking of an elitist trying not to be elitist, or someone who wants to be considered as one. Make no mistake, this is a fad because pretentious women MADE it a fad while cloaking it in the guise that they are making some sort of social statement. It’s not. To hang said strap from your 5k designer bag is a slap in the face of the woman who made it and a vicious oxymoron. What this article is simple about being shallow, nothing more. I am in full support of women doing whatever they want with their money, we as women have come a very long way to do so. But don’t pretend to speak about this as a social statement in the same vein that the high cost of a facelift is mentioned. These women are wearing carefully constructed and calculated ensembles and ticking off ‘hip-or-die’ boxes: pom-pom hat: check. Whimsical socks (yet not too whimsical as to be considered insane): check. Looking like you don’t care what others think when you really, really do: check. I will only encourage my sons and daughters to become fully realized individuals, and to know that they are more transparent than they think. People know when you being pretending. True self-worth is immeasurable and only known by those who value themselves. And that pom-pom hats are only for children.
100
@* I happen to love one of my winter hats, which IS a pom pom hat. #sorrynotsorry
16
we wore straps decades ago - bought for our guitars - once again fashion is way behind the times. When I see the tennis players in their arm coverings and remember wearing my leggings on my arms in studio to keep warm painting in the 70's have to think I should have gotten a patent.
19
"......a Park Slope mother of four and co-owner of a bead collective"
Priceless. Made my day.
456
@sfplantguy I came to the comments hoping I was not the only one who loved that line! Thank you!
36
The made-up name SaSaDi was icing on the cake.
43
Just returned from 7 weeks of winter travel in Europe. All the women are so well appointed/dressed. No frumpy straps. the beautiful crossbody bags over a warm and classy black coat with black boots of many styles, ankles to knee. Who wants to look like their friends and neighbors?? And at a fraction of the cost for a truly elegant and non conforming look.
42
I am so lucky! I bought a bag that actually came with its own straps!
100
in terms of the demographics relevant to this article (and probably most of its readership), this sentence is all you need to read: Ms. Martin owns four pairs of No. 6 clogs; she keeps two in her Manhattan apartment, the other two she keeps at her house in Sag Harbor.
208
I didn't like the last sentence in the article: " If only an actual face-lift cost so little — am I right, ladies?"
I found this reflective of an attitude...mostly directed to older women... that we should be interested in face lifts and that we'd love it if they only cost $140. Did anyone notice that statement? We don't need face-lifts...period.
C'mon people!!!!!
90
@PJS
I get the feeling that particular barn door has already closed for these women.
3
I think this reveals why people quickly turn on gentrification. These folks are masquerading in uniforms of a philosophy and class they don't actually belong to. In Paris it's called bobo short for bourgeoise boheme. It doesn't take 500 dollar shoes to look like a free spirit. If you want a thrift store look why not go to thrift stores. The suggestion behind this look is that these are neo-hippies or artists. I won't deny they look better than the beautiful fit conformists marching through the flat iron district in their lawyers clothes, but their politics are the same _ there's the rub, that's why fashion will not save the world, and neither will these champagne socialists.
69
This is great, Ms. Krischer. Can you please be the one who deciphers the politicians' fashion messages for us, so we know how we're being manipulated? The other writer seems a tad too depressingly sincere about it, somehow i have the feeling you'd have a lot more fun with it.
2
sorry to hate, but the straps are the ugliest things I've ever seen. Just my opinion. I'd rather wear a rainbow loom bracelet circa 2015 :)
19
@Mary
Or a guitar strap circa late 70s.
16
"Vanity, Definitely My Favorite Sin" ...
9
Kudos to the PR companies for Salt and No. 6 who landed this puff piece.
What a boon as women all over the US purchase their products after seeing the article.
And the Park Slope “moms” move on to their next expensive accessory/fashion trend.
90
Well, at least it is better than the Bay Area uniform de rigueur of Uggs and Lulu Lemon tights.
12
Well this was a lighthearted article that was interesting and also, fortunately, ended with my “who cares?!”
So glad it didn’t have politics, crime nor corruption mentioned.
What a needed break.
Thanks!
9
"For moms, specifically, the No. 6 clog gives off a message that you’re very much interested in comfort and not so interested in appearance."....except that the No. 6 clogs are insanely expensive compared to say, Dr. Scholls, so maybe it does have something to do with appearance.
Also, this keeping up w/ the Jone's article made feel like I was reading People magazine. Lets stick to articles us average Joe's can relate to, or at least read and laugh at.
31
It seems like most of the women interviewed in this piece have a personal connection to the owner of the business that makes the strap. That hardly seems to qualify as an upstart fashion trend-- more like a group of friends supporting their buddy. But perhaps the idea will catch on more now that you've just given a huge injection of free international publicity to expensive ugly purse straps.
44
Do they not have shoe polish in Park Slope?
28
Headline:
"The New Mom Uniform of Park Slope"
Should read "A new uniform for mom(s)"
The way it reads now means it's a "uniform" ("style") for women who are newly mothers, as in just gave birth for the first time with in the last 6 months, [and are upper middle class to wealthy +all white].
16
"Middle-aged fashion"? Are any of the women pictured in this article even over 30?
41
@Tara - also, define middle-aged?
4
@agbasoli
Like I tell people when they refer to me as middle-aged - only if I live to 115.
10
How about an article about how women are mixing and matching their outfits by shopping at KMart, Target, or, even better, Jack's 99 Cents store?
42
@Richard Rubin
Yes! I dress myself and my children almost exclusively from thrift stores (we buy socks, undies, shoes, and boots new). It frees up money for other things, and does not support any part of an industry premised on planned obsolescence and supported by near-slave labor on the other side of the world.
What's more: literally no one I know could afford (or would pay for) the shoes and accessories promoted in this article. The women interviewed here give the appearance of introspection, but neither they nor the author demonstrate any actual awareness of their role in the world or how they appear to others (who are not part of their weird clique).
Finally, that last little jibe: if only face lifts were cheap. If only empathy and insight were cheap! If only women could be concerned with what they do instead of how they look while doing whatever they do. If only society were as kind to women over 40 as it is to men over 40.
This article made me seriously question whether to continue my NYTimes subscription. I will--but please fewer articles about the 1% and more articles about the rest of us.
31
I hardly think sporting $450 'on-trend' clogs signifies these women are "not interested in appearance". Spending that amount of money on anything because because it's currently considered fashionable indicates a rather strong preoccupation with appearances.
92
This is a "thing"? Good for these women for loving creative design and comfortable shoes, but I suspect New Yorkers might need to get out a little more. Take a look around the country and see all the creative things people are doing. New York City is too wound up in its own wonderfulness to notice that people in other places are doing really cool things. (Like actually weaving our own straps, with which we do all kinds of things, and wearing real work boots and snow boots all the time, with crazy cool Darn Tough socks. Made in Vermont, of course.)
25
"for just 140 bucks."
Did you have to add the word "just?" That makes it seem like a paltry sum, when in fact, that's some families weekly budget for food, or the cost of a doctor's office visit that they can't afford, or new shoes for the entire family. Saying "just 140 bucks" when nearly 1 million federal workers aren't being paid is tasteless. If you have to say it at all, say "for 140 bucks."
126
@Linda
Somehow, i kind of suspect that Ms. Krischer's tongue was pretty solidly inside her cheek. The clue might be in the last line of the article.
22
@Linda
plus not really actually having a COST to produce of much more than a few bucks. Maybe $20 at the most. Just look at 'em! All mark-up.
7
@Linda I feel you but this was a direct quote.
1
My two cents (for fashion):
* I've really enjoyed clogs in the past (early 1980s)
* Even as they're being "dinged" for being shallow the women do make lovely models
15
I just realized I can copy this easily...old camera strap with geometric design.........attached to
my miu miu handbag 4.99 from GW (goodwill) and I am set to go! so trendy now out here in rural Hoosier land!
135
Were any of your interview subjects, uh, diverse in origins? Did you count Salt straps and clogs in East New York, or Flatbush?
Headline references Park Slope, but the article begins with reference to Brooklyn.
Caption under picture asked if I saw a pattern. I did. Three White women.
97
@jba I remember when hip-hop culture came out of Brooklyn and it defined style for a whole generation.
Gentrification really IS a terrible thing.
4
I looks like a guitar strap and the shoes are beyond hideous and expensive. I hate the trend of looking frumpy in outfits/accesories that cost a lot of money. As for the social impact part, I would rather donate that money to a good charity. This bonobo is going her own way.
256
As I Park Slope resident since 1977 and as someone who lived in the neighborhood in the late 60s, I remember the time when couples with children moved out of the neighborhood on account of the dearth of children here.
Oh, how I yearn for those good old days before the neighborhood became a parody of itself.
54
I loved living in the deep blue Slope for 30-years before moving to deep red WVa, and I would defend my neighborhood to the death if I had to. But man, this article makes we wonder if I was crazy or what
6
I thought this was pretty funny:
“It’s like we’re matching,” she said, noting that the strap reminded her of the woven friendship bracelets she used to make in camp. “It’s a unique way of styling yourself. When I see someone in a strap or a clog I don’t have, I think, ‘That looks good. I want that.'"
How can you be both unique AND matching? It seems to me its either one or the other. And in this case, I would think its clearly 'matching.'
66
@TimesReader
It's tribal. And artistic. Love it.
12
@TimesReader
Uniquely the same.
9
One of the reasons I moved out of Brooklyn is because suddenly , there were the “trends.”
29
If they really knew anything about fashion they would know Park Slope is dead, has been for years.
27
I hated clogs 40 years ago. I hate them now. I'm not sinking in mud so wooden clogs are not a must have. And those straps look silly. If this is class signaling you can have it.
58
MENOCORE!? This is a thing? OMG, I'm a middle aged woman and didn't even know I was dressing in the latest style!
16
Those straps are kind of not pretty.
47
I know why it's so popular.
The woven part of the strap is made by people of an indigenous Wayuu tribe in La Guajira, in northern Colombia, that is run by women. Since the male chieftain was replaced by a woman thirteen years ago they have done such a good job that now only women are appointed to leadership positions in the tribe.
https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-07-10/indigenous-tribe-colombia-run-solely-women
At least that is the hook claimed in the marketing.
14
I have worn Birkenstock’s with socks since these moms were in strollers. I have terrible feet and they are comfortable.
Friends would tell me to get a real pair of shoes. Then, one day I woke up to find that I was “trending”.
Better late than never!
130
@Citizen Naturalizer slip on sneakers are my version!
8
@Citizen
Still have my old Birks - but with no resilience left in the soles can't wear them. They're still probably about as flexible as the No. 6, though.
Can't understand people wearing wooden soles at all.
14
@Citizen my podiatrist says Birks are the only “flip flops” he approves. So score for Birks. Healthy feet are way better than “trendy”.
19
The Time's has the same worldview of what a "typical" mom wears as does our current president. What is much more needed is tips for how single moms (and dads) can find comfortable, affordable items. And maybe a few articles on how to feed one's family until federal paychecks return?
"Ms. Martin owns four pairs of [$400+] No. 6 clogs; she keeps two in her Manhattan apartment, the other two she keeps at her house in Sag Harbor. "
"Ms. Ginsburg was introduced to the strap by her friend Kacy Lubell, an owner of Salt, and rotates multiple straps between her Balenciaga, Fendi and Proenza Schouler PS1 bags. [all costing $2-5,000 each]"
71
Dear NYT:
This is the sort of narcissistic fashion fluff that makes it harder for men to take career women seriously.
Which is it: treat women as exploited fashion objects, or as co-equal executives?
If only this gender battle wasn't all so serious — am I right, ladies?
34
@Jorge No, Jorge, you're not right. Smart, ambitious women—including "co-equal executives"—can be stylish if they choose to be. It doesn't make them shallow, just as NOT caring about style doesn't make women deep. NYT can run fashion fluff alongside its scoops about #MeToo and Trump's latest outrage and still be a great publication. People, and publications, can be more than one thing.
26
These women all look great in their cool clothing.
If they can afford it, go for it.
Only thing that bugs me is when they support politicians that talk about inequality, higher minimum wages,,and all the freebees that if they had their way those ladies would not be wearing that laundry.
9
What an absolutely ugly accessory. You couldn't pay me to live in Park Slope, even if I was a younger parent. B-O-R-I-N-G
15
I'm surprised that Man Repeller's term Menocore is characterized as "hateful" here. In Harling Ross's piece, the term is coined lovingly, and the trend is described quite positively!
12
My wide, go-with-every-bag black strap cost me $8. online.
7
I see several pompous comments here judging the people who would buy $400 clogs. If you don’t live in nyc or surrounding burroughs you should try to understand the amount of walking we do here, some of us don’t live right next to a train station. I’ve bought no.6 clogs on ebay, and I see then abundant on resale sites for less than half price. I’ve even gotten a pair for $70 at a resale store in chelsea. I wear my shearling no6 clogs every day in the winter, last year I wore them for over 4 months straight. This winter I’ve worn them since the middle of Nov. Shoes that are comfortable and warm are worth the money to me, I walk over a mile a day for my commute so to me it equates to what people spend on cabs and cars to get around.
99
@Amy L You walk over a mile a day. Amazing. Who knew that was even possible?
60
@Amy L, I don't think most of those comments are intended as judgment against people who are willing to pay that amount for the sake of useful, comfortable shoes, regardless of whether they personally like the aesthetic. I think people take issue when that amount is paid for a specific, trendy, recognized brand with the intention of appearing to be above appearances. Because...ew.
39
@Amy L, I’ll own being judge-y. Seriously ?!
11
I lug all my stuff around in a cloth bag from Trader Joe's. Although it was a gift, I imagine it cost less than 20 bucks. To each her own. I prefer putting my money in a Roth IRA.
44
I retired at age 59, love to travel and am ALWAYS grateful to have chosen to stash money in IRAs and other retirement savings, while buying comfortable shoes that cost far less. California, you are smart!
9
At 63 I'm still wearing jeans, now paired with pull on Skeechers shoes and a Nine West handbag I got on sale. All 3 cost less than $100 total. The handbag has its original strap!
28
@Donna, at 68 I wear my Skechers and jeans, and carry my 6 year old Baggalini tote bag, which is a bit worn but is still serviceable
8
This sounds almost as bad as the Canada Goose wearing sheep herd.
19
@ I agree with you about the canada goose wearing sheep herd. But I bought mine 7 years ago when they were unheard of in the U.S after having googled "warmest winter coat" because I am extremely sensitive to the cold. It cost $625 at that time, caught on as something fashionable, and the price rose to $1000. Maybe I'll cover the patch.
3
These clogs are hideous.
20
At least this trend seems practical. Clogs are long-wearing, comfortable, and give great support. And I know the strap probably seems insane to some, but as a mom of young kids my go-to system is to have a small purse with a removable strap so that I can keep all of my important things in one place and transition it from purse to pouch for times when I need to stick it in the diaper bag to go someplace with the baby. Seems like the thicker strap would be less likely to slip off your shoulders than the flimsy ones (which often have chains perfect for pinching tiny fingers) that come with most of those little clutch purses.
11
Please tell me at least some of those bright looking young women in Brooklyn are buying look-a-likes rather than paying $138 for the 'authentic' Salt Shoppe strap (or is it strappe?)
My suggestion is find a colorful wide guitar strap, pre-loved if possible.
12
I'll never forget the one morning last winter that I ventured out to grab some coffee and bagels after a heavy snow storm had hit the night before. I threw on my rubber traction soled snow boots and geared up to walk the snow and ice covered streets. As I was making my way down the block I encountered a woman wearing a furry version of those clogs. I'm assuming her rationale for wearing them was wooly lining=snow gear. Those wooden heels hit an ice patch and she went airborne landing hard on her behind. I ran after the stroller that was now rolling into the street.
81
Bohemian?? You're saying that spending $600 for one pair of shoes and one bag-strap (without the bag itself) is bohemian? No, I do not think so.
164
Shoe soles made out of unforgiving wood? Come now. I see podiatrist bills in the not-too-distant future. Just as silly as sneaker heads who spend hundreds (thousands?) on $5-worth of rubber & mesh. All made in Asia where, extremely unfortunately, indentured servants seem plentiful.
27
@BornInDaEB - I'm not a clog fan myself, but I think perhaps you and others who believe clogs cannot be comfortable miss the part that said people who spend a lot of their work time on their feet--cooks and nurses, for example--are among those who prefer wearing clogs. My husband has been devoted to them for going on 45 years and is frustrated at how difficult it is to find clogs for men these days. I don't get his fondness for them, but I know he would disagree with you completely about whether or not they're good for one's feet.
13
@Annie
Dansko or Sanita. The clog bottoms are synthetic. The footbeds are heaven. I can walk in mine all day long.
8
@Annie dansko... clogs but not "fashionable"
2
The straps and the clogs mask an underlying emptiness and need to belong. So sad. I couldn't imagine being in the same room with any of these chicks.
22
@Chris
are you a rooster :-)
16
I am rather insulted. I own 8 pairs of Sanata clogs. When I visit my son in Brooklyn I can walk nine miles a day in them and feel fabulous. Name me one other shoe, other than a sneaker, that you can do that in. Clumpy clogs my foot!
17
Just a 40 year old Park Slope mom weighing in here, wearing a beat up pair of nameless boots and carrying a Fjallraven backpack with a yoga mat in it. I certainly don’t own my home and neither do any of my friends dropping off kids at PS 321. This article made my eyes roll hard. This neighborhood has so many wonderful qualities, can we not whittle it down to the one percent who can put a colorful strap on their Birkin bag?
82
I'm an out-west mom and can get behind the idea of these trends - I have clogs myself, although they're not this particular brand. The thick strap makes practical sense to me, although the patterns mark them as a "cool girl" accessory that seems kind of annoying.
7
I got a kick out of this article!
Am in my 70's and we were doing this in the 1970's; perhaps even in the 1960's.
Back in the day, these styles were gleaned from European influence.
I think they look very hip. You can find some beautiful handmade leather bags from the 70's on eBay. The strap will eventually have a DIY pattern on Pinterest and that ridiculous price will come down. I still wear clogs and a cross body leather bag. Comfortable, practical and well made -- these products will last for years and give you much "bang for your buck." I don't think it has to break the bank with "branding."
55
Most moms I know have been wearing Dansko clogs for years! Park Slope women, welcome to our world.
19
"new?" My Priced-out-of-Park-Slope-years-ago pal dressed like that almost 20 years ago. But then again, if you're reading about it here...oh, and I bet you can get a guitar strap for less than $140.
4
Looking at the three side-by-side photos, I see ties and wingtips.
11
To each their own. This looks ridiculous to me, but I'm not the one walking around with it.
6
I've never heard of any of this stuff - and I've been a working mom commuting into Manhattan from NJ for 9 years...
15
@WkngMom
Indeed. Fashion is expensive! Looks more practical than most, though ...
1
Apparently it's just in Park Slope. I haven't seen this silly look in Manhattan either.
5
I still wear my Olaf Daughter clogs from the 70's and my red Dansko clogs from the 90's.
No need to spend hundreds of dollars to be a trend setter. In fact, everyone should adopt their own personal style instead of copying the trend.
46
@M
True! Wear something long enough and eventually it will be back in style :)
6
I think it can make sense to invest in a couple fine handbags to be used over many years as opposed to buying and eventually throwing out many cheaper ones. If properly cared for, the bags can often increase in value. The straps not so much.
17
@MD
Yes, but one can find high quality, lasting bags for less than $1,000.
12
@MD
One can “invest” in a fine, handcrafted handbag direct from the artist at a craft fair for half, or less, of the price of a designer bag. They are unique, last for many years, and your money directly supports the maker. Designer handbags are one of the biggest con jobs ever foisted on the marketplace. It amazes me how gullible women are to buy them.
27
@aem
yep... still carrying my manhattan portage over the shoulder bag (but without a trendy strap) for 20 years...
and it's still in fine shape.
2
Don't find anything in this article to support the claim that this is a 'mom' trend, other than some of the people following it happen to be moms.
60
@SH
I think it’s because the these trends are not traditionally “sexy” and therefore assumed to be for women not currently looking for a romantic partner. I don’t believe in this stereotype, but society might deem those women “moms”.
3
Just looked at the No. 6 website as I'd never heard of that brand. They sell rabbit fur. Uggh. Not my cup of tea.
116
40-something NYC mom here. I can honestly say I never heard of "No. 6 clogs" or "Salt straps" until today.
289
@Working Mama I had to look it up, too. Of course, I'm in DC so what do I know.
21
@Working Mama I'm a Brooklyn mom and have never heard of or really seen either of these "trends".
24
Although I am a mom in my 40s in an affluent area, I have never heard of this trend. However, it turns out I already have one of these straps in gorgeous colors. Hopefully my husband won't mind if I repurpose it and buy him a replacement guitar strap for the future.
80
@Rebecca I thought exactly the same thing when I read .. like I have a guitar strap I've never used and paid $25 for .. will try it on my no-name bag. :)
10
This, like all articles on group-think trends, reminds of my favorite quote by Homer Simpson: "Give Hipsters a break! it takes a lot of courage to all wear the same hat!"
338
@Todd
Perfect!!! Thanks for a great laugh.
21
And the same facial hair!
19
Love cross body bags. My best cross body bag is about 10 years old and cost $100. It has a wide strap which I love. While I could buy a new one for $130 -- I could just donate that $130 to an organization that benefits women who make straps. Wonder which is the more ideal option?
41
@Kristine - I think that's actually an interesting question. Is it "more ideal" to donate to an organization that " benefits women who make straps" or spend the money on buying something, the making of which also benefits the women. The first option may have some immediate benefit while the second may promote self-sufficiency that has longer term value for the women and their families. A lot depends on exactly how both operate, and IMO the answer is not quite so black and white as it may at first appear.
5
Gosh, Brooklyn finally caught on to what we at my school call "teacher-wear," and I know nurses like it too--wide strapped bags because we lug all our stuff and clogs--duh?! I run around a classroom and packed halls all day. Heels? Are you kidding me? Clogs are cute, tough and give great support. Lately I've also noticed turtlenecks on news-anchors and reporters...I could have told them years ago how great those were and are! Some stuff is both cute and practical and comfortable--a particularly winning combo for those of us who live in the real world.
56
@Eva Lockhart
Yes, but it's not a proper trend until Brooklyn gets credit for it.
14
@Eva Lockhart Yeah, but if you note, these particular women won't just wear 'any' clogs. They must be of a very particular style and brand.
18
It is amusing to see these "trends" play out over decades. Been there done that, and without the effort following a trend.
20
I see a badge in the strap, kind of like the one the "bus cop" (the student picked to monitor other's behavior on the school bus, it was a leather strap strung over the shoulder the same way, with a badge on it indicating your authority over others) wore with great pride and an ostentatious attitude. They are fun, eye-catching and done in vibrant energetic patterns that scream out "look at me". They must give the wearer a sense of uniform, protection and self possession, and yes belonging to a group, seen as negative by American cultural critics, both amateur and professional.
3
Those straps are pretty ugly.
I’m shocked they would spend thousand$ on a handbag only to latch a silly looking guitar strap to it.
130
Fashion is a relevant work sector, even if most of it is produced in poor countries. No need to explain here. And, it makes a joyful little contribution to our lives.
I wore Dansko clogs for a decade. I even had a black varnish pair for the opera. They seem to have contributed to my hip problems. The surgeon talked me out of them, and into flexible sole shoes. It's Sketchers only now.
Never heard of N.6, but they look tempting to me. The price tag will help me resist their lure.
4
@MTS. Taxes aren't high enough.
10
Face-lift? What a suggestion! Really? Pressure on women to look young all their lives? Even at the cost of our health? The tyranny of beauty is another symptom of our patriarchal societies and to comply with this discrimatory point of view (not for men) without a tiny bit of critical thinking is very disturbing to me, especialy from a newspaper as NYT.
88
I’m with you. And I’d add that thousands of dollars spent on this “trend” is incredibly myopic and selfish when there are so many other important ways to spend that much money. I, too, expect more from the NYT. At least throw in a few sentences that might hint at this.
10
@Diane Dwyer Agreed! I actually thought the last sentence of this article was intended as a joke (Hayley Krischer: was it?). Why would we want face-lifts even if they cost just $140? I expect this sort of patronizing tone from women-directed pieces published by other outlets. But really, the Times?
13
"a portion of its proceeds" for the woven strap. I wonder what that portion is, and if the women weaving these have any idea how much they are sold for?
82
@penney albany
I doubt it - king of the "kiini" of bag straps.
Suppose they'll soon be filing patents on them?
4
I'm assuming the strap is a security measure...thicker strap is more difficult to cut through, less inviting to the pass-by purse snatcher for women whose hands are usually tied up with stroller bars and toddler hands. But if there's a $1,000 handbag at the end? Not so much. When we were hanging out with our kids in Riverside Park the goal was to lower the profile, not broadcast it.
42
I live in the sticks.
I live in my Ugg Brooks Boots which are the short style + black + my Christine A. Moore rain hats... my favorites are the Parker and the Mackie.
I love Sherpani bags, and my current favorite is the Milli in black. Nice wide strap cross body bag with sensible pockets + zippered compartments, plus it's RFID.
I don't know anyone who dresses like me, though now the people around me are wearing a lot more hats. I get compliments on my hats all the time.
5
From my perch here in the middle of nowhere, owning no designer clothing, this trend suggests to me that luxury handbags are not very practical and women ("moms," I suppose) need a way to carry them hands-free.
29
@Jane Grey a way to carry the bags hand-free and call attention to them
4
From where I sit at 73, beyond the attraction of "fashion", the straps are as ugly as most modern clothing. What would the fashion houses do without the herd mentality?
179
brooklyn is supposed to be the land of the cool kids, or at least the cool moms. blair waldorf described the clog as an ugly wooden shoe that tried to make a statement and then disappeared. if gossip girl were still going today, i doubt she'd backtrack on that statement even if she lived in brooklyn.
12
“I see my advice has gone the way of the clog.”
2
Like every other fashion trend, this one too will fade away and the moms who wore it will look back at their photos and shudder. I'm old enough to have lived through - and worn -my share of fashion trends. They come and they go. Give me a good pair of jeans any day.
27
I am thankful for this article, as it will help me steer clear of these lame trends.
Why do women (and men!) want to look like each other? This takes me back to middle school in Queens in the late 80's, and its unofficial uniform of leggings with those horrid bulky slouchy socks, sometimes layered for that yeti leg look.
My goal is to find cool accessories and clothes that no one else has, and not to look like a solider in some kind of privileged urban/suburban army.
68
@Anjou
Sure, but there are 7 billion others who also want to be thought of as unique. The odds are against you.
8
Wow, have I been nearly "chic" for years without knowing it? For comfort, convenience, and security reasons, I convert every handbag I own into a crossbody with an extra-long, extra-wide matching leather strap that I get separately from an online accessory store like Mautto. A friend who is addicted to Coach bags always pokes gentle fun at me for my "nerdity." Have I unwittingly "arrived" -- or am I still on the outs because my strap isn't a Salt and my bag isn't a Fendi?
13
On the outs probably.
But—it’s a fun place to be!
5
I just got a beautiful top at the Salvation Army. It cost 6.00. I love thrifting.
3
@janeqpublicnyc
Darn, I wish we could post photos
1
Over a year ago, I found a beautiful strap in JC Penney and bought it to put on my Walmart purse. Though it was sold in women’s accessories, I naively thought maybe it was a guitar strap. Since then, I’ve received many compliments on it, but had no idea I was a part of a fashionable trend.
As for the clogs, though, I think I’ll stick with my decidedly un-trendy Birkenstocks.
20
@Karen -- I love my Birks, as they show off my hand-knit socks. And they are good for my feet, too!
6
Birkenstocks have been incredibly trendy for a few years now.
6
@Karen
You haven't heard that Birkenstocks are trendy, have you? Even fashion houses have started copying Birkenstocks' style. Just so you know, prairie dresses are apparently in fashion too, so stay away from those!
5
These people seem unembarrassed to flaunt their wealth. I do not envy them in the least and I hope they give to charity as it is obvious they have the means to. Perhaps now, when so many federal workers are hurting, they will reconsider their priorities and find a way to share their good fortune with those in need.
155
I've never been much into fashion, if only because I never had the kind of body that looked great in the most fashions. The 70's were my time, when bell bottoms, peasant blouses and Empire-waisted dresses covered a multitude of sins, so to speak.
I love seeing people wear fun clothing and accessories, regardless of age. If you have the attitude to pull off a particular look, go for it. I enjoy seeing you out there - you add interest to the scenery, especially in the drabness of winter.
42
$450 clogs clogging the sidewalks. Guitar straps standing in for purse strings. If I wanted to wear a uniform, I'd join the army. In the meanwhile, I'll be the Brooklyn mom wearing whatever's on sale at The Gap, and throwing my extra funds into a savings account. Too Much Ado about the Mothers of Park Slope. Ignore them. Trust me, they won't go away.
298
@CBi you have truly echoed my thoughts and sentiments!
I have always chosen that which I thought looked best on me regardless of the current style.
32
The stuff on sale at the GAP is often poorly made and doesn’t last season to season. There’s nothing ostentatious about buying quality items that are made by small brands who charge accordingly, as opposed to cheap materials produced unethically then made into poorly constructed garments. There is no shortage of second hand stores in Brooklyn. No waste, fair prices and natural materials might be the better choice for the budget conscious person who seeks to express individuality or just a person looking to wear durable, beautiful quality clothing.
13
@Nicole Hurstell Smith & for a (steep) price, too !
7
As a non-New Yorker, it's striking how the people depicted in this article seem to be slavish followers, instead of crafting a unique, individual style for themselves. That's not being 'Bohemian'.
It's also striking how Park Slope is mentioned like a brand, instead of a neighbourhood. It seems like a lot of people are checking boxes based on others' expectations.
138
@Max Brockmeier Park slope is a brand, a very expensive and exclusive brand.
27
Max, most of these “New Yorkers” are the New Yorkers, and especially in the “new Brooklyn” that haven’t always lived in New York City all their life so applying the broad brush here doesn’t really fit.
As with the real estate, goes the fashion. And there’s nothing wrong with either being good or fine or stylish but to label any of them as typically New York or Brooklyn or even Mom-ish in this article, well it only works in select neighborhoods that are newly...select.
Although Park Slope kind of always had a sort of “style” it or draw, it wasn’t on neatly the level it is now. Nothing in Brooklyn is.
And all the women wearing the strap or clogs are white. That’s not a great look and it’s not about regular NYC either but not much about this piece is.
People have always come to live here in NYC for one reason or another, and styles, up or down market, have always come and gone too.
But don’t mistake the transplants and gentrifiers for everyone that was always here as the trendsetters, mostly making something out of not a whole lot. With these items it sounds like a lot of effective marketing and good opportunities is all.
29
@Mickela: Thanks for confirming my point. One more box checked.
10
I am an attorney and my husband is an orthodontist. I grew up hardscrabble working-class, and my roots have never left me. Let others buy their $4,000 Hermes bags and their $150 purse straps and their $500 clogs. I curate my closet from places like Thredup, and I live in pieces that I love and that are comfortable and cute and cost me $3 - $6. These pieces, being second-hand, don't use the earth's resources, and at those prices, they leave a lot left over for doing good in the world with my money. What does it say that we are a country that considers it an act of doing good in the world when we buy a $150 purse strap?
532
Colorado > Park Slope
11
@Melanie Lovell-Here, here. Buying thrift store-issue clothing that's been washed multiple times has the advantage of removing pesticides and dry-cleaning chemicals. Good leather shoes can be washed in a washer and come out clean and wearable, after drying with tissues to protect form. A wonderful way to go1
24
Speaking as a now older man, I'm stumped on the trend toward hard wood soles on shoes. I mean, they're hard wood. It can't be good for one's back or legs in the long run vs. a flexible, shock-absorbent material. On the other hand, I wore Frye boots for much of the 90s, which had, of course, a hard wood sole (though tempered with some leather). So, shoot me in the leg.
24
@David Law I don't think that Frye boots had wood soles. They were a hard leather, stiff but they did flex some and as they became broken in became more and more flexible and comfortable. Wooden sole clogs never break in and never become comfortable. There's a reason why the Dutch no longer wear wooden clogs.
10
The no 6 clog boots are pretty comfortable actually! Like old Frye boots these are made in the usa (unfortunately frye is now owned by a Chinese company). I live in nyc but am not a mom and nowhere near park slope, but I walk over a mile a day to commute and my shearling lined clogs are warm and very comfortable. They are expensive but I see them as an investment for all the walking I have done in them. I have a pair from 8 years ago that I continue to get resoled and are perfectly fine to keep wearing. They are also handmade in the USA which also drives the cost up. No one here probably even bothered to look at that section of the no 6 website. I never bought these to conform or fit in, I had Swedish hasbeens over a decade ago, I like the colors and the quality of no 6 clogs. Also they are abundantly found on resale sights and they are sold in many online stores where you can wait for a discount to get them 30-50% off.
10
@David Law
But you can resole them, unlike sneakers. That's what I look for in my flat nowadays.
3
Thank goodness age points us to what is important.
Comfort shoes with good arches and a handbag that can be opened with one hand. Good style can be good sense.
And still, people love us!
37
You had me at "deep pockets" - bring them back!
88
@Jill,
The pants kind, or the money kind?
19
If the article had featured just the strap - its origins and manufacture - I would've been more likely to buy one than I am seeing it riding some luxe hipster trend. Gross. And btw ladies - a much wider selection of handmade bag straps is available on Etsy for under $20. Is the extra $120 for the social signal?
188
When I moved to Park Slope in the very early ‘80s (when only two banks would give mortgages and going out to eat meant Snooky’s or the Mexican place) the neighborhood was made up of normal people - teachers, public employees, and those who’d been there for generations. Over time, however, it became absolutely insufferable as increasingly wealthier people arrived and you could be shoved off the sidewalk by their expensive double strollers or English prams - and they thought they could induce you to do whatever they wanted (remove your wind chimes, not chain your bike where it could be seen from their front windows) in exchange for a bottle of expensive French wine. And don’t get me started on their horrendous, ill-behaved kids! I was so glad to get out of there and leave it to the kind of people who can afford $450 clogs. Such a beautiful neighborhood - but such ... people.
492
Thank you for the reminder of Snooky's...the normal "diversity" of Park Slope in the 80's when residents had simple office jobs, etc. and rent did not exceed a third of one's income. How stratified we have become.
45
@Olenska I was a pre-schooler (a reasonably well-behaved one, hopefully) in Park Slope in the mid-80s. Returning to the neighborhood with my mother for a visit sometime in the late 2000s, she looked around and said, "I would NEVER live here now."
44
This seems like one of those fashion trends people are going to regret in 15 years.
31
@TL These clogs have been clopping around South Brooklyn for at least 12 years.
7
@Kristal
But they weren't trendy then.
NOW, they're "in," so they'll become copied and copied, and worn in some version by everyone who wants to be trendy, and they'll enter the product life cycle that eventually hits the "out" stage.
6
In a bunch of airports over the holidays, I wondered what was making all the clip clop racket on the moving walkways. Now I know.....$450 clogs.
78
Judging from the reactions to this article, it is clear that most people love to hate women, especially women they deem too wealthy or too frivolous. The vitriol seems to be way out of proportion to any actual harm caused by a particular women's fashion choices.
88
@HRD Of the 23 comments so far, I've not seen one example of what you claim. Love to hate women, really? No, people (including women) poking fun at those who who spend so much money on looking like everyone else, and claiming it's a "unique" look. We all do it in our own way, but most of us don't have that kind of money to squander. And I think you and a dictionary have divergent ideas of the meaning of "vitriol".
I only clicked on this because the image looked like a fabric covered razor strop hanging there, which intrigued me. I thought it was a self-defense thing. We all have our memories, many of them still fond, of our past fashion choices. The 80's were especially notable, although I had a pair of red, white and blue American flag shoes in the 60's. These straps look much better than those shoes did!
48
@HRD
It's not about women this time. If they wrote an article about The Men of Park Slope, you'd hear all this and worse. I might be the first to write a comment.
29
@HRD Not sure how you equate the comments with hating women.
31
I live in Park Slope and walk down Seventh Ave. daily. Either this article overstates a trend or I am completely unaware of my surroundings.
250
@Famdoc
Right?
Also, I want to point out that I live in Park Slope on like, 49K per year, as a civil servant.
38
I've lived in Park Slope for over a decade. Whereas I've seen both of these trends (especially the clogs) for years, they are nowhere near as pervasive as this article indicates. I, for one, have neither and have no intention of buying either. I have ridiculously expensive summer camps that I need my money for . . .
88
As soon as less expensive options become available and the trends spread to those of modest incomes, the items will no longer be quite so desirable because they will have lost their power to signal membership to an elite group. We've seen this scenario play out over and over.
329
Sigh. When I was a young mom, my uniform consisted of Converse sneakers, Levi's 501 jeans, Gap t-shirts and a military surplus jacket.
183
@M Sounds good to me!
34
I love that look! So does my husband!
10
Ha! my uniform is practically the same, PF Flyers( more comfortable toebox than Converse, fewer colors), tshirts ,flannel shirts and a black nylon purse that I can toss in the washing machine. My work uniform, mandatory navy blue scrubs. love it!
5
Well I suspect the strap is there because handbag manufactures seem to have given up making useful straps. (I don't have them) And clogs of some sort are useful.
Most people of course don't buy the expensive brands. I'm sure some will buy the fancy strap and not the purse itself. While others will find knockoffs. (Personally, I'm thinking of finding a knockoff because yes I do need a strap and I'd rather that than a new purse).
Look to those who wear the copies for a trend.
16
@NSH Or they buy something hand woven, which is (I think) what this trend originally came from.
2
I'd be happy to sell all the shoulder straps I've rescued from book bags, luggage, guitar cases, birding binoculars, etc., for much less than $100. Might even throw in a padded slider for those with arthritic shoulders.
35
So happy for all of the Park Slope moms.
67
That’s a back up guitar or banjo strap right?
241
@Richard
Bingo! No pulling the wool over your eyes!
17
Thank you for warning me.
204
"... these women want to be seen as acknowledging issues elsewhere by supporting a social cause.”
Sure, or they could just, you know, support a social cause.
Advocate. Lobby for legislation. Give time, give cash (if there's any left after buying your uniform), give attention to people and causes that matter to you.
Stuff like that.
Not, really, to demean the sentiment in the article. If you're buying fashion, you may as well buy some that might be doing some good.
312
Well-noted, and a smart analysis.
On a sidenote, I don't think Harling Ross is being hateful - her writing (or any other writing on Manrepeller for that matter) never strikes me as particularly snippy or ageist.
I'm 55 and I think 'menocore' is funny. I'll probably make up my own version though (not a clog person).
21
Ha ha! No less conformist than a housewife out of a 1950's sitcom, except now they're doing it on their own dime. Through their relentless parenting these women also pay a hefty price for their children to be as conformist as possible but then have the paradoxical expectation they will all turn out as unique, exceptional individuals.
129
I adore the No. 6 (similar to Hasbeens) design, but actually find the wooden-based clogs to be clackety, rigid, and uncomfortable. And definitely not easy to run after my four year-old in. I instead prefer the (less fashionable, whatever) Danskos - the anatomically contoured polyurethane footbed is total heaven for my feet.
112
@Sarah M
But the sole is part of a tree.
Not the flexible kind, like willow.
2
@Sarah M The base of the No.6 is narrow enough to seem risky for the weak-ankled among us.
4
@junewell agreed!
2
The clogs manage to carry on the Dansko and Sanitas heritage, but at an elevated price to clearly signal your socio-economic class. If this was a uniform that involved wearing clogs for comfort - then it would carry a 1969 vibe - but the '69 vibe was egalitarian and inclusive.
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