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- As a style editor, I was firmly anti-Crocs. After trying a pair, I sing their praises to everyone.
- They're incredibly comfortable and I love wearing them around the house and my neighborhood.
- Read more about why your feet deserve a pair, below.
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Hardly any trend from the past 20 years has elicited such ire or received such spirited defense as Crocs.
If anyone had asked me a year ago whether or not I would touch a pair of these shoes with a 10-foot pole, I would have probably said "that pole isn't long enough." But, as I suspect has happened to millions of others (after all, Crocs did have its best year of sales ever in 2020), my opinions changed once I gave them a chance.
My coworker Elisabeth and I both agreed to try Crocs during the pandemic, me from the perspective of "These are ugly but I'll wear them around the house" and she from the angle of "These are just the right amount of ugly, I bet I can make them cute." We both ended up firmly in the camp of "We don't care what they look like. They're just ridiculously comfortable."
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Comfort
I always knew Crocs were comfy — I had a neon green pair when I was 12 that I wore at summer camp — but it wasn't until I tried them as an adult that I really understood why people love them. They are a perfect house and errand shoe: easy to slip on, supportive while cooking and cleaning, and very cushy for quick walks around the neighborhood. They feel like walking on giant foam sponges.
We both found that Crocs were much more comfortable to wear with socks than without if you're going on long walks, but personally, I don't mind wearing them without socks around the house.
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Style
Listen, they're not quite as ridiculous-looking as I used to think they were. So many fashion people on Instagram were loving these strawberry Crocs and finding ways to make them look, dare I say it, very wearable. Elisabeth tried a platform pair that ended up looking as fun and cute as a chunky pair of dad sneakers.
The white pairI tried is actually not that far off from a pair of white sneakers, at least as far as wearability goes. I mean, I'm still only really wearing them with lounge clothes around the neighborhood, but the neutral colors are generally less offensive. Elisabeth's black pairs have the same vibe — they're simple and not that different than a pair of chunky sneakers. I'm not buying up the super bright patterned ones, but if that's your vibe, I'm proud of you and your spunk!
And anyway, I'm kind of sick of people saying that styles and trends are ugly and no one should wear them. If you're happy with how something looks or feels, then go for it! This is not an episode of "What Not to Wear."
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Sizing
If you're considering a pair, note that Crocs only come in whole sizes. If you're a half size or in between sizes, we recommend going up.
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The bottom line
Overall, I've gotta give it up to Crocs. They're comfortable, easy to wear, and they'll last a long time. I don't care that people (including myself) think they're ugly — I'm just glad I've found a great pair of shoes to wear around the house when my feet hurt.
Executive Editor, Insider Reviews
Sally Kaplan is the Executive Editor for Insider Reviews, the product review wing of Insider's service journalism team. Sally started at Insider in 2018 as an editor and has since held the role of senior editor and deputy editor on Insider Reviews. She has interviewed startup CEOs and brand founders, reported on the rebirth of a fashion company that narrowly escaped bankruptcy, written guides to wardrobe staples like the best loafers, developed testing methodology for hundreds of stories, and edited countless reviews, buying guides, deal articles, and gift guides. She has over 10 years' experience covering product reviews and major deal holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Amazon Prime Day. Prior to joining Insider Inc., she was the lifestyle editor at Hearst's BestProducts.com, where she wrote product reviews and gift guides, and developed the site's coverage of big deal days. Previously, she helped to shape BuzzFeed's early shopping and reviews coverage, which included introducing its popular "What's trending on Amazon?" series. Say hi to Sally at skaplan@businessinsider.com, give her a shout on Instagram @saltykaplan, or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.