Monday, June 19, 2006

Crocs are as Israeli as Apple Pie and Humus

Classy Footware in Israel - A Timeline:

1980's - Nimrod "Tanachi" Sandals



1990's Teva "Theraputic" Sandals



2000 - 2005: Source "Shoresh Extreme" Sandals


2005 - present: Uglyest Shoes on Earth: "CROCS"

I have no clue if Crocs are sweeping the rest of the world like they are in Israel, but they are appearing everywhere. I was just at a meeting at work and the guy next to me was wearing lime green ones. On Shabbat, someone came to shul wearing white crocs.

Personally, I think they're the ugliest footware on the planet, but I'm told they're very comfortable. In Israel, they sell for close to 250 NIS ($56) -- isn't that a bit expensive for such silly looking shoes? Then again, if you wear them to work during the week and to shul on shabbat it could be a decent investment.

Do people wear these to shul in the US? On Shabbat? To Work?

Can you do carpool with these, or is that a major faux pas?



Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Someone already blogged about this last week...

Anonymous said...

No Crocs here yet but the Times warned that they are coming. Instead, people (both genders, all ages) here wear flip flops to shul. The kind you wear in a public shower at the pool. Lovely.

JoeSettler said...

Man, you are advertising for everyone and anyone these days.

Sarah Likes Green said...

they seem to have taken off here somewhat, although doesn't seem to be as popular as in israel. hideous things. (unless you're under the age of five and then it's forgivable. cute even.)

what about naot? they seemed pretty popular at some point.

(dot co do il posted about them recently too.)

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Sarah: DCDI posted about these? I must have missed it. My apoligies...even if he did go after me for my "obsession" with hating the world-cup :-)

Joe: Are you saying I should cancel my upcoming ad-sponsored blog name change of "Nike, The Muqata and Aliya: Just Do It!"

Anonymous said...

my more israeli than american (phew!) bilingual kids have them, of course... they HAD to have them. and the funny thing? between the three of them, the colors they chose are red, white and blue!!!

Scraps said...

One of my NCSYers was wearing them at the last convention, in a shade of green that wasn't quite "lime" but I'm not sure how else to describe it. I, too, think that they are quite the ugly footwear.

exsemgirl said...

Hrumph!

Dot Co Dot Il said...

Imitation is the highest form of flattery ;)

rockofgalilee said...

I was in a shoe store and someone asked if they had crocs. The guy said no. Being the helpful person I am, I mentioned that the Sketchers looked the same as the crocs. The woman looked at me in disgust and left.

The guy at the store (israeli) said to me, crazy Israeli's they don't even know what they are but have to buy them.

Dave said...

Yup - they sure are this summer's thing. My daughters wear 'em. They are ug-lie as sin, magnify natural eau d'toe jam, and only come in colors not found in nature. But they are way comfortable.

Dave
http://betbender.blogspot.com

Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) said...

Don't worry Jameel, when i come for Shabbat i'll be wearing retro shoresh sandals.... or maybe real shoes :-P

Jack Steiner said...

I had a pair of Nimrods.

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Jack: Somehow, I knew you did :)

Steg: Shoes?! Ack!

Dave: but they cost a fortune!

Rock: Hmmm....my skeckers (sp?) look nothing like crocs.

Scaps: But they are supposed to feel mah-veh-lous on your feet!

tafka PP said...

Coming from the Muqata I'm surprised you have the cheek to insinuate that Humus is Israeli!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummus

Anonymous said...

>Nimrod "Tanachi" Sandals

aaahh yes. I still have mine. And wear them proudly by-gum.

Another meshugannah mommy said...

Crocs are HUGE by us here in the great Midwest. My son's day camp actually put the words "No Crocs" on the form discussing proper camp wear.

Irina Tsukerman said...

You're not going to believe it, but I recently saw someone wearing a pair of those in the subway... and she was NOT Israeli, I can tell you that. This horror has now made its way to the U.S.! (I've never seen them in the United States before) What's next???

YMedad said...

at the Hebrew University store they are selling something that looks like Crocs for 69 NIS.

FrumGirl said...

They arent any uglier than the other sandalim... are they made of plastic or rubber?

Ayelet said...

Okay, so they aren't exactly attractive, but I don't think I could ever go back to life without my beloved crocs (I have four pairs). I was way ahead of the unfolding trend - my first pair is over a year old. I got the idea from the nurses I met in the hospital who positively crowed about the comfort factor. My mom despises them, strangers look askance at them, and friends question them. But I? I love them! (p.s. They only cost about $35 online. Oh, and don't accept one of the imitations that abound. Nowhere near as comfy.)

I'm Haaretz, Ph.D. said...

All the college kids have em. They're plastic. They're ugly. They slosh around and make your feet look huge. And in white?!?! You'll look like minnie mouse (thought not as cute, just the humungo feet)!

Batya said...

Like minds...

I also blogged crocs yesterday
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/2006/06/shoes-croc-or-not.html
among other, less healthy, things
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2006/06/few-things-today.html

Avi said...

Crocs aren't horrible for females. But men, eeew. I thought they were women's shoes.

Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) said...

Jameel:

yeah, shoes... wearing sandals with a jacket and tie would look a bit weird, don't you think?

;-)

BBJ said...

They're about thirty-five dollars in the US, for the adult models. I'm in Northern California, where they're wildly popular with the preschool crowd--at my Y, you can tell the baby exercise class is in session because of the rainbow of little Crocs lined up outside the gym. I can see the benefit of shoes for small children that you can run under a garden hose to clean off.

So far I have not spotted any in shul, but who knows? They're goofy, but not indecent.

Anonymous said...

they are all over the states, especially in jewish day schools, i see many kids wearing them in all colors.
who would pay 50 dollars for rubber gardening shoes?

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Steg:

Howabout a tie, jacket and CROCS???

Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) said...

only if you buy the crocs ;-)

Anonymous said...

I was just in Israel and was amazed at the popularity of Crocs! They *are* somewhat popular here in the U.S. (thanks to Mario Batali, etc.) but not to the extent as in Israel!

Anonymous said...

Yes, they're hideous. When I brought my first pair home (black) a few months back, my husband, who is French, asked if I'd been shopping for shoes in Germany (German shoes have a reputation in France for being really practical and VERY ugly, so it was definitely an insult!)

BUT, having worn them while walking for miles around California and travelling in Milwaukee, Chicago, London, Bulgaria and France, I have to say they are THE MOST COMFORTABLE shoes I have ever worn. Not a single blister or foot pain, period! They look heavy but are actually weightless, too.

And now you can get little charms to put in the holes, like cat paws, menorahs, etc.

But the big breakthrough is that my husband now owns and wears a pair--at least on weekends! 8^)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for interesting article.

Anonymous said...

Nice Blog!

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

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Kamagra said...

I like too much this crocs, i did not know that the crocs are from israel, is good for this zone because now we know that in this place, there are very good sandals.

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