Hooray! Goodbye Crocs?

I'm starting to see articles declaring that the era of Crocs may be over. The company is hitting financial straits and has reportedly laid off a third of its employees.

Google "Crocs" and you'll find articles like "Once Trendy Crocs Could Be on Their Last Legs" from the Washington Post on Thursday, July 16. Or "Crocs face extinction as maker faces bankruptcy" from the UK Telegraph on Friday, July 17.

Or my personal favorite title - "Crocs May Return To The Nowhere From Whence They Came" in something called Media Post, also from Thursday. Right on.

Frankly, I don't see Crocs as being like bell bottoms or day-glo clothes, trends that were attractive and fresh when they came out, then managed to make a semi-nostalgia-fueled comeback. Because Crocs were never attractive to me. When were they trendy?? Please tell, me WashPost...or don't because I'm glad I missed that era.

Are the shoes useful? Maybe you could argue that. But as far as I recall, no one older than five ever rocked Crocs as the hottest fashion statement. I don't own a pair and really don't have a desire to. If they are comfortable in the privacy of one's own home or garden that is reasonable. But it's like slippers...I put on real shoes if I'm going outside.

Finally, a Fox News article sums up how I think we'll reflect on Crocs in decades to come:

Perhaps the biggest "problem" with Crocs? Their high quality. Designed to be practically indestructible, consumers apparently find little need to ever buy a second pair.

But while one expert told the Post that the company is “dead and they don’t know it,” CEO John Duerden isn’t quite ready to throw in the towel.

"The bottom line is, people talk about Crocs," he said. "They either love them or hate them, but it's in the vernacular."

As were Hammer pants.