It’s not really breaking news that I’m a BIG fan of clogs. I love the way they look, I love the way they feel, and I love that they are ridiculously versatile. I wear cute fun ones in the summer with dresses as my walkable “high heels”, I wear clog booties in the winter with jeans and skirts as my daily “go-to”, but my ABSOLUTE favorite time of year to wear clogs is in the fall.

They are THE perfect shoe for this season (if it’s not a sneaker day). When the weather is fluctuating, and you’re not quite ready to wear daily socks or pull boots out from your closet (but it feels ridiculous to be wearing summer flip-flops because it IS officially fall)…clogs are your shoe. The past three weeks I have rotated between sneakers and clogs Every.Single.Day. Easy, cute, walkable, simple, perfect! I know, I know….for you clog haters (you know who you are!), you may disagree, but for the rest of us….give us a chance to bask in their gloriousness and delve in to some serious clog talk.

1.  Madewell Slingback Clogs

Pros: I love the color (such a good shade of brown for fall that goes with everything), and the style is SO much better than I thought it would be. I didn’t think I’d like that the leather comes up higher than a typical mary jane clog, but the cut is good, the leather is really soft, and there’s no pressure on the top of my foot where the material ends. Huge points there! The cushioned footbed is a HUGE plus for me as well, as is the adjustable back strap. Way to go Madewell! 

Cons: On one very hot day after literally walking 4 miles, they rubbed a small blister on my pinky toe…not too bad for a “con” in terms of comfort. They have a rubber sole, but they are on the heavy side and still clip-clop like regular clogs if that bothers you. My family thinks there’s a horse coming down the stairs when I wear them inside. I say…nothing wrong with a little clip-clopping action if they are comfy and look good!

Madewell Clogs | Tee | Jeans

2.  Sven Mary Jane Clogs

Pros: Reader Rebecca has been pleading with me to try Svens—she raves about them. Sven generously sent me a pair to try, and I have to say I am impressed. You pick the color, material, heel height, and style, and the nice folks in Minnesota handcraft you a custom pair. With a tracing of your foot, they are able to do sizing from extra narrow thru extra wide. From a sustainability perspective, they are a great example of slow fashion. I tried the bendable base since it’s recommended for doctors, nurses, and chefs….i.e. my kind of shoe. They are by far the most quiet clogs I’ve worn—-you can barely hear me going up and down the stairs. I’ve walked all day in them and the bottom of my feet feel fine (despite no cushioned footbed). I assume this is because of this magical bendable base? Bonus: Svens have a pretty big selection on eBay, just don’t bid on the peep-toe ones I’m eyeing!  

Cons: I am NOT totally sold on the look of the bendable base. You can definitely see the polyurethane strip that goes through it. I’m nervous that without this strip, though, they wouldn’t be as comfortable. My other con is the material is a bit snug on the top of my foot. When I reached out to Sven, though, they told me I could send them back to have them stretched, and next time I can give them measurements of my entire foot (not just the tracing), so they can make sure they fit perfectly. I have been walking the entire city wearing them, though, so neither the polyurethane or snug issue must be bothering me THAT much. I really want to try their gorgeous higher-heeled peep-toe options for summer….just hoping that they’re as comfy as the ones with the bendable base.. 

Sven Clogs | Tee | Jeans

3. Cordani Ankle Strap Clogs

Pros: I love this beautiful green color for fall. It’s really very pretty in person. They also come in three other absolutely gorgeous colors, but the green was really calling me. I also love the studded detailing as well as the warm wooden base color. In terms of comfort, Cordanis provide an awesome cushioned footbed and have a really nice rocking motion to their design that takes a bit to get used to, but feels great once you get the hang of it.

Cons: The leather was a little stiff and though these were very comfy in the footbed, they were not super comfortable in the toe box for my particular foot. My toes felt a little squished and they didn’t feel like they would stretch.

Cordani Clog | Tee | Jeans

4. Dansko Marty Clogs

Pros: I have the Dansko Malins (with the same heel) and love them…they are SOOOOO super comfortable, but they’re sold out in my color, so figured I would try these for you guys as well. In terms of sustainability, Dansko is a part of the Sustainability Network of Philadelphia, is based in PA, and is 100% employee owned. We’re not sure how sustainable their product is, but they are definitely making strides in the right direction. In terms of comfort, they do NOT disappoint. They are dreamy (as usual). Danskos are my shoe. They fit my foot perfectly and my feet are furious at me that I don’t wear them every single day. “To HELL with fashion! Burn all pointy toe shoes!!!”, they are chanting! 

Cons: The style doesn’t wow me. They’re fine, but not as good as the style of the Madewell slingbacks. I wish the heel was a dark wood instead of the leather wrapped block heel. I also wish there was more of an interesting cut where the material ends on the top of my foot. The block heel and the slingback strap does feel a bit fresher than my old traditional Dansko clogs, though, so I will definitely give them some credit there. 

Dansko Marty Clogs | Tee | Jeans

5.  MIA Platform Lug Sole Clog

Pros: MIAs are at a significantly lower price point than many of the other well-known clog brands. Their styles are cute, you don’t have to wait forever to get them since they’re available at many retailers, and their leather is totally soft enough. They are a traditional handcrafted in Sweden clog and are FSC certified (products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.) 

Cons: I wanted to try the lug outsole to see if it added any additional comfort to the wooden footbed. It didn’t. They definitely feel secure when you’re walking (no slipperiness), but I like the look of the regular (non lug outsole) better. The wooden footbed is not as comfy(for my foot) as the Madewells, Bendable Svens, Danskos, Cordanis, or Antelopes that have some cushion. I would definitely wear them to walk a mile or so, but not when I have to walk the city the entire day. The materials don’t feel quite as luxe as some of the other clog brands I’ve tried…but then again, they are half the price. 

MIA Abba Clog | Tee | Jeans

6. Antelope Hi-Sling Mule

Pros: These are really comfortable. They have nice padding, soft material, easy velcro slingback adjustment, and in general just feel great on.

Cons: These aren’t clogs. Whoops! I made a mistake with my order, but figured I would throw them in here anyway in case someone is interested.  I meant to order these. This is a brand I will definitely keep on my radar because they were super comfortable, but the range of styles isn’t huge and the style (even of the ones I meant to order) isn’t quite right for me…too much of a platform and the heel doesn’t speak to me. I was so happy with the similarly styled Madewells, that I decided to not reorder the correct Antelopes. 

Antelope Hi Sling Mule| Tee | Jeans

Shop More Perfect-For-Fall Clogs

If you feel yourself wanting even MORE clog talk, take a look at my summer clog review here. I obviously LOVE talking clogs with my fellow clog lovers, so give it to me….what brands are you guys loving right now? Who has tried Svens without the bendable sole? Anyone able to walk in wooden footbed clogs all day long on pavement? Am I the only one with picky feet that desire a little extra padding/support? 

-Linzi