I have to admit something. I am a self-proclaimed clog lover, but I REALLY only wear “fake clogs”. Or at least “fake” in my own brain’s categorization of clogs. I’ve worn Swedish brand wooden clogs like the ones above for short to medium amounts of time, but they’re never my go-tos. My go-to clog style shoes are…wait for it…wait for it…surprise, surprise…Danskos!

Danskos were modeled after the traditional Dutch wooden clog, but provide a cushier footbed, aren’t as rigid in their feel, and many styles have the American Podiatric Medical Associations (APMA) Seal of Acceptance. Cue…Shana yawning! Sorry…but you know I get really fired up over truly comfortable shoes.

Recently, I’ve been a bit disappointed though, in Dansko’s styling. My newer pairs have missed the mark of “total cuteness” by a few small details, which isn’t that big of a deal (at least to me), but I’ve been lusting over the style and look of all of the “real” wooden clogs for summer. I decided to take a look at several different brands of clogs including some traditional wooden clogs, some fashion brands, as well as my trusted Danskos, in order to get a better feel for who has the cutest summer clogs and which ones I could actually wear on the daily.

1. Fashion Brand Clogs: The Ones That Are Super-Fun

The fashion brands definitely offer the most variety in styling. My favorites are from Free People and Boden. Free People has the best styles by FAR for fun and more edgy clog styling. From my experience, they’re comfortable enough. I’ve walked to dinner in them or walked to a friend’s without any problems, but I wouldn’t necessarily pick them as my go-to daily comfort shoe. Last summer, I wore my bright blue Boden clogs all the time as my “dressier” clog. This year, their color options are more neutral (a little disappointing to the bright blue shoe wearer), but definitely more versatile. The gold below, though, is still pretty fun and the navy is gorgeous.

Boden Gold Clogs | Black Dress | Earrings 

2. Mia: The Surprisingly Good Clog Option

This was the surprise find of my clog research. Mias are a more budget-friendly option for clogs (at least when comparing to Hasbeens, Sandgrens, Svens, etc.,). I’ve never worn them before because they often have a thicker tread on the bottom that isn’t my style. These super-cute red ones, though (which come in a lot of other color options too), have regular tread and I love them! Soft leather and cute styling. No cushion like Danskos footbed, but a good more “traditional clog” option for sure.

Red Mia Clogs | Black Dress | Earrings

3. Dansko: The Most Comfortable By Far

Dansko is one of my absolute favorite shoe brands. I wear their booties all winter long, their closed toe sandals during spring and fall, and I pretty much rotate between Dansko sandals and FitFlops during the summer months. For my feet, they fit perfectly, give just the right amount of support, don’t need breaking in, and are at a decent price point (for comfort shoes). They are far more comfortable (to me) than all of the traditional wooden clogs. I will say it, though. I don’t think they’re as cute as the Swedish brand clogs. My feet, however, are screaming at me right now that they are TOTALLY cute enough. 

Black Danskos | Black Dress | Earrings 

4. Sandgrens: The Real Deal Clog

Sandgrens is one of the brands I think of when I think of “real clogs.”  Hand-crafted in Sweden, they are known for their quality materials and craftsmanship, and therefore have a huge fan base. The footbed is completely wooden, but fits perfectly up against the arch of my foot (like they were TOTALLY made for me). I will warn you, though, at least some of the styles do require some breaking in with the leather. These were instantly pretty comfortable, but these I’m still breaking in. The top strap unfortunately hits my foot in the wrong spot on the side and needs to be stretched out quite a bit. I definitely picked the wrong style for my on-the-wider-side foot (or maybe I should have tried the next size up) but they’re SO cute, so (for once in my life) I was okay with going through a breaking in period. Will let you know if they ever perfectly mold to my foot (as they are supposed to). Sandgrens has such a nice range of beautiful more traditional clogs with lots of color, base and heel options. I find their styles really easy to wear in terms of style — I’ve been wearing these with EVERYTHING!  

Sandgrens in Nude | Black Dress | Earrings |

5. Lotta: A Budget-Friendly Option

I have been very impressed with Lotta. First of all, they have very similar stying to Sandgrens and Hasbeens, but are MUCH less expensive. I tried them for the first time this winter and wore these boots on repeat. They were a bit dressier that my Dansko booties, and I loved the higher shaft. I wore a thicker sock with them to give me a bit of cushioning (walking with only hardwood under your foot does take a bit to get used to). They have a decent selection of styles, and the leather feels softer to me than the Sandgrens and Hasbeens I’ve tried. Maybe the softness and lower price means they won’t last quite as long? I don’t know that yet, but for now, this is a great more budget-friendly traditional clog option.

Black T-Strap Lottas | Black Dress | Earrings

6. Hasbeens: Beautiful, But A Bit Rigid

Hasbeens is the other brand that I think of when I think of “real clogs”. High-quality, natural materials, sustainability-focused…all the good stuff. I love the style choices for Hasbeens, and people RAVE about their comfort once they are broken in. The particular pair that I tried though, was so squeaky and the leather was so stiff that I wasn’t even game for walking around the house in them for a day to see if they got better. I’ll say it again, though…other people do LOVE their Hasbeens, and I think maybe if I would have put in the effort, I may have too? They ARE really pretty. Cici Marie does a beautiful tutorial about how to break them in here. I may try again with another style. Hasbeens lovers, chime in…how long does it take to get them to soften and stop squeaking? Or did I just get a funky pair?

Swedish Hasbeens in Nature | Black Dress | Earrings

So…are you more confused than when you started? Just think…I could have also tried the gorgeous No. 6’s, the SUPER budget-friendly LeatherWorldDesigns, or the much beloved Svens!! To sum up—Danskos are still my go-to for all-day clog walkability. But, I do pull out my more traditional wooden clogs (Lotta and Sandgrens) or fashion clogs (Boden or Free People) if I want to step up my style, and only need to walk a mile or two. So Dansko…if you’re reading…can you let Shana and I know when you want to collaborate and make the world’s most comfortable AND stylish shoe? We’re ready!!  

-Linzi