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Clogs are having a moment. The footwear style has been around in one form or another for centuries, but over the last year it’s been elevated to the realm of high fashion, transforming the kicks you once slipped on to putter around the house or take out the trash into a bona fide hot commodity. Prada makes an expectedly terrific pair. Bottega Veneta can’t keep its hulking rubber versions in stock. But despite the clog’s sudden glow up, it’s the OGs of the genre that tend to command the most chatter online—and right now, no clog is more in-demand than the Birkenstock A 630, a just-off-kilter-enough silhouette stocked by insider-y retailers like End. Clothing, Matchesfashion, and SSENSE.
Out of all the shoes in Birkenstock’s repertoire, the A 630 caught on for a few reasons. It’s durable, sure, crafted from a water-resistant polyurethane designed to withstand the daily hazards of cramped kitchens and busy hospitals. It’s comfortable too, equipped with a cushy cork-latex footbed to keep your joints protected. But it also shares a certain aesthetic similarity to its designer counterparts, down to the gently bulbous toe boxes and sizable, non-slip soles. And at a hundred bucks a pop, it’s a great way to take a joy ride on the Clog Life train without jumping aboard for the long haul.
Okay, GQ, you might be thinking to yourself. I need a pair. But why the limited color section?! Good question, friend. That’s where the Super Birki, a close relative of the A 630 available in a spectrum of eye-grabbing hues—comes into play. The silhouette’s a little more low-key, while still nodding to the type of shoes thrust into the spotlight by The Bear. Paul Albright, a creative director in Chicago, bought the Super Birkis (“a step above slides, but still not date night-approved”) instead of springing for something like Marni's Fussbett Sabot. Michael Bolognino, a marketing executive who splits his time between Brooklyn and the Berkshires (twin nuclei of peak-clog activity), copped his bright yellow Birkis for more practical reasons. “I’m in and out of the house with the dogs/chickens, working in the garden, heading to the dump, etc. I like to turn heads by wearing them in the city where they feel very out of context.”
That exact dichotomy explains the clog’s ubiquity right now. If you’re a newfound enthusiast with money to burn, there’s an abundance of high-flying designer alternatives to choose from. But if you’re looking to let your freak flag fly without dropping a couple of Benjamins, a pair of white-hot Birkenstocks will help you channel Jeremy Allen White and co.—or just tidy up around the house—with pocket change to spare.