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Do they look snappy?
Helen Tither16/ 7/2008
SASHAYING her way through the Arndale centre, Channel M presenter Michelle Totton draws more than a few glances from passing shoppers. Not to check out her glamorously figure-hugging red satin dress - but to double-take at those baby pink, fur-lined plastic pumps on her feet.
Don't they know these little beauties are the height of fashion? As seen on the celebrity feet of everyone from Hollywood A-listers including Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel to pop glamourpusses including Nicole Appleton. Even George W Bush has popped his presidential tootsies into a pair of the funny- looking footwear.
And now they're here, with the brand opening its fourth UK stand-alone store in the Arndale, selling nothing but Crocs in all shapes, sizes and colours.
But will they be a hit with the city's fashion-conscious consumers? They are, after all, the ultimate in Marmite love 'em or hate 'em accessories.
Since they first hit the headlines a few years ago, they've gained devoted fans who swear by their comfort factor and wipe-clean practicality, with busy manual workers and parents being their biggest advocates. Heck, they've even got their own fan website - packed with ideas on how you can "pimp" your Crocs by adding glitter studs and accessories.
On the other side of the fashion frontline, the Croc-haters cite style over substance as the reason they just can't stand the squidgy little pumps, arguing they are not exactly as flattering on the old calves as a six-inch high pair of Louboutin heels.
Fun footwear
Well, they do have a point. The shoes were originally designed as boating and outdoor fun footwear, with their slip-resistant, non-marking sole, before taking off as a fashion accessory - with now, we are promised, trendier designs and more feminine styles, including heels and wedges.
That's the theory, anyway. Putting their fashion factor to the test, the M.E.N enlisted the expert opinion of Michelle - traffic and weather presenter on Channel M's Breakfast Show.
A regular on the city's stylish party scene, she loves nothing better than donning her glamorous gladrags to hit the town. And always in a pair of towering heels.
Indeed, self-confessed stiletto addict Michelle has more than 30 pairs stashed in her wardrobe alone, with more hidden away in the loft.
"I just love dressing up," she confesses with her trademark infectious giggle. "I love dressing up to the nines and jazzing it all up with a bit of bling - I suppose I'd describe myself as a wannabe WAG!
"You would never see me going out in jeans, it's got to be a dress and killer heels. No pain, no gain is what I say. My highest pair of heels are about six inches but I actually have trouble walking in flat shoes, I've worn heels so long. I'm only about 5ft 2in in flats so I've been wearing heels since I was about 13. I would always go for attractiveness over comfort in the shoe department."
Safety risks
Following recent headlines over the safety risks of high heels, however - with Knutsford student Sophie King getting £7,000 in compensation after breaking her ankle when her heel snapped - Michelle agreed to give Crocs a go. The first test - as daywear, with a shopping spree in the fur-lined pink models.
"There's no disputing the fact they are comfortable," she concedes after a trot around the Arndale, attracting quizzical glances from shoppers as she went. "And I suppose you need a little bit of comfort if you are going to shop until you drop. But looks-wise they remind me of something my granny would wear. They look more like something you would wear with some pyjamas while watching Corrie." What about in place of her night-time towering heels? Would a trial run in a pair in this season's neutral shades convince our stiletto fan to change her ways?
"They feel quite bouncy. I feel like I could walk around for a long time without my toes getting squished together," she muses as we pause at Est Café for a cocktail. "But, actually, the only way I would take these on a night out is in my bag to put on in the taxi going home. I won't be going to any kind of party in these. I've been in serious pain after a night out with my feet in blisters - but at least you know you look damn good."
So, they are winners on the comfort front - but what's the final fashion verdict on these rubbery creations? "I'm always going to be a heels girl and this hasn't changed my mind," smiles Michelle."
Catch Michelle every morning on the Channel M Breakfast Show
Most recent 2 of 4 user comments
18/07/2008 at 09:44
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