Alright, let’s talk about them shoes, the ones they called platform clogs back in the 70s. You know, the ones with the thick, thick bottoms? Lordy, those things were somethin’ else.
What were they like, you ask? Well, imagine your regular shoes, but then somebody went and slapped a whole extra chunk of wood or somethin’ on the bottom. Made you taller, that’s for sure. Some of ‘em were so high, you felt like you were walkin’ on stilts! I swear, some were four inches high, maybe even more. Felt like you could see clear over the whole town.
And they came in all sorts of colors and stuff. Shiny ones, leather ones, even some with them rainbow stripes, looked like a circus exploded on your feet. I remember seein’ some that were all yellow and shiny, with black bottoms. Those were somethin’. And then there were the wooden ones, sometimes with little carvings, real fancy-like. Some had straps, some didn’t, some had buckles, some had ties. It was a whole mess of different kinds, I tell ya.
Why did folks wear ‘em? Well, for one, they were the style. Everybody and their brother was wearin’ ‘em. All them singers and dancers on the TV, they all had ‘em on. Guess folks just wanted to be like them. It was that disco music, you know? That fast, loud stuff. Them shoes, they kinda went with the music, I guess. Made you feel like you were part of somethin’ special, even if you were just standin’ in line at the grocery store.
Now, I ain’t gonna lie, they weren’t always the most practical things. You had to be careful walkin’ in ‘em. Twist your ankle in a heartbeat if you weren’t payin’ attention. And them wooden ones? Lord, they were heavy. Felt like you were luggin’ bricks around on your feet all day. And don’t even get me started on stairs. Clompin’ up and down them things was a workout, I tell ya.
- Some were made outta wood, plain and simple.
- Some were covered in leather, all shiny and nice.
- Some had all sorts of straps and buckles and whatnots.
- And the colors! Every color you could think of, and then some.
And let me tell you, they weren’t just for the young folks either. Even us older gals, we wore ‘em sometimes. Made us feel a little bit fancy, a little bit taller. Course, we didn’t go for them crazy high ones, the ones that looked like they could tip over any minute. We stuck to the more sensible ones, the ones you could actually walk in without breakin’ your neck. I even saw men wearin’ ‘em, though theirs were usually more plain, just the thick bottoms, nothin’ too flashy.
I remember seein’ some shoes that were denim, like them blue jeans, you know? And they had a strap on the back, to keep ‘em from fallin’ off. Sears, I think it was. They sold all sorts of stuff back then.
Where did folks get ‘em? All over the place. Department stores, shoe stores, even little boutiques. You could find ‘em anywhere, if you knew where to look. And sometimes, if you were lucky, you could find a real bargain. I even heard some folks made their own if they were handy with tools. But those were few and far between. Most of us just bought ‘em like everyone else.
Now, you don’t see ‘em around much anymore, not like you used to. Styles change, I guess. But every now and then, I’ll see a pair in a vintage store or somethin’, and it takes me right back. Those 70s, they were somethin’ else, and them platform clogs, well, they were a big part of it.
Thinkin’ back, they were kinda crazy, those shoes. But they were fun, too. Made you feel like you were walkin’ on air, even if you were just walkin’ to the store.
Tags: [70s shoes, platform clogs, platform shoes, clogs, vintage shoes, disco shoes, chunky heels, platform heels, 70s fashion, womens shoes]