Croc-wearers say they have both. Staff at Telluride Sports and Jagged Edge report the shoes are practically walking off the shelves.
"I can't keep them on the shelf," says Jagged Edge manager Carrie Mackey. "I've never seen anything like this."
Crocs are selling so fast that Telluride Sports sales rep Doug Christmann is confident he could have sold twice as many Crocs as he got this year, if only the dealer could have supplied them. In fact, Christmann says, T-Sports sold out of the smalls and mediums about five or six weeks ago, and is having trouble getting more.
Jagged Edge has carried Crocs for three years now, and Telluride Sports started selling them just last year, but it seems as though more Crocs are walking down Telluride streets all the time.
Mackey credits The New York Times for some of their popularity; an article about the Crayola-colored slip-ons about a year and a half ago in the fashion section, she says, helped to ignite the craze. Suddenly, "Movie stars started wearing them, people started buying them," said Mackey.
Telluride middle-schooler Tucker Brumley is a walking advertisement for the shoes; this summer, his entire 11- and 12-year-old baseball team adopted the Croc fad. Brumley's Crocs are easy to spot; bright yellow, they beg for attention.
Brumley admits that he's taken a lot of grief for the shoes, but it's worth the comfort. "I don't really care," he says. "They're really comfortable, and I like 'em."
Brumley brought his Crocs for comfort. "I just wanted some slip-on shoes that I could wear around town," he says.
It's not too surprising to learn that Crocs come from Boulder; initially, their Boulder-based founders decided to market the strange Form Creations Inc.-design to the boating and outdoor market, due to its "slip-resistant, non-marking sole," according to Croc.com, where 17 colors of Crocs are available.
The first Croc was introduced at a Fort Lauderdale boat show; from there, a worldwide trend began.
The Crocs cult attracts teens especially, according to Christmann. "Every middle school and high school kid has them."
Christmann and Mackey agree that Crocs appeal to all ages.
"I think it's the bright colors," Christmann speculates.
Crocs' colors alone draw attention; they come in black, navy blue, emerald, sea blue, khaki, red, yellow, pearl (white), orange, pink, sage green, butter, light blue, coral and purple.
With a wide range of appealing colors, a $30-60 price tag, and a comfort level that's off the charts, it's likely that these summer shoes will be around for a long time, covering naked feet for years ahead.
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