When it comes to scouting the It-shoe of the summer season, there is one easy place to look: on a posh beach in Ibiza.
I was there for a swift trip over the Easter bank holiday weekend, and can safely report summer 2023 is up and running; magnums of Whispering Angel, silly boats — the works. And perched in the corner of one waterfront restaurant with wince-worthy prices, the favourite shoe of the best dressed men and women was unmissable and unexpected. Not a Gucci or Hermès leather slide, but the humble Birkenstock Boston clog.
To me, they had always felt like the wintery sibling to the two strapped Birkenstock Arizona. Not the streamlined, sleek sandals you might expect to find on the Balearic islands, but rotund, with a wide sole and covered toe. There is a real argument for the style, however.
The slipper-style loafer has, in recent seasons, dominated both the catwalk and street style set. This is in huge part thanks to JW Anderson, who first sent out his chunky, gold chain black clogs for AW20. They promptly became bestsellers and have been continually updated in various fabrications and embellishments (most recently covered in crystals). During the SS23 collections, clogs cropped up on the Dior, Ester Manus, Etro and Jacquemus catwalks, to name a few.
Thanks to the newfound desire for all things quiet luxury, the Birkenstock Boston boasts an advantage over any buzzy fashion brands. This explains the sight of the 1% settled by the Mediterranean sea enjoying two dozen oysters out of a vast, silver cauldron (quiet luxury has not yet reached cuisine) wearing them. If showing-off your wealth is not the name of the game, why go for monogrammed sliders with absolutely no support? Pick the comfortable, muted pair.
Fashion insiders have caught onto the secret: Jessica Skeete-Cross, ES Magazine’s Style Director, being one. “Editors love them for their practicality — they are so easy to wear,” she says. “I hate when sandals are dainty, or platformed. The Bostons are very grounding.” Evidence comes in the statistics — the style has been in the Lyst Index’s top 10 hottest products per quarter five times, making them the most featured product since 2020.
In terms of styling, their strength comes in contrast. “They are best paired with something unexpected — with a really pretty dress, they make for a perfect balance,” Skeete-Cross continues. “If you don’t want to get your feet out, they are perfect. They are also the only sandal you can get away with pairing with a sock, and because they feel like slippers, you can wear them all day. Heaven.”
These qualities have certainly not been overlooked by A-listers, and the Boston clog is happily building a stronghold of celebrity endorsements. Kendall Jenner’s are taupe and paired with jeans and a cardigan, Sienna Miller opts for burgundy with a shearling lining, and the black pair were Brooklyn Beckham’s shoe of choice while celebrating his mother’s 49th birthday in the Bahamas this week.
It seems clear, then: if you want to join the well-heeled this summer, simply cash in on the clogs.
Shop the Birkenstock Boston clog...
Birkenstock Boston, suede faded khaki, £120, birkenstock.com
Birkenstock Boston, suede mink, £120, birkenstock.com
Birkenstock Boston, oiled leather habanna, £115, birkenstock.com
