Birk Bostons: “Fugly, chic, and absolutely essential”
Will Reed
Maybe this should have been written last year when the trend was at its peak, but Birkenstock Bostons have become the lasting clog of the pandemic era. Clogs are pretty lit... they look good, are comfy and they’re easy to slip on and off. The cork-heeled, backless Bostons, a staple among people of all ages and genders, are the new “it” casual, but stylish (?) shoe.
Like most fashion trends, we have social media to thank for the recent upsurge in Boston wearers. The taupe suede model, a distinct favorite among users on TikTok, is often hard to come by. Personally, I had to wait I think three months for the color and size model I wanted.
The rise of the Birkenstock Boston did not happen overnight though. In 2021, they were spotted on the feet of many celebrities, including Kaia Gerber, Kendall Jenner, Emma Chamberlain, Kristen Stewart, and Kate Sadoff.
Sadoff was early to the game though. Reminiscing on her clog journey to me in an interview, she said, “I pride myself on the fact I got my Bostons for Christmas in 2016. It took me 6 years to wear them, and sometimes I still feel violently insecure in them, but still.” Still what you might be wondering? I’m honestly not sure... Why is she hesitant? And why did it take her six years to wear them?
Why do the masses gallivant so for the slip-on, buckled up flat? Its muted color tones don’t come off as stylish by any means, they look like they belong on the feet of elderly care center patients! Its fabrications, which include wool, microfiber, and leather, are more grandparent-friendly than they are fashionable.
The appeal of the Boston lies in its subtle hybridity, or at least I think it does. Part ugly slipper, part chunky loafer, the adaptation of an old-school clog epitomizes comfort, ease, and the relief of being able to walk out the door in three seconds wearing a versatile shoe universally seen as trendy.
Like Sado, senior Estelle Martin was also gifted her Bostons during the holiday season. “My mom gifted my yellow fuzzy Bostons to me as a Christmas present. Bostons have definitely become the latest fashion trend at Middlebury, so I wanted to wear a pair that were a little more unique,” she said. “However, it is important to recognize how certain trends can be expensive and inaccessible, and Bostons are no exception.”
Martin’s yellow Bostons
They’re expensive, but they’re intersectional too. The versatility that the Bostons call to is also a leading reason people are opting in.
Usual hater, improv genius, bob-haired musician Vaughan Supple spoke on that front, saying that he’s “usually a hater of things,” but he actually likes the Bostons. He continued, “I think the hybrid design makes for a fascinating intersection of crunchy, vintage, and casual styles. I find Birkenstock’s more iconic Arizona sandals a bit too Ancient Mediterranean — they make me feel like a 300 BC Roman civilian and I don’t care for that. However, the Bostons are a bit more refined. The closed-toe allows for more versatility, and that’s why I think they are so cohesive with many dierent vibes.”
Bostons are usually priced around $170, which is shocking for sure because they’re so ugly and are literally one piece of cloth and some cork!
Junior Katie Futterman thinks that the Boston trend is much like any other in terms of ridiculousness.
“They're the most Middlebury thing possible because they're kind of ugly, and we all know that, but we just decided they're cool. Mostly because they are really expensive. They fit into the ‘I’m so rich I can afford these random a$$ shoes’ category, like those Nelly jackets,” Futterman said.
Her boyfriend, Jonah Joseph, had a similar take on the clogs. I found him in Davis Family Library when I was wearing my Bostons and said, “Jonah, say something about my shoes.” He responded, “Bostons, priced at $170, are a great way to show that you have money yet have no interest in being fashionable.”
Liv Cohen, Matt Wilkinson, and Will Reed in their Bostons
Despite their inaccessibility, everyone is clearly flocking to these underwhelmingly popular shoes.
Senior feb and queen of every single Chicago suburb Emma Johnson says that Bostons are “fugly, chic, and absolutely essential.”
Birkenstock initially launched the Boston model in 1979, and they’ve teetered on the periphery of fashion’s inner and outermost psyche since then.
Wildlife photographer-senior feb Sam Roubin likes to wear my Bostons from time to time. I usually don’t mind, but sometimes I notice that his feet stretch the shoes out after he spends a day stomping around in them.
“I wear yours, and then you complain to me about my fat feet stretching them out,” Roubin said. “So maybe I don’t like how they stretch, but I do like to wear them because then I look fashionable.”