Clogs caught on almost as soon as they hit the ramps last year, and designers predicted they'd be a hot Spring-Summer 2011 trend. Now, sizzling singer Beyonce has been sporting the StarShip Enterprise on her feet in her latest video, and Mumbai's shoe stores are rushing to stock up on these weighty shoes. Can they survive Mumbai's streets?

Girls rule the world, croons Beyonce in her latest track. But the catchy tune and dance steps aside, it's the unmissable pair of bulky, sky-high clogs that she sports in the video that has caught everyone's attention.

Traditionally designed to protect the feet of European factory workers, clogs were heavy, entirely-wooden shoes that had a rounded, up-turned front. Over time, other materials were used to form the top of the boot and, as the shoes came to be used outside factories, assorted modified variants were born.



Today, however, 19th century Dutch workers would have a hard time believing that Beyonce's hard-to-miss glitzy StarShip Enterprise shoes, designed by Gareth Pugh, evolved from their traditional footwear. What's more, her clogs that sport a sole slightly upturned at the front, are taking Mumbai's shoe shops by storm.

The upturned sole and bulk are two distinguishing features of clogs, highlights accessories designer Malini Aggarwala of brand, Malaga. "We stock ethnic mojris with platform heels as well as with wedge heels, but I'd categorise those as mules. Clogs are essentially wooden-based footwear that may or may not be open-backed or covered from the top. But they are always bulky," she says.

One look at Mumbai's undulating broken pavements and cratered roads, however, and you wonder if clogs are practical on Mumbai's mean streets. Rina Shah of footwear brand Rinaldi takes issue with the weight of these shoes. "They are not the best option for your feet, although I do know several women who swear by clogs.

With wooden soles, they are heavy and noisy and can't offer adequate support to the arch of your foot."
Assuring us that they don't feature on her shoe-rack at home, she candidly shares, "Clogs are too outlandish and not flattering. I prefer more feminine designs -- shoes that are not so chunky."

This writer tried on a few pairs at Aldo, Catwalk and Nine West, and found them reasonably comfortable -- not the sort of shoes you'd want on when you are trying to board a local train or shopping for tomatoes -- but certainly comfortable enough for just a couple of hours of wear.

But, if anyone can accurately gauge a shoe's merit, it's Isha Dave, proprietor of Bombaybliss Belly Dance studio, who spends most of her evenings emphasising the importance of correct posture and core strength to students at her Marine Drive class. Balance is the keyword in the life of the 26 year-old, who works as an optometrist by day and belly-dance-instructor post sunset.

"I love how they drive on any side of the road here," Dave says with a nervous smile, as she crosses a traffic-ridden road at Chowpatty carefully but quickly.

Dave moved to Mumbai from London a year ago, but knows enough to keep her eyes glued to the pavement as she test-drives two pairs of clogs for us on what, fortunately for her, turned out to be a not-so-rainy Thursday. "They are comfortable," she says, sliding out of a pair and back into her flat moccasins, but quickly adding, "but I wear heels all the time, and even for a pro like me, it was a struggle to walk this short distance, what with all the cracks on the pavement. Stepping off the footpath was particularly tricky with this big mucky gap separating the pavement from the road."

Julia Roberts' niece, Emma, who played Nancy Drew in the 2007 release, Nancy Drew, and Jill Roberts in Scream 4, is probably the most recent addition to Hollywood's clog crew, having been spotted in Miu Miu bow clogs (they look very similar to a pair Dave tried on for us) in May this year.

Swedish Hasbeens have been a popular clog brand with Hollywood actors, Sarah Jessica Parker and Maggie Gyllenhaal for a while now.

Deepanjali Chatrath, designer at shoe brand Catwalk, believes clogs are immensely popular with some fashionistas. While she insists they are comfortable, Chatrath also admits, "The weather here doesn't permit you to sport clogs through the year. You can only really wear them in the cooler months."

That translates to two months in a year, given Mumbai's non-existent chills.

Still, according to a post on the brand's Facebook page, during the ongoing summer sale, prices of trendy clogs -- usually in the range of Rs 10,790 to Rs 14,390 -- have been slashed by 50 per cent.

So, if you are bold enough to weather the weather in these high-heeled power shoes, this may be the best time to pick up a pair.