Clogmaster

Amazing custom-made clogs! Cecilia is very helpful with fittings, color options, leather choices, and ordering. There seem to be hundreds of combinations to choose from. It took about two weeks for my shoes to come in the mail but it was worth the wait. They make your shoes in the US, which is great. (I ordered bright orange patent leather with blonde wood clogs.)

They won't sell you a pair of clogs unless you have been fitted by them personally. This might seem annoying and unnecessary but they are very serious about how clogs are supposed to fit your feet. They have a real philosophy to clogs. Now having worn my clogs for the past few months, I totally understand why. Also, if you're spending over $100 for clogs, those shoes better fit your feet's needs perfectly.

Clogmaster used to be in LA but moved to Portland this past year. They schedule visits for fittings in various cities throughout the year--check their calendar online.

I'm now a convert to Clogmaster and won't ever buy Danskos, Sanitas, etc., ever again.

This is an update and review on Clogmaster's fittings. Custom fittings probably seem a thing of the past, and you might even think, "Why bother?" Or, "I don't have time." And I understand...we live in a world that's increasingly sped up, and we need things "convenient"; it's a place where most everything is mass-manufactured these days, we order online, and we treat our wardrobe with a throw-away mentality. But some things require just that extra bit of attention, because the result is worth it. A custom fit is just that: a wardrobe item made to YOUR body's specifications, YOUR personal style, and YOUR lifestyle/career needs. Like a piece of fine tailoring, it moves and supports YOU, creating an ease that feels like gliding...like second skin. This is the opposite of mass-manufactured, cookie-cutter clothing. Such is the case and reason for getting a fitting appointment with Cecilia (or in my case, re-fitting).

As you may have already read, I've worked with Clogmaster since 1998, starting when they first were located in Los Angeles. She is located in Portland now (lucky Stumptown), and comes to Los Angeles (and various other big cities in the U.S.) twice a year. If you're on her mailing list, you get a head's up and clog updates, and first dibs at appointments. Given the rare opportunity, I felt it important to make an appointment because who knows? Since my previous update, my feet, my gait, having transitioned to clogs within the last year, might have changed -- indeed, I now wear them on a daily basis. Not because I'm working in the kitchen every single day -- I still wear them exclusively for that -- but because my body's posture feels so incredibly supported, familiar, and comfortable in clogs that I can't help but wear them also as house slippers, as well as my every day shoes (if that isn't getting my money's worth, then I don't know what is!). So you see, given my excessive fandom for clogs, I felt it best to see the expert in person, because nothing (phone calls, emails, etc.) else compares.

I checked into my appointment, and immediately, my file, with contact info and shoe size, was pulled. Having just come from the kitchen, I already had on my original clogs, which Cecilia promptly examined its wear and tear. She chuckled, "People usually don't want to show me their shoes, saying they are all beat up, but that's exactly what I want to see, and how a clog should wear!" Like a physician diagnosing, she turned my clogs over in her hands, and then proceeded to ask her assistant for a few different pairs for me to try on. I walked in them in front of her, forwards and backwards, so she could examine my gait. Like an optometrist, she dialed in the fit each time, and we exchanged feedback, until we came to an agreement. Her assistant duly noted it down in my chart.

Next, I looked over her shoe display, and took in leather color swatches. When you customize your shoe, you get to choose what adorns it...color, type of leather (patent? nubuck?), patterning, etc. There were some REALLY cute sandal designs, but given the issues with my feet, I couldn't fit them. Any question I had, Cecilia was attentive and gave me helpful feedback. My mind went into overload, and so I decided to narrow down my choices with photos for later examination and order. Here's some off-the-cuff "wishlist" shots for my upcoming house-slipper & every day shoe order:

http://goo.gl/lB219
http://goo.gl/8XPHA
http://goo.gl/QpYS1
http://goo.gl/kSOMt
http://goo.gl/61NxD

Some reviewers have noted that Cecilia is on the gruff side. Yea, I don't doubt it. And clogs may not be for everyone (they'll never been on the cover of Vogue). Your posture and foot health may not be a priority. Still, I'm pretty sure Cecilia, in her many years of experience, has seen it all: bunions, calluses, hammer toes, fallen arches...you name it. The one thing I am sure is: it's no small undertaking to travel from city to city, lugging a stockroom of heavy leather and wood clogs -- clearly, this woman is passionate about foot health, gruff or not!!

p.s. I get asked a lot of my clogs ever "fall off" my foot. Nope. It's never happened, much to my surprise, with or without socks. But then again, that's due to the custom fit. I've even sprinted down a street with buckling pavement in them -- while clogs aren't meant to be running shoes, I didn't fall, nor did they!

p.p.s. given that most trendy shoes cost a hell of a lot more than clogs, I am wondering why people get bent out of shape at its "expense" when they don't get the right fit. I experienced that feeling too, but then again, I was only making $17K/year at the time, so yes, that was expensive to me.

p.p.p.s. no, you can't return something that's been custom-fitted to you. It's a bummer because clogs haven't the same resale qualities as say, "designer" products at Crossroads, for example. So don't purchase unless you're totally sure and/or have been fitted.

Clogmaster in Oregon may be closed but the business lives on and relocated to Southern California. The new owners are keeping Cecilia's tradition of fitting road trips. I have missed both of them, since my schedule is not flexible; no matter, they have the customer information. I was very happy to be able to call and renew my usual order ( for the last 34 years!) of one work pair and one every other day pair.
They just arrived yesterday morning, I wore the work pair for the second half of my 12 hour shift and as usual no break-in needed. Thank you!

I loved clogmaster too, until I had a problem...

I was fitted for a pair of clogs in October 2010 in New York City and few weeks later my beloved clogs arrived. They were wonderful and I wore them constantly until....four months later, one of the wooden bases snapped. I called Cecilia and she was pleasant enough, but didn't offer a replacement pair and advised that I mail the clogs to a shop in LA that might be able to fix them. I didn't follow that course of action, because it seemed expensive and extreme. Honestly, I live in NYC shouldn't I be able to find a cobbler who can fix a clog? The answer is no. I found a cobbler who did a patch job a few months ago and now chunks of wood are falling out of the broken wooden base. What I need is a new pair, I even contacted the distributor, Sven Clogs and they refused replacement, and said it was up to Cecilia to replace them. Cecilia promises a lifetime of wear out of these clogs, and I believe that for many that is true. Not for me. Just be aware that what you purchase from her that your clogs are not returnable. You would think that for such an expensive product there would be some sort of guarantee, but alas. If your shoes break, its tough luck.

Cecila at Clogmaster saved my back and legs , during my 3 pregnancy's . Cant live without them. All my kids have clogs to. They love them. And they get to choose their colors .

I was "fitted" in Los Angeles but it turned out to be bogus. I ended up with a nucleated callous that had to be cut out by a podiatrist; he told me the cause was ... shoes that didn't fit right. Since the clogs were the only new shoes I'd bought in a year and had started to bother that toe right before the serious pain set in, obviously they were the culprit.

I spoke to Cecilia over the phone and she was quite rude, practically yelling at me and acting as if it were all my fault. She refused to give me a refund on the clogs and told me I just needed to wear pads or toe spacers (honestly, toe spacers!) to make them fit right. I also told her I hadn't been able to wear the clogs more than 4 hours a day on carpet at work, and she said maybe the wood was too hard for me; of course, before I bought them she assured me how soft and giving wood was.

At $145 for the pair, a very expensive mistake!

I love Clogmaster!!! Although I've never been to the store, I became acquainted with Cecilia at a recent fitting in Los Angeles. I initially bought 2 pairs. They were so comfortable and made my feet feel so good that I called the store today and ordered three more pairs! The color and style selection is impressive. Who knew that clogs could be so comfortable and stylish at the same time?

I LOVE my clogs!!
I'm sorry for those who did not get the clog of their dreams as I did.
I'm still breaking mine in, and I love them already. In fact, I'm dreaming up my next order!

Clogmaster Clogs are the absolute best! I have 12 pair. Been buying from Cecilia since the late 1990's when she was in LA. Since she move to Oregon - their gain - I order by mail. These are the best clogs! Thank you Cecilia!

I work in kitchen and therefore spend more than 12 hours standing. In the past I had a great deal of issues with my kitchen shoes. I tried a lot of different styles and brands, but nothing really worked for me. Someone at worked recommended CLOGMASTERS and I contacted Cecilia for the fitting. I finally got shoes that work for me. the clogs are super comfortable and the service was great. I liked it so much that I just ordered another pair. I totally recommend it .