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Clarks Wallabees - yay or nay?

Bandwagonesque

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My first style related question here
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Looking at getting a pair of Clarks Wallabees. Leaning towards the tan suede ones, but I also fancy the beeswax leather, and dark brown suede. I imagine the tan being a little more versatile, but will get dirty easily (unless this is how they should look). First off, anybody have any past experiences with the Wallabees? How is wear & tear on them, comfort factor, and quality of craftsmanship? Ideal wardrobe to wear with them (I was thinking jeans + sweaters, or jeans + cord/tweed blazers, or jeans + polo)? I prefer the oxford style since I think the boot looks a little too Wu-Tangish - not something I'm looking for; but I could be completely wrong and it's just a matter of how you wear them. Would the oxford style be better with straight legs, and the boot be better with boot-cut jeans?
 

dingleberry

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I used to really like the wallabee, but they are just so bulky. Didn't find them to work with the rest of my wardrobe very well... not versatile at all, you can basically wear them only with the most casual of clothes. Nay for me!
 

knucks

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Nay for me. I think they are the ugliest shoes/trend ever.
 

truestorytravis

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I second Dingleberry's opinion on the Wallabees, nay. Instead, if you really like Clark's, I would reccomend the Desert Boot (not the Desert Trek). You can dress it up more, but it's still a casual boot. The profile is low, but your jeans/pants still break over them like any other boot, which I like. I bought them in the brown pebble grain leather and I've been very pleased with them. Here's the link to Zappos.
 

Bandwagonesque

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Negative on the desert boots. I find them too narrow for my feet, where as the Wallabees fit well. The crepe soles feel wonderful when walking around the shoe store... not sure how they feel after several hours of pounding the pavement though. Since I don't drive, I generally spend a lot of time walking, so I was hoping the Wallabee would be a good compromise for casual style and comfort.
 

Goblin

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I've never really dug Clarks. There are other posters here, far more stylish and well put-together than me, who swear by them, though.

Nice Teenage Fanclub avatar, btw. I loved that album.
 

j

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My hippie English teacher in high school loved Wallabees. He said they were the most comfortable shoes and he didn't care to wear anything else. Apparently at the time they were in danger of extinction, and he was worried they would be discontinued.

Anyway, I always thought they looked goofy, but they worked with his corduroy/cardigan/plaid comfortable aging hippie thing. If that's your thing then do it. Otherwise I can't really imagine them looking good. They are a shoe for people who really, really don't care what people think of how they look.
 

Bandwagonesque

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At 25, I'm kind of hoping to avoid the aging hippie look - even if I dress a little more conservative than most in my age group.
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Arethusa

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I agree with j. They fit a certain very specific aesthetic and they can work there, but I'm not a fan at all. Desert boots, on the other hand, kick ass.
 
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whoa! i LOVE wallabees. i'm on my third pair after having first tried the lows in tan, the highs in tan, and now highs in black. but you know, i guess i am an aging hippie/wutang sort that cares little for my appearance. they don't make me want to strut, rather slink around puffing smoke, high on dope-----some say booted, some say faded. BUY EM! oh yeah, you won't get a lot of mileage from tan ones, they get hobo-chic rather quick. beeswax is very nice. the made in ireland clarks are worth seeking out. eBay.
 

a tailor

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had a pair of desert boots years ago wore them down to nothing,they were great. too bad they dont come in wide, my feet have spread.
 

theshonen8899

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Wallabees are pretty different so I have mixed feelings about them. I know I'm way to young to be seen with those though...
 

ang_kangkong

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I used to think they were ugly. But that was the leather ones. The tan suedes look good, although they really do get dirty fast. I'd get the shade in-between the tan and the chocolate one.
 

skalogre

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I had to run a quick search to find what those things looked like.
Holy Donkey Excrement, Batman!
Not my cup of tea (or, rather, frappe this morning). I'll have to go with what J. mentioned. If you like them, wear them without caring about how they look
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