Closed Back Leather Clogs

When you need the heel held

A closed back adds a heel counter, which does three things: it steadies you on stairs, it stops the shoe slapping as you walk, and it satisfies the dress codes that require an enclosed shoe. If your day involves stairs, ladders or moving quickly, this is the shape to buy.

What you give up

Ventilation, mostly. A closed clog runs warmer over a long day, and it is slower to get on and off — which matters more than it sounds in jobs where shoes come off at a door.

Sizing is closer to a normal shoe

Because the heel is held, closed-back clogs size much like ordinary footwear: about a centimetre at the toe, snug but not tight across the ball. The instep is still the thing to watch if the vamp is fixed.

If you are between sizes in a rigid closed-back clog, size down. There is no strap to take up slack and leather stretches across the width rather than the length.

The professional lines

Most of the clogs built specifically for clinical and kitchen work are closed-back, closed-toe and slip-resistant, because that combination is what workplace policies ask for. If your employer specifies an enclosed shoe, this is where to look.

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