Clogs

From Freepedia

Image:Panthouse-klompen.jpg Image:Wooden Shoes-willow-plain wood.jpg

A clog is a type of shoe or sandal. Clogs were, and in some regions still are, widely worn by workers as protective clothing in factories, mines and farms.

A form of tap dancing using clogs is called clogging.

Traditional clogs were made out of willow or poplar wood and are associated with the Netherlands as part of the touristic 'Holland' image, where they are seen as a form of national dress. Because of this, Dutch people are sometimes called cloggies, that is, clog-wearers. In Dutch clogs are known as klompen. Today, clogs are available in many tourist shops. Wearing clogs is considered to be healthy for the feet.

Nowadays, the term clogs is used to refer to comfortable slip-on shoes. They are often made out of leather, but some clogs keep the bottom part out of wood. All-rubber clogs are often worn while gardening, because they can be easily hosed off and allowed to air-dry.

The term clogs is also used to refer to a special kind of shoe worn while clog-dancing. They are similar to tap shoes, but the taps are free to click against each other, therefore producing a different sound than tap shoes.