It’s no secret that Aldi is known for putting out convincing dupes – from makeup to DIY, you can often find equivalents of high-end brands. So when the supermarket giant released stylish shoes resembling luxury clogs, shoppers went wild.
Priced at £9.99, the taupe and pink clogs were released in November and are convincing ‘dupes’ for those made by luxury brands like Birkenstock, Jack Wills, M&S and Next. On the day of the release, shoppers raced to source a pair, with forums on Reddit, Mumsnet, and Aldi Facebook groups flooded with praise for how amazing they were.
One shopper posted on ALDI Aisle of Shame Community Facebook group, which has 3.3 million members, that she was “obsessed” with the Aldi clogs. So when I saw the Aldi special buys team post on Instagram to say they were releasing the clogs in UK stores the next morning, I knew what I had to do.
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I would be at work on the day of the launch, but a family member was able to visit Aldi in Coventry to source a pair. Fans have gone wild for the footwear, saying they’re ideal for in the house, throwing on to go to the shops or a day out. Pinterest is also full of ways to style them, from pairing them with wide leg jeans to pop socks and a skirt.
Comments under Aldi’s Instagram post made me think it would be hard to get a pair, and I was right. My relative called me from the middle of the supermarket aisle to report the clogs were flying off the shelf, and while there were lots of pink pairs still left, the pile of taupe coloured clogs was fast depleting.
A closer look at the Avenue pair
(Image: Naomi de Souza / BirminghamLive)
He grabbed a pair, and once I tried them on, it felt like they could be a convincing alternative to the high-end versions. I went for the taupe colour, which is most similar to the big brands.
Mumsnet described the clog dupes as perfect for the school run, writing: “If you’re in a bit of a shoe limbo like us, then Aldi’s come to the rescue with something that’s stylish, cosy and perfect for in-betweeny autumn days when boots are too much.
“Enter – the clog. No, not like the wooden ones that you’d imagine from The Sound of Music or Heidi – these ones have been given a 2024 makeover and they’re super stylish.”
After four weeks of road testing, I would recommend the shoes, but have one warning. They were versatile, true to size and decent quality, the upper lining was made of leather. While the top part was not suede, it was made of an equivalent that looked very much like suede.
The clogs had room for a thick pair of socks and a buckle with three holes, meaning you can adjust them to make them tighter. But you could tell quality was perhaps lacking in two areas – grip and durability.
Styled with socks
(Image: Naomi de Souza / BirminghamLive)
The grip on the soles isn’t great, meaning you can’t walk briskly as your feet don’t feel fully secure. I also got water marks after just two uses. This may have been prevented if I had used waterproofing spray on them, but there is a risk they won’t be as durable as those sold by luxury brands.
However, £9.99 is not to be sniffed at and I will continue to wear them. Fans who missed out took to Reddit to share their disappointment. One crestfallen shopper wrote: “They essentially said to just check back in to see if they got their stock yet. I’m hoping they do, I’ve been eyeing that style of shoe for fall for a few weeks.”
Another said the clogs would help her live out her “art teacher dreams.” The clogs are no longer in Aldi, but if you are in the market for a pair, New Look do a style for £13.99, M&S do a pair for £35 and Jack Wills do their own version for £35.