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Are you a Croc lover? This comfortable, durable and versatile footwear has ridden a tide of derision and hate to become a fashion icon, a triumph of practicality over style. Crocs have become the Nickleback of shoes, seemingly cool to hate on by unimaginative people who probably never owned a pair, yet the sales speak for themselves.

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Now there are companies jumping on the bandwagon with ‘Croc-inspired’ products, like these gloriously colorful handbags from Optari. While they do not say it explicitly, Optari has clearly taken some of that Croc love when designing their tote and pool bags, creating durable and lightweight products that can be easily customized and make an independent-minded woman really stand out from the crowd.

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

“Sol Totes are large enough to hold many great gifts and will stand out among all the ordinary baskets,” they write on their website. “Then the recipient will have a bag that they can use all year long! Another great benefit is that the totes hold paint very well, which allows them to be personalized with a name or a unique design.”

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

“Our EVA material is super lightweight, plus super durable, washable and won’t fade in the sun.  Ever go to the beach and have your canvas bag fall over?  Our product stands up!  Sturdy and your best choice for the pool or beach.”

Image credits: amazon

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Image credits: amazon

All kinds of creative touches have gone onto the bags, as you can see they seem to be perfect for crafty types. Now available on Amazon, the range also includes a ‘crossbody’ which can be worn in a variety of ways and comes which ‘Fobbz charms’ that attach in the holes and allow you to customize your bag according to your current mood.

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Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Predictably, the reaction has been divided. The usual snobbery about how ‘horrific’ anything remotely Croc-related has been doing the rounds, but for Optari’s target audience, young women and girls who enjoy customizing their stuff and just want a colorful bag for school or the beach, there is a lot of love. The reviews on Amazon are overwhelmingly positive!

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Besides, the backlash against the backlash is real, and Crocs have had their moments in the world of high fashion too. When it becomes cool to hate on something, there is always going to be a subculture of hipsters who choose to be contrarian and celebrate it ‘ironically.’ Perhaps these bags will become the next big fashion hit of the summer?

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Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Would you buy one of these? What side of the fence do you sit on? Cool, practical and customizable for the win, or crime against fashion? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

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Image credits: amazon

Image credits: amazon

Here’s a sample of people’s reactions to the bags

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