Alohas Sustainable Clogs Review
Alternate title: I’m not a regular priest; I’m a cool priest.
It has been nearly four months since I last shared any substantive life update. With a cross-country move, Daniel’s hospitalization, and coming down with Covid in late August, things were hectic and overwhelming for the first few months of living in Houston.
I wouldn’t say things are exactly settling down, but our life here is actually quite good now. I was ordained as a priest on October 2nd (Just to remind you, the Episcopal Church welcomes and ordains women and LGBTQ+ individuals). I started formal discernment for ministry in 2017, but had been considering church ministry since middle school. It’s been a long road, but I’m so thankful to be here. I love my job and I’m grateful for the mentors and clergy friends in my life.
As a priest in the Episcopal Church, I assist and lead weekly worship services, plan and facilitate Bible studies and social groups, lead weekly chapel for kids ages 2-4, make visits to parishioners’ homes, and do whatever else needs to be done.
My job title is “curate.” This is a position that allows first-time ministers to get broad church leadership training under an experienced priest. It’s fun to work as a clergy team and I am learning a lot very fast. My church has a new Spanish-language service that I assist with. My high school Spanish is slowly coming back to me, but I need to study some more.
It’s wild to look back at the last four months and see near-constant surprise and change. Blog-writing has inevitably taken a backseat to everything else, but it’s still something I care a lot about. Daniel has been writing a lot of posts recently, which I’m so thankful for.
Anyways, onto the Alohas sustainable blog review…
I received a pair of shoes at no charge from ALOHAS. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission on sales generated from this post.
About ALOHAS
Alohas is an on-demand fashion brand. This means that the majority of their shoes, accessories, and clothing are made-to-order after customers pre-order their goods. I really like this concept, for a few reasons.
One, the on-demand model means that Alohas avoids overproduction. That means less waste through the whole supply chain.
Two, Alohas can prototype and design a large selection of on-trend products, and then produce only what the market demands. That means that they can be a little out-there with designs without worrying that the style won’t land with customers. As a result, Alohas sells some of the most fun and funky stuff I’ve seen in the sustainable fashion niche.
Another perk: during the pre-production phase, Alohas items are discounted as much as 30% off.
Alohas produces their shoe collection in Spain. Manufacturers are members of the Leather Working Group, which works toward greater sustainability in the leather industry.
Fireside Chain Clogs in Dark Burgundy
I requested to review the Fireside Chain Clogs because they strike a balance between comfort and fashion.
They have the classic attributes of a clog, with a formed footbed, cork soles, and a wide toe box. But they also have a slight platform and a fun gold-tone chain across the top.
These shoes have been controversial among my family members, who think they verge a bit too far into ugly shoe territory. Lucky for me, I love an ugly shoe, even more so when they have a sense of humor about them.
I ordered a size up from my usual size and think I made the right choice. I would say they run just a smidge small. That being said, the fit is fairly wide and should accommodate a variety of foot widths. If you have a narrower foot, you may want to stick with your usual size.
These shoes have already been produced and are ready to ship within two days.
Lady Priest Fashion
Being a woman priest who likes fashion brings some interesting challenges. The historic priesthood has been male-dominated (though not exclusively male!), so clergy collars and vestments are associated with masculine dress.
I’m not usually super femme in the way I dress, but wearing a collar everyday has encouraged me to lean into more colorful clothing, quirkier designs, and fun shoes.
Clergy wear is meant to democratize the appearance of ordained folks. But I don’t think that means I can’t still be creative. Brands like Alohas make it easier to dress in a fun way even within the limitations of my ministry uniform.
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.