Hi, My name is RJ, I live in the Netherlands and I love kleppers!
What are kleppers?
Kleppers is a Dutch word that refers to any kind of footwear consisting of
a flat or heeled (platform or stilted) sole, made of wood and/or cork,
with a single adjustable strap over the toes, or a V-shaped thong (or a nob)
between the first and the second toe. Thus a klepper consists of a stiff,
inflexible sole and a minimal connection with the foot, at the site of the
toes. As a consequence, kleppers deviate from the soles of the feet and
slap back to them during walking and they make shuffling and clapping sounds
when they come in contact with the ground. Kleppers include: exercise sandals (Dr Scholl, Berkemann, etc.), wooden slides
(e.g. Candie's), Japanese geta, Indian khadaon/khorom, wooden thongs
(e.g. Klonks), pattens, some types of chopines, Turkish and Arabic kapkap
(bath-house and harem sandals), etc.
What are kleppers not?
Kleppers are no clogs: Clogs, clog-sandals, sabots, and klompen do have
inflexible soles (at least most of them) but the uppers cover most of the feet
up to the heel (or even including the heel). Kleppers are no slippers: Slippers, rubber thongs, flip-flops, beach sandals,
and other types of sandals do have simple connections with the feet but
the soles are flexible.There is an exception: Slippers, especially thongs, with very thick foam rubber platforms, are in fact kleppers because the soles are inflexible.
Why this page?
This page is meant for anyone who, like myself, has a passion for kleppers. It offers pictures of all kinds of kleppers and stories about wearing kleppers. If you have anything to contribute or just want to tell me what you think of this page, please let me know. My e-mail is at the bottom of this page.
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