I never heard the boots creep up behind me. I sensed their presence. Ever so slight, I moved my head. From the corner of my eye, sharp silver-white cloggers. -------------------------------------------------------------------- It's a word that feels right. But then, what has felt right in the past has not always been the way to go.
By the context I hope it is obvious that cloggers = boots. A type of slang unique to the character a few in his circle. What do you think?
Also, does the term cloggers mean anything else? Something unintended? For instance, in one WIP I have in-story TV superhero, the Fame Spearman. One reader thought it had, and pardon me if this is offesive to anyone, phallic connotations. Certainly if cloggers means something possibly offensive I would definitly want to think twice.
Posted by Michaelpfs (Member # 2209) on :
I think I could use more context, but when I hear cloggers I think of these really ugly wooden sandals that the little girls next door wore in the late 1970's. I don't think that's what you intended.
Man, how many WIP's do you have. You are a busy person.
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
<Man, how many WIP's do you have. You are a busy person.>
Actaully, just three. I'm mainly interesting in 'The Man Without Dreams', the first rough draft, which I completed in May. I post different parts in hopes to see what works, what doesn't. Not busy at all.
I guess in this instance I did not want to use the word 'boot' in the same small paragraph. Anyone know any good slang for a male dress boot? Or maybe even brand names. I must confess I am ignorant on the subject.
Posted by xarius (Member # 2168) on :
Here in the south, "cloggers" are another name for tap dancers. When I read your passage, tap dancing immediately came to mind. Not sure if that's what you're going for. Perhaps it's a regional term.
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
<Here in the south, "cloggers" are another name for tap dancers.>
I was born and raised in Virginia, so I should know that. Then again I know nothing about tap dancing.
Posted by shadowynd (Member # 2077) on :
Yup, I too pictured clogging shoes, not boots. That is, the particular type of tap shoes that cloggers wear.
Even having read boots at the very start of the paragraph, I still pictured tap shoes when you mentioned cloggers.
Susan
Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :
"Kickers" is accepted slang for cowboy boots (or cowboys, depending on the context).
The slang is short for s***kickers, which similarly describes either the boots or the wearer.
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
quote:sharp silver-white cloggers.
Yeah, this didn't work for me. When I think of cloggers, I think of people wearing thick wooden shoes and that didn't fit with "sharp silver-white".
Why not just use dress boots?
Posted by ChrisOwens (Member # 1955) on :
<Why not just use dress boots?>
Does it sound alright in the same paragraph?
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
I have to agree with the folks who think "cloggers" didn't quite work. Esp. mikemunisl - sharp and white made me think of something more like a weapon - a dagger or something - not boots.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
I vote for kickers.
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
Yeah, the tap dancers immediately came to my mind, too.
Posted by Jules (Member # 1658) on :
"Clogs" are shoes with wooden soles, which is probably the origin of "cloggers" for tap dancing, as I would expect tap dancing shoes to be of a similar construction.
If this description fits the boots in question, then I have no problem with it. If it doesn't, I'd say find another word.