Originally published 2019-05-28.
Yes, Croc-style handbags exist, and in 2019 the best-known example was the Optari Sol Tote. Made from a light, waterproof moulded material with the familiar rows of round holes, it looks very much like a giant clog with handles. Owners decorate it with clip-in Fobbz charms, much as Crocs fans decorate their shoes with Jibbitz. When photos spread online that May, people were split between delight and horror.
According to The Jakarta Post's 2019 write-up, the Sol Tote came in two sizes and colours including black, blue, green, pink, purple and a turquoise shade called Caribbean, priced at about US$19.99 to US$24.99. It was sold through Optari's own site and on Amazon, and marketed as a beach bag or lunch tote with a flat base that lets it stand upright. Optari never claimed a link to Crocs, and there is no official connection between the two companies.
Below you will find the bags themselves, how real owners used and customised them, what the internet said, and a twist: Crocs later released an official tote of its own. Prices and availability here reflect 2019 and may have changed.
The Sol Tote and its charms
A hot-pink Sol Tote styled with purple wisteria. The moulded heel-like bump along the base and the scattered holes on the side are what give it its unmistakable clog silhouette.
Poolside in the sun, this yellow tote carries an ice-cream charm clipped into one of its holes. Because the material shrugs off water and chlorine, the bag was pitched squarely at swimmers and beachgoers.
Lime green with a large purple daisy and a pair of sandals tucked inside. The round buttons where the handles meet the body echo the rivet on a clog's strap.
A girl at a swimming pool shows off a bright red tote. Younger customers were one of Optari's main audiences, and the bag's light weight makes it easy for children to carry.
A shop wall hung with orange, blue and green totes, each with a swing tag. Seeing them together shows how strongly the range relied on bold, single-colour finishes.
Not just for kids: a man holds up a pink tote decorated with a sea turtle charm at an evening party. The charms let owners give the same basic bag a very personal look.
A lime green tote beside a small purple accessory case made in the same perforated style and trimmed with flower charms. Matching pieces like this extended the look beyond the main bag.
A smiling young woman carries a purple tote with a butterfly charm over her shoulder. Worn this way, the bag reads more like a playful summer accessory than a novelty.
A schoolgirl with a black tote featuring a colourful Peace, Hope, Love charm. Darker colours tone down the clog resemblance, while the charms keep things cheerful.
A purple tote held up against a plain wall, showing its full shape. The flat base and rigid sides help it stand on its own, which is handy on sand or a picnic table.
A small red tote studded with charms, carried by someone in a tie-dye hoodie and platform sandals. The smaller size suited lunch, a phone and keys rather than a full beach kit.
How owners used and customised them
A black tote with a single charm, photographed against a white backdrop. The subtle wave moulding along the side is clearer here than on the brighter colours.
Sky blue with a flip-flop charm, sitting on a wooden dresser. The pairing makes the bag's purpose obvious: summer, sand and water.
A retail display with totes in many colours alongside perforated backpacks and racks of charms. Selling the bags with a wall of add-ons mirrors the way Crocs sells its shoes with Jibbitz.
A yellow tote by a pool holding an action camera, next to a dish of pineapple and an orchid. Waterproof and wipe-clean, it was promoted for exactly this kind of holiday day out.
A young woman smiles beside a pink tote with a heart-shaped charm. The cheerful colours were a big part of the appeal for those who liked the bags.
A little girl in a yellow swimsuit at the edge of a pool holds a green tote with flower charms. For children, the charms turn the bag into something closer to a toy they can redesign.
A turquoise tote photographed in the snow with a folded cloth tucked inside. The material's resistance to water makes it as practical in winter slush as at the beach.
A girl wearing a toy tiara stands by a pool holding a pink tote almost as big as she is. Photos like this were shared by happy parents and helped the bags gain a following.
A close-up of a pink tote hand-painted with the name Taylor, a unicorn, a rainbow and hearts. Personalised painting shows how far some owners took the customisation idea.
A green tote with a patterned flip-flop charm resting on a porch rail. The holes double as drainage, so wet towels and sandy shoes do not leave water pooling inside.
A white tote on the sand with a peace-sign charm, a pair of sunglasses hooked into a hole and a hat beside it. White gave the design a cleaner, more grown-up look.
A young woman in a leather jacket carries a white tote at an outdoor event. Styled with a darker outfit, the bag looks more like a statement piece than beachwear.
What the internet said
Comments under the photos on Facebook were mostly playful, and mostly unimpressed. Here is a sample.
One commenter kept it short, remarking that bad taste comes in many forms. It set the tone for much of the thread.
Another joked about calling the police, a classic way online of saying a design has crossed a line. The comment drew a handful of laughing reactions.
The most-shared reaction, also used on the cover image: a commenter who never thought anything could top the shoes for ugliness and admitted she had been wrong.
A more serious objection: the world hardly needs more plastic. It is a fair point, since moulded foam and plastic products are hard to recycle, though a durable bag that lasts years is better than many disposable alternatives.
One commenter mock-mourned that humanity strays further every day from God's light, a popular internet phrase for anything that seems absurd.
And one suggested the bags would be perfect for throwing in a river. Harsh, but at least the bags are waterproof.
Why Crocs-style designs divide people
Crocs themselves have always provoked strong opinions. The company was founded in 2002 by Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson and George Boedecker Jr., based on a clog designed by Foam Creations of Quebec, which Crocs later bought to secure its foam material, Croslite. The first model sold out its 200 pairs at a Florida boat show, and by 2017 the company had sold some 300 million pairs.
The criticism has been just as loud. Time magazine included Crocs in its list of the 50 worst inventions in 2010, and fashion commentator Tim Gunn famously compared the shoe to a plastic hoof. Yet the brand kept finding new fans, from Christopher Kane's 2016 London Fashion Week show to Balenciaga's platform Crocs in 2017 and collaborations with celebrities and brands.
That love-hate history explains the reaction to Optari's bags. Anything that looks like a Croc inherits both the jokes and the loyal fan base. The charm system adds another layer: in 2006 Crocs bought Jibbitz, the company that makes its clip-in charms, and customising your own pair became part of the culture.
The twist: Crocs made its own tote
The idea did not stay a knock-off curiosity. Crocs now sells an official Classic Tote in a perforated clog style that, according to its product page, holds up to 120 Jibbitz charms, priced at US$74.99 and labelled as a TikTok favourite. What looked like an odd spin-off in 2019 turned out to anticipate where the brand itself was heading.
Is a Croc-style tote right for you?
If you want a beach, pool or boat bag that you can rinse with a hose, a moulded tote has real advantages: it is waterproof, stands upright, and drains through its holes. The same holes are a drawback for small items, which can slip out, and the material can feel stiff on the shoulder when heavily loaded.
As for style, there is no right answer. Some see a fun, practical bag that children love to decorate; others see the most divisive shoe in the world, now in carry-all form. Both camps can agree on one thing: nobody walking past will mistake it for anything else.
Sources: The Jakarta Post: Optari designs Crocs-inspired tote bags (May 2019); Wikipedia: Crocs; Crocs: Classic Tote product page. Photos: Optari and customers; comments: Facebook users.
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