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This Birkenstock Boston Twin Is My Fave Fall Shoe (TikTok Loves It, Too)

Kohl’s in-house brand, Sonoma Goods for Life, makes an alternative to the iconic Boston clog for one-third of the price.
I Bought the TikTok Viral Birkenstock Boston Alternative
Composite by VICE Staff

The Birkenstock Boston has been busting moves all over street style roundups and TikTok, and I, for one, want to slide into (get it?) the action—aka the versatile, 90s-throwback, crunchy-cool clog—myself. Slotted into the “granola chic” section of my personal style, Birkenstock Bostons are surprisingly comfy AF and sit right on the line between a sidewalk-ready slipper and gorpcore vibes (love). 

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One thing I don’t love, though, is the price tag. The OG Birkenstock Boston model clocks in at $158—yikes. I can buy about eight dirty martinis for that kind of money. Would I rather own one pair of shoes or rage with my crew all weekend long? I think we all know the answer to that one.

With thriftiness in mind, I don’t simply give up on purchasing my want du jour; I simply find a way around it like the sneaky bish I am. Sometimes you have to think outside the box to find that which you seek (aka a jawn that scratches the same itch) and that’s how I ended up with this viral lookalike from your local boomer’s favorite department store: Kohl’s


$49.99$39.99 at Kohl's

$49.99$39.99 at Kohl's

Kohl’s in-house brand Sonoma Goods for Life makes a near-twin of the Boston clog for one-third of the price compared to Birkenstock’s original; we’re talking about the Waterford Suede Clog to be exact. You don’t even have to take my word for it: Kohl's take on the iconic Boston is practically TikTok-famous, with users claiming it’s the best alternative they’ve tried.

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Sure, the Boston has a soft foam footbed that will keep your soles (and, let’s be honest, ~*inner soul~*) comfy all day long as you waltz around town, but so does this doppelgänger. The Waterford Suede Clog has crazy-good reviews—a grade of 4.5 stars out of five on Kohl’s website—and over 400 happy buyers have taken to the site to sing its praises. Given the buzz surrounding the style on social media, there’s no shocker there. One reviewer said they’re “perfect potato shoes”—I’m assuming they’re referring to the color because that’s spot on.

I managed to cop the taupe color before they sold out in my size and have been pairing them with my beloved Nike crew socks and jeans, while also just wearing them around the house. If you’re just dying for the au natural color in your size, I also spotted an iconic twin on Amazon.


$43.99 at Amazon

$43.99 at Amazon

I can’t directly compare the Birkenstock model to the Sonoma Goods for Life version since I never owned a true pair of Bostons, but given their aesthetic similarities and killer retail price, I have a very strong shopping editor’s intuition that the Waterford Suede Clogs have enough comfort and style to live up to the TikTok-induced hype.

Sonoma’s Waterford Suede Clogs are available for purchase at Kohl’s


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