We’re officially in flip flop season. The sun is out and so are my toes. Whether you wear Rainbows or Reefs, or prefer a different type of sandal altogether, the days of socks and shoelaces are over… flip flops are here!
For some reason a lot of New Yorkers are anti-flip flop. They feel the city is too grimy, and the risk of stepping on broken glass or stubbing a toe too great. What cowards! Those people have clearly never felt the freedom of heading out of their apartment without so much as a glance at their shoes. Of slipping on a leather sandal so molded to the contours of their feet that they feel more natural with it on. They probably enjoy squatting awkwardly on one knee and stuffing their foot into an already tied shoe! Can you imagine?
In my mind, anything above 50 degrees is flip flop weather. It’s cold, sure. But the sacrifice is well worth the feeling of freedom when you wiggle your toes. If you’re cold, put on a sweater. Wear thick pants. But don’t, under any circumstances, forgo your God-given right of exposed feet. Adam and Eve didn’t have shoes in Eden, as far as I can tell. It was only after they’d sinned that they were made to wrap their feet in tombs of leather. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
My weapon of choice are Rainbows. A simple, leather pair. No shoe is more comfortable once you bend it to your will. Plus, if you have sweaty feet in the summer like I do, the leather helps grip the sole of your foot and keep it from sliding around. Take it from me – Havaianas are not an option for sweaty feet. The closest I ever came to breaking an ankle was walking around muggy Rio de Janeiro in a brand new pair of Snoopy-themed rubber sandals. Like walking on ice with a rope between your toes. Ouch.
Here’s my trusty pair of the last few years:
The only downside to Rainbows is the sizing – by the time you’ve worn a pair long enough to need a new one, the rubber stamp on the bottom reminding you what size you wear will be long gone. So don’t order online… take a trip to the store and make sure the relationship with you new flip flops is built to last. And then write down the size somewhere for next time!
But no one knows the needs of your feet better than you – I’m no sandal snob, and no matter your go-to pair, you can be sure it’s better than shoes. There are Birkenstock fanatics (of which I’m slowly becoming a part), Croc loyalists (haters be damned) and the occasional champion of the Adidas slider (not my thing but hey! – still a sandal). No matter your preference, there’s a spot on the team for you. And plenty of hate from the never-sandal crowd to go around.
Ok, so you’re all aboard the sandal train. That’s a start. But wait, you think, surely you can’t wear sandals all the time. Can you?
Here are some times I’ve run into trouble:
- While getting a haircut. Unless they offer to hose your feet off in the back, the trip home will be unpleasant.
- Walking up or down a steep hill. This is the quickest way to toe cramps and the terrible sensation of spasms on the balls of your feet. If it feels like you’re walking out of your shoes, the hill is too steep.
- On an airplane. Personal tolerance is key here. But you do not want to get stuck on a trans-Atlantic flight with bare feet and 40-degree air pumping out of the vents. There’s also the shame of going barefoot in the security line. Then again, you’re a sandal-lover – you don’t feel shame.
- For many miles at a time. I had a guide in Northern Thailand who spent the entire time hiking in a pair of worn down, rubber flip flops. So the shoes aren’t the problem – your mindsight is. Discomfort is just a figment of your imagination! Slip on some sandals and go out for an all day walk. See how liberating it feels. But don’t come crying to me about your bloodied feet.
At the end of the day, you’re either a sandal person, or you’re not. And as any sandal person will tell you, there’s really no bad time to wear sandals.
Check back in November for the flip flop obituary.