Shoes
Why do we dislike flipflops? Because they’re supremely uncomfortable[1], that’s why. It makes me sad, because there are some beautiful shoes around — not the little plastic ones, which all the women in this photo seem to be wearing.
[1] Some people claim otherwise. I claim they’re delusional. Little things stuck between your toes = not comfortable.
July 23rd, 2005 at 3:08 pm
Ditto. Was forced to wear them as a child. Contributed to lifelong hatred of them. As well as turtlenecks.
July 23rd, 2005 at 5:35 pm
Flipflops are annoying and obnoxious. Any shoes not designed to actually stay *on* your feet are dumb.
So sez I.
(not to mention the annoying between-your-toes bit. And have you noticed the huge popularity of flip-flop type shoes - from casaul to fancy - these days? What’s up with that?)
July 23rd, 2005 at 7:23 pm
I do not wear turtlenecks either, something which makes me sad — or cold — in the winter. But I hate the constricing feeling.
There are really nice shoes with between your toes stuff, sadly. Those don’t bother me, except inasmuch as I cannot wear them because they are annoying. The flipflops on platforms or — worse — the flipflops with little kitten heels confuse me.
July 23rd, 2005 at 9:07 pm
See, I LOVE flipflops and find them incredibly comfortable. But that’s because I have wide feet and bunions, so anything that doesn’t constrict the sides of my feet is MUCH more comfortable for me. I like the flipflops with kitten heels!
July 23rd, 2005 at 9:59 pm
I have wide feet, too; I solve this by wearing wide shoes.
You like these shoes? I said delusional, already, right? :>
July 23rd, 2005 at 10:42 pm
Flip-flops are comfortable for walking across the road from the car to the beach. They are comfortable for keeping under your desk while you’re barefoot, too. :>
I remember walking fairly long distances — a mile or two — in them but that was a long time ago, so long I don’t really remember if they were comfortable or not. I think perhaps they were the only sandals I had and it was hot.
Flip-flops with heels just seems like a weird concept to me. I don’t know how I feel about that. If I see someone wearing them would it be impolite to laugh? Or would that be understood as laughing with the wearer, not at her — sharing in the joke of flip-flops with heels?
July 24th, 2005 at 10:48 am
I love flip-flops but only have two pairs - transparent blue and cheetah-print. However, FLAT is the operative concept. I tried on a pair of the kitten-heel ones because I too felt like maybe there was something I was not getting…and nearly fell over in the shoe store. Floppy+tiny unstable heel does not=comfortable or intelligent.
July 24th, 2005 at 1:26 pm
Sorry, WA, but I, too, must disagree. Flipflops are the closest thing to barefoot, and barefoot is my preferred state of being. Not kitten heels, though. I’m not into fuck-me flipflops!
July 24th, 2005 at 1:35 pm
It is sad that so many of my commenters are delusional. Barefoot is the best, but there is nothing between your toes when you are barefoot.
NK has, I think, gone, so we cannot ask her how she walks in flipflops with kitten heels.
July 24th, 2005 at 5:03 pm
I cannot stand flipflops. I have a pair of plastic shoes with a single band across the top for showering at the gym because I hate flipflops. The sound the plastic ones make as people walk down the street in them make me want to commit violence. The ones with heels are stupid. And I cannot understand why anyone would want to ruin a beautiful skirt/top outfit with a pair of the cheap plastic ones. Just because the girls do it in J. Crew-land doesn’t mean that you should too.
But how do you feel about those mesh slide-ons with the beading?
July 24th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
I think NK hit it on the head with the wide toes thing. Because that’s my major objection.
I did open the paper this morning and see an article about girls visiting Bush and catching flack for wearing flip-flops. This isn’t the article I read but mine was a local weekly commentator. She even interviewed dress shop owners.
July 25th, 2005 at 1:11 am
I’ve never been able to stand flip-flops either - hate that between-the-toe feel. And count me in for the wide feet!
However, oddly enough, I was recently compelled to try on a pair of kitten-heel flip-flops with an obnoxious green flower on top, and I fell in love with them. I think the key was that the straps that go across the foot were tight enough so that the toe thing really didn’t touch the base of my toes, but loose enough to be comfortable. And the heel gives enough arch support that they are amazingly comfortable to walk in (normally, shoes with no arch support make my feet hurt the next day).
But yes, I am ashamed.
July 25th, 2005 at 8:25 pm
I am not a huge fan of the mesh shoes either.
July 26th, 2005 at 10:37 am
I think flipflops are OK. I didn’t used to like them, but now I find them better than slides in general. My favorite kind of sandal-y shoe has a backstrap, and I can’t walk very well in shoes that don’t have them, except for flipflops. I find I actually *can* keep flipflops on my feet because of the toe thing.
But I don’t wear them too often because having your nearly bare feet that close to the ground in NYC is just revolting.
July 31st, 2005 at 9:26 am
I have to say flip flops are quite devilish. I also have quite wide feet and have worn flip flops in lieu of slippers for many years and for most of the last 3 summers-when apprapo of course. Now this year small painful bunions have formed right under my big toes where the flip flop strap hits! This disdains me as my feet are too wide for most summer slip ons. Am I destined to wear sneakers each and every day for the rest of my life? I swear I made no such pact with the devil.