collections | flip-flops

I've mentioned my desire to live somewhere where there's summer weather all the time - first and foremost to avoid the cold winter months, but an added perk would be that I could wear flip-flops year-round. I already own quite a few pairs. The current line-up:

When I was a kid, we called flip-flops zories, and we only wore them to the beach or the pool. You could buy them at the drug store and they always had an off-white footbed and colored straps and soles. I want to say that they cost about 97 cents, but back in the 80's it was probably less than that. Sometime during the past twenty years, flip-flops got fancier and I started wearing them everywhere. The Old Navy flip-flops are the most similar to the zories of my youth, and they still only cost about two bucks. However, I learned the hard way that wearing them while walking extended distances with wet feet results in matching blisters. Imagine that - two dollar flip-flops aren't good for your feet?! (Related: Never wear flip-flops while riding a bike. I did this once when I was eight. There was blood. And screaming. Never did that again!) So, I've recently invested in some better quality flip-flops: Tevas and Rainbows for daily wear, and the waterproof Okabashis for the beach.

My favorite feature of the Okabashi Mauis? The cute sole - perfect for stamping flower imprints into the mud! Bonus: Okabashis are made in the USA, vegan, and recyclable. (Extreme restraint was necessary to keep myself from also purchasing these in orange and pomegranate. Am I a flip-flop addict?!)

And speaking of Tevas, look what I found in my attic the other day: my beloved Tevas from high school. I got these in 9th grade - or was it 8th? - at any rate, it was sometime between 1992 and 1994, so these guys are going on 20 years old! I wore the heck out of these sandals, and they're still in great shape. Would it be ok if I started wearing them again???

Teva Sandals, circa 1992-1994 | Teva Mush Flip-Flops, 2012

......................................................

* The turquoise animal print flip-flops were not my choosing. We were on an RV trip out west and I realized that I didn't bring any shower shoes. (Ever been in a campground bathroom? You need shower shoes!) This realization, along with the fact that Larry didn't bring pajamas with him (we were sharing the RV with friends and also RVs don't have heat at night without a generator - both good reasons to not sleep in your underwear), resulted in an emergency trip to the only nearby store: the one that starts with W and ends with Mart. Anyway, there weren't a whole lot of flip-flop choices in October in the middle of Colorado, so Larry picked out the turquoise animal print flip-flops for me and a pair of Denver Broncos pajama pants for him. The shoes kept me from picking up any kind of foot fungus, but I can't say that I've ever worn them since returning from our trip.