What is with the popularity of sandals and flip-flops?
 

I never understood it, except for the beach because you don't want to get sand in your shoes.

But in the spring and summer you see people walking around with sandals and flip flops. Forget about the look, to me that is irrelevant. I don't get why people say they are comfortable and keeps your feet cool. For one, feet get hot, but it isn't something that you ever notice. Out of all the parts of your body, feet being hot is the least noticable and most tolerable. To me, feet getting hot has never ever bothered me once in my entire life. It just isn't something that makes a person uncomfortable.

As for the comfort itself of having freedom to wiggle your toes and move around, to me it is less comfortable to have your feet out in the open. They get dry because there is less sweat and moisture build up, and to me nothing is worse than having dry feet. It just feels so uncomfortable. Also you always have that feeling that it is so easy to scrape up your feet.

I don't know, I just never got it. I love wearing sneaks all day every day. I wear them inside, outside, and only don't wear them while sleeping. To me it is much more comfortable having a secureness around your feet. I couldn't fathom not wearing shoes or sneaks.

I wear them year round (in the northeast, to boot). My feet are somehow never cold. They're just so convenient. No looking for socks, just slip in and go. I bought mine for $5 at American Eagle and I've had them for almost 2 years.

I'm definitely more of a sneaker person, but I do like wearing flip-flops every now and then.

Like what Will said, they're very convienent and hassle-free. The weather also gets pretty hot in my campus, and it's annoying to me when my feet get all slick and icky (maybe I'm not wearing the right kind of socks..?)

Don't care much 'bout fashion, and I don't like sandals at all, but flip-flops are alright

Weird. My feet have never gotten sticky or icky. I play basketball in the summer too with black sneaks and thick socks.

I understand the appeal of sandals solely (pun intended) from a hassle-free point of view. Wearers don't need socks or have to worry about their shoelaces coming untied. Things can't get lost in sandals.

I myself wear sneakers and am not a fan of sandals, as I don't like my feet to exposed. That might have something to do with a childhood accident, though.

I wear flip-flops occasionally, but mostly sneakers. For some people it's a trend sorta thing, but for others it's just convenience or comfort. I wear 'em for, honestly, a little bit of both. Sometimes they look better with particular clothes than sneakers do, but other times they're just more comfortable or it's too much of a hassle to put on socks and sneakers.

The reason I don't wear sandals or flip-flops is that I don't like the idea of straps on my feet. I thought that was what it was for most people who don't wear them.

I wore sandals once for a dress-up day in grade school. Never again. Fuckin' things rubbed my feet RAW. Was horrible.

I wear sneakers and don't regret it. I can't imagine having my feet bare in public like that. Although, I do walk around barefoot around the house and in the yard.

I used to think the same-- that it was kinda pointless to wear sandals if you're not going to the beach or something, especially because I always thought socks + shoes were more comfortable. Recently, though, I've taken to wearing them a lot more often, just because they're easy to put on and take off.

So if I'm in a hurry, or if I'm only going to be gone from the house for a little bit, then I'll wear them instead of socks and sneakers.

So basically, it's a laziness thing~

I live in San Diego, so it's either skate-shoes or flip-flops.

In the summer I sometimes wear the sandals with the one big strap over the foot, but I could never wear the ones with the single toe strap. What the hell? So many people (especially girls) wear them at my school in the late spring to summer, but I could never stand it. The strap just wore away at the gap between my toes, resulting in irritating rashes and painful blisters. I prefer comfort, so I usually wear regular skate shoes or runners.

First of all... I got 2 for $5 at Old Navy... I don't have to tie my shoes... my feet dont get hot... and they flip-flop. Case closed.

I wear sandals pretty much year round. This job I just got won't let me wear them so that's just gonna ruin my happy feet. That and my sandals all have bottle openers on the bottom because you never know when you're gonna wanna enjoy a cold Newcastle and have no bottle opener to open them with.

I always wear my sandals in the summer. They prevent the feet from "slimy ickiness" and I just find them easier and more comfortable in warmer weather than shoes. I am firmly against those retarded foam shoes with holes in them though....

I'm in Philippines. So it's either flip-flops or barefoot. Fip-flops is the standard footwear in this country. Almost everyone wears it if they're just at home or in the neighborhood. Some even wear it when going to the mall, etc.

I'm very much a loafer-shoe or sneaker/tennis-shoe type person. My job will not allow sandals or open-toe shoes pretty much (dress shoes I can get away with somewhat even if my toes are showing, depends on the outfit).

I wear sandals/flip-flops to:
1) go take out the trash
2) when I need to step outside for any period less than 30 minutes (this is assuming I was already at home)
3) if it's over 80 degrees outside (which is all of... 14 days throughout the year here in the beach areas of Los Angeles) and going outside to NOT work
4) if I'm going to the beach (once a year)
5) if I'm going to the pool to take a swim (once a year, if that at all)
6) and lastly, if I'm getting a pedicure (about 2-3 times a year).

I wear sandals more often than not for functional uses obviously... funny how I need them more for my toes to be exposed to dry after a pedicure more often than I need them to match my swimming suit because I'm either going to the pool/beach (which is hardly ever).

Complain of racial discrimination. They're infringing upon your right to follow in the path of the many generations of sandal-wearing Mexicans before you!

Sandals
 

Sandal equate freedom to me. Something about wearing nothing on your feet. Sandals meet the bare minimum...yet your feet still get a little freedom.

I wear thongs all the time (THE FEET KIND.. unless..), and yeah for the beach they are pretty useless. Especially if you're wearing the rubber ones, because that heats up and start melting the magical spot between your big toe and the not so big toe next door. They're quick to chuck on, and you can easily fling them off your foot and into someones face. What's not to love?

I hate having anything on my feet. Sandals are a huge comfort boost over socks and tennis shoes, plus it's easier to take them off when I'm sitting and relaxing somewhere. Thus, as soon as it gets warm enough I start wearing them and don't stop until Marching Band Season and/or winter.

I never wear sandals, ever. I don't like the open and unprotected feeling, and many of them are a lot stiffer and have poorer foot and ankle support than a good pair of shoes.

I also love socks. There's nothing like a good pair of socks, especially if they're brand new and/or fresh out of the dryer. Sandals and socks don't mix, especially if the sandals have a toe strap.

Right now I have a pair of hurleys that I found at a Good Will store. They're very comfortable and easy to slip on and off. They are one of the best pairs of shoes that I've had.

I don't know. Sometimes, my feet get pretty damn hot at night when I'm sleeping, and that bothers me a lot.

Man, whats up with the sandal/flip-flop hate. If it were up to me, I'd be wearing them year-round.

They're excellent. They're down to earth. They're easy to maintain. You can slip them on and off, at will.

I don't know why people DONT wear them more often. Myself, I have NEVER liked sneakers. They're too....constricting. They make your feet soft and weak, which I hate to even think of.

I'd prefer going barefoot, but thats not allowed in public so much. I used to walk barefoot in high school like an asshole, though. Summertime would come around and there I would be, walking the halls without shoes.

Wow, I'm surprised at how many people say they'd feel "unprotected" in sandals. I can't understand it. Going barefoot/ sandals all the time I've got some pretty tough feet, and the only way they'd get scratched or whatever is if i decided to walk through rose bushes or something. Anything more serious then that, well, sneaks are exactly made out of Kevlar, you know. Plus, flip flops are great for going to class or at my work, when i can just sit down, kick them off, and wander barefoot. Nobody cares, it's awesome.

Man, shoes suck so much. I absolute hate having to wear shoes, and only do it occasionally when if it rains, or the terrain is a concern, or i'm walking for a long while. Hell, if I could I'd go barefoot 24/7, rain or shine. Trust me, Dragoon, once you go without shoes for as long as I have, having hot feet is the MOST uncomfortable and the LEAST tolerable thing for me. I'd rather have an itchy asshole then hot and sweaty feet all confined in shoes.

Speaking of walking, I do a lot of it, sometimes as much as 6-10 miles per day. Sandals are not good for walking, especially when you're going at a very brisk pace, because they keep coming away from your heel and flopping around. They feel insecure, like you have to hold on with your toes to keep them from coming off. Give me a good pair of running shoes any day. Sometimes, I will also walk through the woods or through a field, something I would never do in sandals with all of the chiggers and bugs around here.

A valid point, which is why i wear them if i'm forced into similar situations; airports mostly, or camping. But still, it sucks big time for me.

I like flip-flops/sandels and sneakers equally.

My feet get really hot in the summer time, especially if I do a lot of walking. It might be from being slightly fat, but the sweaty feet thing gets on my nerves. I wear my adidas flip flops year round. I'll even wear them with socks in the winter time. My leather flip flops are comforterable. Like others have said, I like my feet not being constricted so much.

That would require me to wear "huaraches" and as much as I love them I like my Reefs. Every pair of them that I have is comfortable beyond belief and I wear the 6 pairs I have on clockwork-like rotation.

I by far prefer to go barefoot whenever possible and flip flops cut the difference between between barefoot and not getting stabbed by goatheads or getting kicked out of food establishments quite nicely. It's always a pain when you have to where constricting shoes.

I dunno. A huge disaster are those guys who wear flip flops although they have extremely ugly / dirty feet. I seriously don't get it. Why do they do that?!

Mush, not everyone is out to look good. Some people just want to be comfortable.

Anyway, it feels nice to have a breeze blow across your toes. If at all possible, I avoid wearing shoes inside homes. It just feels weird, probably because it is customary to take off your shoes before going inside homes in Hawaii.

Oh, and pretty much everyone wears slippers (as we call them) back home.

Cause it's farking airy. Yes.

I like my legs feeling the cold breeze. Better than letting it feel all stuffed in my shoes and socks

Yeah, but they could at least clean their feet and clip their toenails when they have to wear flip flops, don't you think? There ARE people watching your feet.

I think it's mostly people are too lazy to put on shoes. Me, I go a step further than that and just skip out on the flip flops =/. Just grab my laptop and head off to class, lol.

Yeah... I'm not out for a minor part in a Tarantino movie so I'll keep my feet any way I damn please. :p

Only person in this thread to call them by their proper name. Appropriating vemp's post for my own purposes:

I only wear shoes if I'm going to be doing a lot of walking, because my shoes have awesome support, or if it's below freezing. Although that's not a given, since I've walked on snow with slippers before. :eagletear:

I just like being able to kick them off, since shoes interfere with most of the twenty million sitting positions I'll go through on any given day. And, of course, there's also the fact that I'm a lazy, lazy sumbitch. Heaven forfend I spend an extra minute getting ready.

They're comfortable to the people wearing them. If they're not comfortable to you, don't wear them.

I'd like to take this moment to reflect on this behavior of the under-socialized, usually adolescent male. That is to say, convincing people that they aren't actually comfortable / convenienced / enjoying whatever it is that they're doing. Look here:

Look at how readily he makes that decision for the rest of society, even though keeping your feet cool and dry is so important Sgt. Dan mentions it.

Look at this entire thread. With no regard for how he looks, he asks basically the entire world why anyone would hold this opinion he considers dull and stupid, even though he's spoken to other people on the topic before. He's not convinced that they're actually telling the truth, which is why he asks us.

Another example: someone (here) asked why broads take so long in the can, and so I told him. He then went on to tell me how I could be more efficient in my bathroom time. If you're having trouble understanding how retarded that is, you're the problem.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if everyone else is doing something and you don't understand why, and you don't accept the answers given by someone, just believe them. They're probably not lying to you, and if you have such a mental deficiency that foot sweat is something you prefer, you'd be better off keeping it to yourself.

Anything other than flip flops or sandals looks very stupid with shorts. That's why I wear them. That, and the fact that my feet feel FREE when they're not stuffed inside a bunch of sweaty layers of fabric.

I guess I look stupid a lot then.:(

Note: I don't wear sandals, but I don't have to deal with shoelaces either. Damn things.

Fucking word on that one. I got a friend who wears boots with shorts. Boots!. And he's a narcissist! Every time i see him i think: "man, what are you doing? You look stupid as hell."

I prefer sneakers, mostly because I can run in sneakers. I feel like I cant move fast if I'm wearing sandals.

I do wear them when I go to take a shower, or the beach, or something like that. But not constantly.

You're such a hippie. ;)

I live in Phoenix. Sneakers are only for going to the gym. Flip-flops are standard nearly year round.

Maybe your friend wishes he was Steve Irwin.

I think you are being way too analytical. Your depiction of me is wrong. This is not a debate and I'm not trying to turn it into one as you are implying. I just basically want to see who here wears sandals and flip-flops and why. On a community you can get more opinions than just chatting with a couple friends. It has nothing to do about truth and convincing. That is just you trying to analyze it too thoroughly.

I guess I could've worded some things better, but when I said "It just isn't something that makes a person comfortable" I meant for myself. Some people talk about themselves, but make it sound like they are talking about others. It is just a speech discrepancy.

Flip flops are essential for a college wardrobe, at least in my opinion. There are too many times when I just need to, for example, walk down the hall to use the bathroom at midnight, and it's so much easier to slip flip flops on rather than walk down there in sneakers (who the hell wears them all day anyway? talk about unhealthy) or use my under the desk slippers (heck no) or forbid go there barefoot. So I use my cheapo flip flops for those tasks.

Not to mention it's pretty normal to wear flip flops - although I personally think it too casual for me to go to class in. I do have a pair of "designer" flip flops (CK), it's made of pink leather and it feels great to slip into that pair when your feet are warm and the cool leather hits the soles of your feet... I'm weird. I also think it's healthy to let your feet breathe, like, I wouldn't wear a cap all day. I wear casual sneakers only if it fits my outfit, and no way will I wear my athletic running sneakers to class - don't wanna wear them down if I don't need to use 'em is my philosophy. Boots are heavy, heels are a pain - flip flops have the convenience.

That's why sandals have been around for so long. Easy to make, nice to wear, great looking... The sandal has been around since ancient civilizations. I don't see why there's all the sandal hate.

I wear sneakers most of the time. Flip-flops when I need to let my dogs out or grab something from my car. I hate wearing sandals since my childhood after tripping over so many things and then busting them up eventually. A waste of money IMHO.

I wear both more often here in this country. I usually wear them with socks though, which tends to get me odd looks. I'm pretty sure having your feet free that way can keep your body cooler... Something about your feet and head (bald people have it best) retaining heat. And your pubes, which you're more than welcome to trim down.

X_X

I just put on my sneakers. I imagine that it doesn't take any longer than putting on flip-flops.

Addendum to former posts: I don't like flip-flops and just have never worn sandals. Sometimes, it's hard to distinguish between the two. I suppose I might wear sandals if I found a pair I like.

It depends on your sneakers. I don't wear slip on sneakers (shudder), and I tie my shoes like normal people. =p I like them on fit not loose.

Just that paragraph I quoted was pretty lol. You can understand my position, the last thing I want to hear about is people discussing their foot sweat.

I call flip-flops "slippers". I think that's the proper term, but I don't know. That's what they're called over here, at least.

I wear slippers most of the time when I'm out of the house. While I don't find sneakers all that uncomfortable, I prefer the feeling of wearing slippers. Perhaps it's the feeling of open-ness that slippers provide. I really only wear sneakers (or, in my case, skate shoes) when I go to class or whenever I need less... "casual" footwear.

Not that sneakers/skate shoes are all that formal, but hey, they cover the entire foot!

(also, I hate sandals)

I loves flip-flops. I wear them 50% of the time here in SoCal.

What's to like?
- They're comfortable.
- You can put 'em on easy.
- You can take 'em off easy.
- They can help eliminate embarassing sock tans (but then they can give you sandal tans :\ )
- Hot guys look even hotter in them!

Seriously, try on a pair of Rainbows. They may be overpriced, but they're uber comfortable!

I'd rather use slippers myself.

Sandals are easy to put on. And since it's mostly sunny this season, it'd be a bad idea to wear footwear that covers your whole feet when you go somewhere recreational (aka beach and so on). It'd be the same for flip-flops too but I don't wear them.

As much as I like to wear them, I'm happy with wearing sneakers all the time. Since I'm one of those people who dance around spontaneously anywhere he is, it doesn't help when I'm wearing flip-flops/slippers and they're on the verge of slipping off as I'm sliding across the floor.

I get mad when my friends wear them in cold ass weather though. I mean, have a little decency. You live in NJ where even in Spring, the temperature can jump down to the low 40s in the day time (hello march <.<).

And even when it's not my friends, I just don't like seeing people's nasty feet.

I have a pair that I use when I have to step outside to take out the trash or whatever, but aside from that, I don't much like them at all. I always feel like they're about to fall off when I walk in them, and if I'm not wearing socks at the time, my feet always get really sweaty and gross, which I don't understand at all. I guess I'm just weird.

I get annoyed by people who wear them at the mall or wherever I am at the time that isn't the beach or a pool. It's usually the preppy guys who shop at places like Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollander's.

My I like my sandals. If I could wear them at work, I would, and generally as soon as spring hits, they go on during any non-work time. They're just so comfy and air conditioned, I couldn't be without them in summer. Plus how else do I get a mighty sandal-tan?

People should know that socks are the bane of mankind, second only to pants.

flipflops: hey, you can get those for like, what 5$ at ANY place? Different colours...styles...etc...i have quite extensive collection going on that would match any outfit. plus, they are healthy and i can show off my pretty dainty toes :O



hell, i <3 sandals.

unless its those damn Croc sandals. those things are lame.

I love my sandals except I can't wear them in the lab and for some weird reason they make me feet smell after I take them off instead of while I'm wearing them.

Can't stand flip-flops, though. They always wind up falling off my feet and I wind up stumbling around like a moron.

Yeah... Those preppy motherfuckers. Wearing their sandals anywhere other than THE BEACH or A POOL. They are, in fact, tearing and nibbling at the fair fabric of society. Tell me, kind Hauptsturmführer, how do you suggest we provide a FINAL SOLUTION to the SHOE PROBLEM?

What is wrong with your brain.

I don't know where you live, but by and large, people generally wear some kind of sandal here in the summertime.

Maybe it's because I am generally older and don't really pay much attention to young men wearing those horrible, preppy flip-flops and those girls in their expensive attire wearing pink sandals.

But I assure you, not just "preppy guys" wear flip-flops and sandals. While you may not enjoy letting your feet get air and enjoy walking on a lawn feeling the grass brush up against your ankles, MANY MANY MANY people do.

I am sure that if flip-flops and sandals would not sell so well if they were bought by only the "preppy guys" out there.

I don't know, I always thought that wearing sandals is one way to prevent smelly feet, because you never keep any sweat to begin with.

People from Hawaii are always wearing slippers. I know some people who even use it to work. It's just comfortable to use all year round in the kind of weather Hawaii has. What's funny is the people who move to the mainland and use their slippers to play in the snow. haha those crazy polynesians.

Putting lotion on my feet after getting out of the shower and before putting socks on eliminated foot sweat for me. I'm not sure how but it worked. Even did a leg workout today and my feet stayed dry.

I'm gonna assume that moisturizing your feet did the job your sweat was gonna do?... so then your sweat was like "Dude, our job's like totally done, so I guess we should stay in today, yeah?" Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's how it happened.

I'm well aware that preps are not the only people who wear them, but that's mainly who I see. Also, like I and Chaotic said, I don't like seeing people's disgusting feet. Sorry if I got everyone's panties in a knot for not liking that particular footwear. =/

You didn't answer my question, you insubordinate quarter-assed infantry soldier. If we are to CLEANSE this planet of this wretch, HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DOING IT?

MajesticMan8888 on AIM might be able to help you out. He once proposed a plan of utter human annihilation but the little shitstain pussied out of it. :(

You are aware that sweating is for heat regulation not moisturizing, yes?

Sorry about that. I say we round them all up, chain them to chairs and have them dip their bare feet in buckets of ice water. (We'll have guards pointing guns at them with orders to kill immediately if they refuse.) After a while, they'll be begging for a pair of socks and shoes to warm their feet.

We give them socks and shoes on the condition that they surrender all of their flip flops/sandals and never buy them again. For good measure, we'll put tracking devices in all of them. Tracking devices that I just made up which will explode, reducing the body to cinders if they ever wear or purchase a pair of those vile things again.

Hmm, what type of lotion would be good do you think? That sound like an interesting idea. I'll try that sometimes. I hate fighting with my walking shoes because it really smells bad. :<

Not everyone's feet are nasty. Just the ones that are trapped inside sweaty sneakers all summer.

BAM.
http://www.cosas.cl/imagen.asp?id=1020992
Well, I can't guarantee anything but this is what I use on my feet and it works well. Also make sure your shoes aren't tight as hell or tied too tight. Not sure why it worked for me and I'm sure the type of lotion doesn't really matter. Now, if that doesn't work but you'd still rather not have your feet stink then try and only wear the damned things when you need to. When you're at school, on the street, doing something physical, etc. Try and wear sandals or whatever to give the damned things some ventilation. Or just walk around barefoot if you have carpet. Just figure something out so that your feet aren't trapped all day long. And I hope you're already changing your socks daily. Just be careful, next thing you know you could have some sort of athelet's foot or toenail fungus. NICE.

If all else fails wear two or three pairs of socks so that the sweat doesn't reach the shoe material which causes the foul smell.

The sandal problem isn't a problem whatsoever; what IS a problem is the stupid people who wear shoes INTO THEIR HOUSES and complain when they have to clean the dust that comes with their gross-ass gum-covered sneakers.

FOR GODS SAKE! keep them durty shoes outside. wtf.

It is a disaster... now that it's getting warm, all those jerks come out with their flip flops, faked La Martina shorts, faked Abercrombie SUPER TIGHT shirts and fucking ugly sunglasses (sometimes, they also wear bandanas that make them look like Mother Teresa). Jesus Maria, I could kick them in the face when I see them

I've never really liked Flip-Flops or sandals. The only time I wear them are when Im going to the beach or the pool. The only pair of Flip-Flops I've ever had that I really like are my platform ones.

I love wearing boots alot more. I guess the reason I don't like flip-flops and sandals is because I have a fear of being barefooted in places like Walmart and stuff. And wearing those type of shoes is near being barefooted. Don't get me wrong though,I love going barefooted around my house/at other peoples houses. Also my boots go with alot more of the clothes I own then sandals and flip-flops. ;p

There is nary a moment in my life where I'm not at least wearing socks. Anything less than that and it just feels like I'm being way too informal and that I'm a lazy bum that doesn't care about anything.

I have no idea why I think this way.

...Then there are these things:

www.topless-sandal.com

Pretty weird, eh?

I'm so used to wearing boots all the time that even when I switch to sneakers walking feels like someone is pushing my feet up from the ground 0__o I'm not the type of person who suits summer clothing (sandals, flip-flops, sunglasses, the whole lot of it) and my feet only get sweaty if I've really badly over-exherted myself. Luckily the heat makes me so lethargic that I barely move anyway, and I can run about the house with nekked feet ^_^

I think that it is really funny is when I see people wearing flip-flops in the snow. It is amazing what people will do in the name of fashion.

Whoa. Those are kind of neat? But I am convinced they wouldn't work as well as they're advertised. I mean, the adhesive leaves no residue, yet these things are guaranteed to stick to your feet for a year?

I have a hard time buying it. But I am really tempted to get a pair just to find out. I'm one of those assholes who really enjoys being as close to barefoot as possible.

I don't think I've worn sneakers in years unless I absolutely had to. If it wasn't considered weird (or potentially hazardous) I would go everywhere barefoot. Getting an itch in sneakers really sucks too because you can't reach it.

Flip-flops make my world go 'round.

I wonder: Is it generally considered low class when you wear socks with your sandals or flip flops?

I just remembered I have a pair I received as a xmas joke present last year. I'll test it out this weekend and let ya know if it's good.

To my understanding, its like a giant billboard that says one of three things:

1. I am old
2. I am not concerned at all with fashion
3. I am a giant geek/no social skills.

However, there ARE exceptions as with anything else.

Yeah, like me. I guess I've just never liked having my feet exposed like that. Unless I'm at my house. Then I'd just walk barefoot.

It could also just be a combination of all or most of the above too, although I see "I am a giant geek" more commonly than any other. I know plenty of college professors who 1) are obviously old, 2) doesn't seem to be concerned with looks, 3) is a real nerd.

IMO #3 shouldn't really be put together (not all geeks are socially dysfunct), but eh~ whatever floats teh boat~. :tpg:

I seem to remember seeing a lot of Europeans wearing socks and sandals around school and while I was visiting various national parks.

Well, at least that's some consolation for me. Not that I needed any but it does seem to be a popular view in this country and also the States. Probably this entire hemisphere.

You forgot #4: my feet are always cold.

I've never understood why it's so taboo to wear socks with sandals. Do people want to look at toes that desperately? Fashion doesn't take priority over comfort for me.

If your feet are cold why aren't you just wearing shoes? =\

I think it's the implied assumption that if you are going to wear sandals or flip-flops you must want more breathing room for your feet. If not, why not just wear sneakers or some other closed-toe shoe? I've always thought the point of open-toe footwear was to let your feet breathe. Socks seem to defeat that purpose.

That's what runs through my head anyway... unfortunately, that's never really been adequate justification for anything. Le sigh... :eagletear:


Edit: Ah, Reaver you beat me by a minute!

Sometimes for comfort, sometimes because it's faster to slip on sandals. I haven't worn them for much more than checking the mail and such for ages, but that was my reasoning when I did.

What kind of socks are you wearing that don't let your feet breathe? I used to get really bad eczema on the sides of my feet from wearing sneakers all the time when I was little, so wearing sandals with socks occassionally was far more comfortable.

Ah, wasn't aware you had a skin condition on your feet. I can understand that. Although, I've always found socks make my feet really hot. Maybe it's just that I live in the south, and it always seems to be a billion degrees down here during the summer. Anything to cool off.

Yeah, same thing here. It's a ton cooler just being in socks. Not even the most lightweight/breathable shoes can beat that.

hahahas, flipflops and sandals are way more popular in asia, maybe just because it's hotter here..

and maybe because it's awfully convenient
oh, that airy feel, sure beats the stuffiness of socks+shoes any day.

I recently found these, which, judging by the other articles I've read, the folks in UK are probably really familiar with by now. They're called 'Fit-flops', and supposedly, they actually work your muscles and tone your legs (and butt!) as you walk, in addition to other posture benefits.

I've had a pair for about a week and haven't noticed any particular muscle-strain or anything, but that could be because (as I said before) I'm not a huge flipflop/sandal fan, so I dont wear them constantly. I've been told that they work though, and I wouldnt mind seeing some results.

The popularity of these, I can somewhat understand... women promised toned legs just by walking while wearing a certain sandal? Great sales pitch.

That's okay, when it's hot, I see no reason why people shouldn't wear them, but over here, there are some faggots who wear flip-flops even when it's raining and when it is rather cold.

Man mush, such strong words toward that particular segment of the flipflop community.

Those fitfops sounds pretty cool. They're like strength shoes, but in sandal form.

I have nothing against flipflops per se, but it's another question whether it's retarded or not to wear them in winter when it's snowing and raining, you know

Those fitflop things look awesome. I'm going to try to get a pair, not because I believe they'll actually do what they're supposed to, but because I really like the way they look.

My mom made fun of me when I wore them... she said that it looked like I was wearing a bullseye on my foot. :(

They are really comfortable though. =)

I usually only wear sandals during the summer, but I like wearing a pair of really comfortable ones around the house if it isn't really cold. I'm more of a sneaker person overall.