no reason to flop

I've always enjoyed reading other people's opinions on fashion, style, and trends. From being that weird kid in middle school who actually cared about fashion and read style magazines like GQ and Details, learning more about the history and tradition of fashion has been important to me.

It seems like the general consensus regarding "flipflops" or thong-style sandals is that they don't belong in fashion. And I must admit, I totally disagree. As long as your feet aren't disgusting (no festering, no fungus, no claw like toenails, no crazy callused skin, no weird bumps and bruises), I'm all for letting your feet free. Maybe it's because I live in a warm climate. Or maybe because I spent a good majority of my childhood outside, on pool deck, or on a beach.

I don't wear flipflops all the time. There are certain places you shouldn't ever wear flipflops. But there are exceptions to every rule. I'd say "don't wear flipflops to a job interview" - but if you're interviewing at a surf shop, a bar at the beach, a carwash, or for a lifeguard position, flipflops might be acceptable. Or I'd say don't wear flipflops on a date, but if you're going to be on a yacht, visiting a spa, or traveling on a plane, the sandals might be better suggestion than going closed-toe.

I love wearing flipflops. I think it goes with my personality a bit. A little understated (shocking, I know), definitely comfortable, flexible, and unconventionally simplistic. In college, I wore bright green Diesel flipflops with a navy suit when I graduated from a 2 year leadership program. And, while I was young and naive and didn't really think about what the university administration would think of my footwear choice, I got more compliments from the powers that be saying they were really impressed and humoured that I'd be so bold - that the flipflops made a positive statement about me.

So, keeping that experience in mind, when I graduated college 2 years later, I wore flipflops again. And even when I delivered the eulogy at my Mother's funeral a few years after that, I wore a fabulous Italian cotton khaki suit, with (albeit more fashion forward than your typical run-of-the-mill flipflops) brown leather John Varvatos thong-style sandals. And if I'm just being honest - when the time comes for me to walk down the aisle and marry my future bride, I wouldn't be surprised if I do so in flipflops.

And while I'm out here on a limb, I'm going to tell you about one of my favourite flipflops of all - from a store I'm not such a fan of: Abercrombie & Fitch.

I love their leather flipflops. They're surprisingly rugged, durable, amazingly comfortable, are perfectly broken in, and are made of great materials. Not like I don't already have several flipflops already, but I'll probably be adding a few of these to the rotation.

So the next time you're going out in warm weather and want to let your toes breathe a bit, don't flip flop on your decision - pick the sandals.