The Flip-Flop Is No Longer Just Funky — It's Fancy
Flip-flops are so back, baby. That's quite a coup for a pretty divisive shoe.
But like many shoes once banished to the depths of hideous shoe hell, flip-flops have flipped and flopped their way out of the ugly shoe underworld, rising from the ashes as an edgily cool footwear option.
The fashionization of flip-flops has been on a steady climb upwards, tipped off by Balenciaga and most recently capped by luxe labels like The Row, which goes viral for footwear about once a year. This time? $700 flip-flops.
This heel-slapping trend has spread from big-name designers to DIY enthusiasts who mix the normalization of the flip-flop with the recent over-accessorized obsession.
Maybe it started with Barcelonian designer Paloma Wool, who famously turned simple flip-flops into adorned slippers with adjustable buckles, studded thongs, and button-shanked straps. But the new(er) kids on the fancy flip-flop block are taking much bigger risks, sometimes literally
Earlier this year, Spanish womenswear label Gimaguas collaborated with flip-flop titan Havaianas to create some supremely studded flip-flops, which were never actually made available for purchase.
Some admirers were inspired to create their own thumb-tacked sandals to mimic the look. Glue or not, though, DIY pointiness near bare feet sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Punctured fashion is all the rage right now but this particular venture seems better left to the professionals.
Now, the world of impractical flip-slops isn't all silver buckles and pointed studs. There is also a furry side to the OD flip-flop era. Tibi and Dries Van Noten have created flip-flops so beautiful in their furry glory, I almost don't care that they're completely incompatible with flip-flop-specific endeavors like going to the beach or the pool or, well, any water-adjacent activity.
Groovy flip-flops are one part of the modern weird shoe pyramid, which includes Vibram's FiveFingers toe shoes, Toga's Suicoke slides, and those flatter-than-flat Balenciaga shoes (if you can even call them that).
But what makes the funky flip-flop trend so enthralling is it’s high concept but low barrier to entry. Flip-flops are the humblest shoe ever created. Contrast it against maximalist adornments or fur enhancements and you get a wild mix-up that's anything but flat.
