Listen. Hear that? No, not the roar of the ocean (or the honking at Five Corners). I’m talking about the soft, rhythmic patter so unmistakable it has a shoe named after it: the flip-flop. From the scattered pairs readily left behind at the sandy mouth of Lucy Vincent, to the street-slapping serenade heard all over Edgartown proper, flip-flops smack of summer sole Island-wide.
Open-toed sandals with a distinct Y-shaped toe strap, flip-flops first scuttled onto the scene in ancient Egypt. The oldest known pair, fashioned from papyrus or palm leaves, dates back to 1500 B.C. and is on display at the British Museum. Centuries later, in ancient Greece, sandals were a symbol of status: the wealthiest citizens wore shoes of soft leather, or sandals gilded or painted in gold, but all exhibited the same unique placement of straps between the first and second toe. This differentiated them from the ancient Romans, who preferred a strap between the second and third toes. And from the similar paduka sandal popular in India that was made of wood and had a post, rather than a strap, between the first and second toe.
From Jerusalem to Japan, the flip-flop remained a footwear staple in warmer climates across the ages. It’s a wonder, then, that it wasn’t until the 1950s that they arrived, in all of their toe-baring, heel-slapping glory, on the shores of these United States. Brought back by soldiers returning from World War II, the first stateside flip-flops were actually Japanese zoris made of straw. These were redesigned into the colorful, comfortable, quintessentially American counterparts we still see on beaches and boardwalks today.
As in ancient Greece, today’s flip-flop spectrum runs from the everyday to “luxury,” providing an option for every Vineyard town and summer scenario.
According to Elaine Barse, owner of the Green Room in Vineyard Haven, variation in style, material, and price is common, even within one brand. Take Havaianas, for example. These Brazilian flip-flops were first introduced in 1962, and by 2011, 210 million pairs were sold worldwide. This season’s offerings range from affordable rubber-soled classics like the Slim, to swankier versions, some inlaid with Swarovski crystals and marketed as the “bridal collection” at upwards of $150.
A new, pricier favorite available at the Green Room is OluKai, a California-based company that embraces a Hawaiian surf aesthetic using quality materials. “When you explain to people the differences,” Barse said, “especially men, it makes sense. Here it’s acceptable to be wearing a nice pant and a nice flip-flop, and go out to dinner. You’d go into l’etoile wearing these, but maybe not in a pair of Reefs.”
It’s not just leather and bling that separate the fine-footed from the hoi polloi. Comfort and safety play an important factor in deciding how much to shell out for a new pair. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, flimsy flip-flops can lead to a host of toe-and-foot traumas, including blisters, plantar fasciitis, and soreness due to low arch support. The association recommends gently bending a pair of flip-flops in half before you buy them; supportive soles will bend at the ball of the foot, never at the center.
Though younger generations wholeheartedly embrace the casual comfort of the flip-flop, from wedding parties to nights on the town, there are many who maintain that the surf-inspired staple should stay where it belongs: on the beach. But that doesn’t stop President Obama from flip-flopping (sartorially, at least) on vacation, or the Dalai Lama from greeting visiting dignitaries in his favorite pair of thongs.
And if they’re good enough for the Dalai Lama…
Find them around town
(From left in photo above)
1. Rainbow Sandals, Flirty Braidy (Women)
Dress them up with a skirt or pair them with cutoffs. Rainbow’s Flirty Braidy style is a twist on an old favorite, the classic hemp Rainbow sandal. At Brickman’s in Vineyard Haven. ($51.95)
2. Reef, Fanning (Men and Women)
A big player in the surf world, Reef’s sturdy, arch-supported flip-flops come in almost every style imaginable. But with one small step a few years back, they took a giant leap for beach preparedness, adding a bottle opener to the sole. At the Boneyard Surf Shop in Edgartown. ($50)
3. Hari Mari, Scouts (Men and Women)
Good for your feet, good for the world. Made with recyclable rubber and memory foam toe posts – yes, just like the beds – that conform to your feet. The company donates $3 from every pair sold to fund treatments for kids with pediatric cancer. At Slip 77 in Oak Bluffs. ($62)
4. OluKai, Mea Ola (Men)
There are flip-flops for the beach, and then there are flip-flops that deserve a night out on the town. OluKai’s Mea Ola has premium leather, canoe-lash stitching, and great arch support. At the Green Room in Vineyard Haven. ($120)
5. Hari Mari, Scouts (Men and Women)
