Grapevinehill.com presents
FLIP FLOPS 101: A Guide to Men's Sandals

Spring’s coming and while women seem to know instinctively that this means open-toe shoes, they also know the difference between a strappy sling-back and a sophisticated mule.  But guys are not so lucky, basically our experience with sandals falls somewhere between our ex-hippy college professors and the flip-flops you wear in the shower room at the gym.

But why should the ladies have all the fun? Sandals and flip-flops are rapidly becoming part of mainstream fashion culture for both men and women. Grapevinehill.com is here to help get guys up to speed.

SYLLABUS

LESSON 1: THONG SANDALS

What are they?
Despite the recent re-appropriation of the word to represent a women’s undergarment, the thong is actually a traditional sandal with a single toe strap that goes between the big and second toe. The Japanese Geta is generally considered the forefather of the thong.  While the cheap rubber shower shoes and flip flops are probably the most popular member of this family, men’s thong sandals are moving up-market in style, quality and price.

Example:

Tommy Bahama 'Anchors Away' Leather Thong Sandals

What they say about you:
Thong Sandals look great with shorts to complete a casual look. You can come off ultra laid-back with a pair of chinos or jeans for that tanned, fresh-from-the-beach look.”

LESSON 2: SLIDE SANDALS

What are they?
Like the thong sandals, men's slide sandals have undergone a revolution over the past few years. Generally defined as having one or two straps that go across the top of the foot, today’s slide sandals come in many styles and forms. Technically considered “mules” slide sandals can trace their roots back in several directions to Europe, including the Dutch “klompen” clogs, and to French sabots.

The sport-style slide, made popular by European soccer players,  remains a favorite and is often made of plastic and rubber.  The more traditional styles, like Birkenstock,  are now often made with materials like Nubuc and/or synthetic microfiber to reduce wear. There is also a trend here to move up-market with better leathers, as seen in the slides from Bacco Bucci.

Example:

   Bacco Bucci 'Walter' Leather Slide Sandal

What they say about you:
Where thong sandals tend to be more whimsical,  the dressier slide sandals come off as more serious. They work great with either shorts or pants and tell people that you’ve made a decision, a footwear style decision, you didn’t just default to whatever was in your back seat.”

LESSON 3: FISHERMAN'S SANDALS

What are they?
Fisherman's Sandals are one of the most venerable pieces of footwear in the world: dating back as long as recorded history and found in just about every culture that eats fish. Most like a shoe, they generally offer a tighter fit and the most foot coverage of any member of the sandal-family. They have several straps across the top of the foot, a low slung but snug ankle strap and many come with an enclosed toe box to keep the foot in place. Traditionally brown or black, the Fisherman’s sandal is now available in many colors, styles and price points.

Example:

   H.S. Trask 'Laguna' Sandals

What it says about you:
In other countries, the fisherman’s sandals are as common as tennis shoes are for westerners. But in the U.S., the fisherman’s sandal is a mature persons’ sandal. Not old, but mature. It says ‘I’ve arrived, I don’t care what you think, I am comfortable and stylish.’”

LESSON 4: SPORT SANDALS

What are they?
Sport sandals probably evolved from the Fisherman’s sandals and were popularized in the late 90’s by Teva, but they still remain quite popular today.  Men's sport sandals generally have a snug fitting strap across the toes, one that goes around the ankle as well a durable rubber foot bed that is often contoured to fit the foot. Originally created for outdoorsmen who would find themselves in ponds, rivers or streams, these multi-function sandals are usually made of all synthetic materials or new waterproof leathers, and are designed to provide traction on wet ground and to dry quickly. A near cousin of the sport sandal is the golf sandal, which feature all of the above with a studded bottom.

Example:

   Timberland 'SeaSwirl' Sport Sandal

What they say about you:
Wearing a pair of 10-year old sport sandals (you know the ones I mean) identifies you as having grown up in the 90’s just like an old pair of Birkenstocks would for a child of the 60’s. But with some of the newer designs and manufacturers, you can look good and still tell the world that you’d rather be in the woods.”

LESSON 5: DRESS SANDALS

What are they?
Dress sandals are usually a high-end designer style and built for fashion over comfort. While most are comfortable and durable, they would place form over function in the list of priorities. Men's dress sandals come from a variety of top designer names and can range in prices from 30 to 200 dollars. They go anywhere you would expect them to in the warm weather, from a cocktail party in South Beach, to a wedding on Nantucket. Designer dress sandals are a sophisticated way to keep your feet as cool as your company.

Example:

  Taryn Rose 'Dolan' Dress Sandals

What it says about you:
Dress Sandals are the top of the sandal food chain. Look at it this way, women love shoes, they love men who choose nice shoes even more, and a man who can look great and feel comfortable in a pair of designer sandals is going to do well with the ladies. If you can get past your buddy’s jokes, you will be amazed at how your reputation for being stylish will flourish.”

You can visit our eBay Store to find the right sandal for any occassion:  Grapevinehill eBay Store