Can we just take a minute… Since when did the flip-flop become public enemy number one? We've long-been aware that the British summertime footwear staple has had a slight fall from grace in recent years - whispers from podiatrists about how much (or little) they support your foot have been bubbling away for a while and even naysayers such as myself can't deny that they've taken a fashionable back foot (sorry) of late - but after they were branded 'dangerous' this morning (and yes, you did read that right the word dangerous was actually used in reference to a breed of flat sandals), I felt compelled to come out in defence of one of the humblest and most unassuming members of the shoe community.
According to Dr. Tariq Khan, a consultant podiatrist in London, not only are flip flops 'dangerous' but also 'the most flimsy, unsupportive piece of footwear you can wear'… On the latter; tell us something we don't know, on the former; come, come. That's getting a little dramatic, isn't it? And it's not that I look at those rubber planks, AKA flip-flops, through rose-tinted glasses either; I know the abject horror women experience when they spot a man brandishing their funky toenails in them in MARCH (because, you know, according to blokes its #summer and #timeforshorts the moment we're clear of February) and I am quite aware of the havoc they are known to wreak on feet. The pitfalls of a toe-peg and its bed-fellow, the giant in-between toes blister are no strangers to me, nor is the classic slide-out from under your feet so you're essentially walking barefoot at times and maybe even on shards of glass - and let's not even get started on the risk you run of a stubbed toe - but in spite of all of this, I think we're in danger of going slightly overboard on this one.
Yes they are flawed and tortured (mostly 'tortured' in that they're usually doing a number on you) but aren't all the greats? It's not the ghost-busters that you're gonna call on when you're about to burn the soles of your feet off on scorching sand at the beach, is it? No. It's a pair of flip-flops. And on whom do we rely to protect our delicate tootsies from the grimy floor of a festival or hostel shower? Answer; the same pair of shoes that give a newly-painted pedicure safe passage. And, it's always the flip-flop who appears like a beacon of hope or a trusted steed at 2am when, with feet bloodied and bruised, we are ready to concede defeat to a pair of sky-high heels. Plus, off the top of our head we can't think of any other piece of clothing whose name is such a shining example of onomatopoeia. And although pool slides and Birkenstocks will no doubt hog the limelight once again this summer, there's a reason that the flip-flop rises like a phoenix every time - because they're damn great.
Certainly, there's a time and a place for you dear flip-flop and you're not to be trusted in the same way trainers are but hey, you let my feet breathe, you're comfortable and Gisele even endorses you, so what's not to like?
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.