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Thongs: how can you wear them?

SGladwell

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(On your feet, that is!)

About a month ago, I bought a pair of those Brazilian made PRL flip-flops with the leather sole and grosgrain-covered strap from the Grapevinehill webstore, because the Adidas soccer sandals I had been wearing as house shoes were well past their prime. Since they came in, I've been wearing them for maybe an hour or two a day, strictly at home and never standing for longer than it takes to cook an omelette.

For whatever reason, I decided to wear them to the grocery store today. Bad idea! First, operating the pedals properly in these shoes, especially the clutch, was a nightmare. The back edge kept getting caught as I moved my foot from the dead pedal to the clutch. So my driving was nowhere near as smooth as it usually is. Then I parked where I always do in the parking lot - on the highest ground, so as to be sure that any unattended carts will roll away from my care - and walked the 200m or so to the store. By the time I was walking back, the skin between my biggest two toes was in searing pain, and my ankles weren't happy either.

Do they ever get comfortable or are they strictly for the minimal walking, never-have-to-shift crowd?
 

Kent Wang

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I like flip-flops because it allows me to drive barefoot. I only wear thongs. All other styles of flops are unattractive.

Have you worn thongs before? It may take a while for you to develop callouses between your two big toes.
 

DNW

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Some flip flops are more comfortable than others. I've been wearing Rainbow sandals for a while and they've pretty much been comfortable since day one. I walked everywhere with them, sometimes 6-8 hours long.
 

Soph

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Thongs?
tongue.gif

Only if you're a stripper.
 

Kent Wang

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Originally Posted by DarkNWorn
Some flip flops are more comfortable than others. I've been wearing Rainbow sandals for a while and they've pretty much been comfortable since day one. I walked everywhere with them, sometimes 6-8 hours long.
Rainbow and Reef probably make the comfortable thongs on the market because the piece that contacts the space between your toes is a soft fabric instead of hard leather or plastic. I don't really like their designs though; they're all rather mediocre.
 

javyn

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Thongs are great. It doesn't take long for in-between your toes to callous up, and the adjustments you must make to walking and driving are minor and you'll soon not even think about it. A great convenience.
 

whoopee

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I think it was Tom Ford who said men should never wear thongs in the city. Or anyone ,really. They get the feet disgustingly dirty and misshapen over time.
 

Reggs

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Feet are unattractive. Thats why I never wear flip-flops.
 

Jovan

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In a city such as New York I can see that. But what about a beach town? When I used to live in one, it was pretty common for people to swim one minute, then go off in their flip-flops to get a bite to eat in town. Then go swimming at the beach some more. Dirty feet because of that are pretty common there, so it's not really a faux pas.
 

javyn

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I don't know about NY but here they are perfectly fine. Then again, I *do* live on the coast.
 

keal

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Born and raised here in Hawaii, where flip-flops are the norm for everyday wear
smile.gif


I ran the 2005 Honolulu Marathon in flip-flops. Got to the half-marathon point in 2:49. Hit the wall at mile 19 because too many people were asking me how it felt running with the thong slippers - I talked and didn't refuel correctly. Walked the last 5 miles. Believe it or not, it's easier to run than walk in flip-flops
smile.gif
 

acidboy

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WHEW! and i thought we have reached a new level of discussion here when i saw the title!

[edit - please... no. -j]
 

xarope

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I've never been able to wear thongs/flip-flops, even whilst growing up as an asian with everybody else around me wearing flip-flops, I just couldn't feel comfortable. Perhaps the sight of numerous discarded one-off flip-flops lying around the roads and drains also reinforced the subconcious decision!
 

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