Flip-flops have become a staple in students’ everyday outfits at school. Everywhere you look, you are bound to find someone wearing flip-flops, but when did it become socially acceptable to wear your feet out to school?
It has always been common to catch the football players wearing flip-flops with their nicer outfits for game day, but why is everyone wearing flip-flops now? While the weather has gotten warmer, it’s not the only thing that has contributed to the surge of flip-flops.
2023 alumni Kaitlin Mariani inspired junior Megan Lomotan with her tradition of what she liked to call “Toes out Tuesday.” “My freshman year of high school, Kaitlin would wear flip-flops to school every Tuesday. After playing three sports with her, I looked up to her as an inspiration and thought it would be a fun idea to bring back ‘Toes Out Tuesday’ with my friends. I absolutely love wearing flip-flops to school, mainly because it’s fun and adds a little spice to my week. I definitely think I have contributed to the rise in flip-flop wearing at school, and I thank Kaitlin for this,” Lomotan said.
Flip-flops are comfy to wear, and to some, fashionable. Students often wear the flip-flop brand Rainbow Sandals. These flip-flops are high quality as they are made of leather, and are commonly bought and sold in a chestnut color. People wear the braided style, while others wear the flat strap; either way, the style of the Rainbow flip-flops goes with almost any outfit. “I own a pair of Rainbows and could not recommend them enough. I love mine and wear them all the time because they go perfectly with not just shorts but also sweatpants. Flip-flops to school are a yes from me,” junior Addison Purvis said.
Another heavy contributor to the surge of flip-flops is how easy they are to put on in a rush. When having to get to school on time in the morning, scavenging around the house to find socks and the exact pair of shoes that match an outfit is not worth the hassle. Senior Zach Blumberg prefers to wear flip-flops because he can slide them on in a second and be out the door without having to worry about finding a pair of clean socks. “I like to wear flip-flops mainly because I don’t feel like putting on socks in the morning,” Blumberg said.
The trend of flip-flops at school has caught on like a chain reaction. It is kind of like the quote from the movie “Mean Girls” where one of the girls says, “I saw Cady Heron wearing army pants and flip-flops, so I bought army pants and flip-flops.” People at school like to keep up with the trends, so if flip-flops are in, that’s what they will follow.
