# Sandals **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574 "2006-08-06T17:17:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/41 "2006-08-09T18:08:28Z")
Shoes for work. Sneakers for walking LONG distances on pavement for fun. TEVA leather sandals for playing at the beach, walking in the woods (boots for hikes on mountains/rough terrain), or general “hang out” during appropriate weather, and with shorts. I miss shorts/t-shirts & TEVA wear to work in the halcion days of the IT boom. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/42 "2006-08-09T18:51:35Z")
Whenever the weather permits. In Houston, that’s about 3/4 of the year. I prefer the slightly less-orthopedic-looking styles manufactured by SAS–in San Antonio. (As opposed to the SAS sandals that REALLY look like polio boots. {I grew up in orthopedic oxfords that my sibs termed “polio boots”–even though I don’t remember having had polio.}) Here in Houston, women tend to wear sandals most of the time. Even at work–except for the super-corporate jobs. I made my “survey” in the Downtown Tunnel System that links our major office buildings, offering lunch & light shopping to those avoiding the midday sun. And I’ll gladly add that pantyhose have become quite rare–except for the last few “dress for success” holdouts. Many responding here are guys. Go ahead & wear your sandals! Unfortunately, they seem to be “out” for even casual business wear. But the academic/scientific/medical work scene is more forgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Flea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d78d45/32.png) [@Flea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flea)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/43 "2006-08-09T19:23:47Z")
I’m not a fan of tevas or birkenstocks. If I want to be comfy, I wear flip-flops, but I usually can’t stand flat shoes. My shoe of choice this summer has been of the roped wedge variety. I love those things. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/44 "2006-08-10T08:03:46Z")
In Japan you have indoor shoes and outdoor shoes. I have a pair of [Tevas](http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=6670&model=TERRA-FI+2&mnu=mens) almost like these, but mine are the original model in black. I’ve had them for over 7 years, 3 of those years they were outdoor sandals, then they became my every-day indoor shoes for school (I sometimes wore them outside and washed them before wearing them inside again, though). I have another pair of Tevas, same model, that I bought to replace those as outdoor wear, that I use a lot of the time. I wear those sandals more than any of my other shoes. They’re the most comfortable footwear I’ve ever had, and I always buy good comfortable shoes. When it starts getting cold, I sometimes wear them with socks, until it’s cold enough to warrant using my Merrell snow mocs or until the snow gets deep enough to switch to my Zamberlan hiking boots. Like **Shoshana** said, Teva is pronounced with a short lax /e/. From the Teva website, Frequently Asked Questions: “1. What is the meaning of Teva?” “Teva is the Hebrew word for nature. It is pronounced ‘teh’-vah’.” ([http://www.teva.com/about/FAQ.aspx#1](http://www.teva.com/about/FAQ.aspx#1)) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/45 "2006-08-10T08:40:23Z")
I’m “keen” on [these](http://www.keenfootwear.com/pdp_page.cfm?productID=9). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![amijane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@amijane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amijane)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/46 "2006-08-10T17:33:47Z")
I _love_ my crocs and have several pairs. I walk a lot for work and they are definitely the most comfortable shoes for walking about in, and I wear them around the house as slippers. I’ve worn them in rivers, in and out of the ocean, climbing up hills and through mud. They’re not exactly pretty and I get a lot of “Uh, interesting shoes” comments as they’re still quite rare over here. I’ve also got a beautiful pair of hand-tooled sandals in rainbow coloured leather that I bought from a market in Tobago - I have to force myself not to wear them too often in case they wear out, as I doubt I’d ever get another pair. The toe post is a leather flower so it looks like you’ve got a flower tucked between your toes. Apparently Richard Branson had a pair made by the same guy, not sure if that’s a plus or not… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/47 "2006-08-10T20:40:22Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > A-freekin’-Men. Boots, or at the very least, tennis shoes. Or dress shoes, if the job or affair requires them. > . This is (to me) a relatively new sentiment I’ve been seeing. Since when can’t men wear sandals any more? I’ve already lost the privilege of wearing shorts that are, you know, actually _short_ as opposed to _not quote as long_–just because I’m a guy. You’ll pry my Birkenstocks off my cold dead feet. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/48 "2006-08-10T21:11:04Z")
I wear sandals during the summer when I don’t feel like dealing with shoes & socks, which is practically every day. My current pair is from [Mossimo](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000BYD3YA.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/49 "2006-08-11T00:16:58Z")
I’m currently wearing [this](http://www.hushpuppies.com/Shop/Detail.aspx?GNavID=G-M&NavID=G-M-SAN&PID=8666) pair of leather sandals I got at the Hush Puppy outlet store. I also have a pair of [Cherokee Ike slides](http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_3/602-3773330-1171865?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000BYEJIY) I wear to give my HPs a rest. Interesting, my SIL gave me a pair of Birkenstocks once and I wore them around for a couple of hours and gave them back. I found them uncomfortable. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/50 "2006-08-11T01:58:52Z")
I love sandals. All summer, I can generally be found in dressy sandals or a fancy pair of flipflops. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/51 "2006-08-11T16:45:39Z")
> [@Myron Van Horowitzski](#): > > You’d have to pry my Chacos from my cold, dead, feet. Amen. I used to have Tevas, but I love my Chacos even more. I wear them as soon as it’s warm enough in the Spring until I can’t take the chill any more in the Fall. If I could wear them year-round I would. I can’t do flip-flops. They seem so flimsy and my feet slide right out the them. I like a sandal with a heel strap. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/52 "2006-08-11T19:59:17Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > This is (to me) a relatively new sentiment I’ve been seeing. Since when can’t men wear sandals any more? I’ve already lost the privilege of wearing shorts that are, you know, actually _short_ as opposed to _not quote as long_–just because I’m a guy. You’ll pry my Birkenstocks off my cold dead feet. I agree with the anti-sandal crowd, on men in particular. Men have ugly toes. Some are uglier than others, but they’re all ugly. Whether they’re all bulbous and knobbly, or long and skinny, bald or hairy-knuckled, with thick disgusting fungus nails or a finely-trimmed pedicure, it’s all just degrees of ugliness. In general, women’s toes are a little better, but still not much good. If you were allowed to wear socks with sandals, I’d probably be all over them, because I loves me some lace-less shoes. Until socks and sandals are socially acceptable, I’m sticking with my slip-on Vans. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/53 "2006-08-12T02:26:33Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Anyone remember those sandals that looked as if they were made of car tires? I had a pair when I was a kid in the '70s. Here in Australia they were called ‘treads’, and were actually made from discarded tyres with thonged soft-leather straps. They were the footwear of choice for the _sharpies_ (along with ball-strangling Lee jeans (the _skinheads_ wore Levis) and ‘Connie jumpers’). Urghhhhh. Thank goodness those days have gone. Yes, I had a pair, and they were supremely comfortable AND ecologically/environmentally sound, even though that was prolly the last reason I would have bought them back in 1974. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/54 "2006-08-12T03:45:23Z")
I love sandals, but I have fussy feet. Very high arches, and issues from lots of surgery to fix shattered leg bones and resulting contracted left Achilles tendon (from spending the better part of a year, and chunks of the subsequent 2 years, on crutches and rehabbing). My feet, and my left ankle in particular, have been through enough hell that I wear whatever makes them happy. In the summer, that’s usually something like [these](http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2895049/0~2376778~2372811~2379908~2379909~2380055?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2380055&P=1) (I have a similar, non-thong style that apparently isn’t made anymore). They are hideously expensive, but they are the only brand I’ve found that actually has arch support that works for me, and they last forever. I wear custom orthotics when I wear closed shoes, and if my job should ever give me crap about my footwear choices (which, so far, they have had the sense not to do), I will be glad to give them a note from my orthopedic surgeon. I’ve got other sandals as well, but it’s difficult to find the appropriate heel height and support given my non-bendy ankle (if I’m wearing proper shoes, most people won’t notice, but I limp when barefoot, if I’ve been wearing shoes without proper support, or when I’ve been on my feet too much). The flat ones are often too flat, and anything more than a slight incline leaves me in pain after a short walk. Birkenstocks are both too wide and too flat; much to my chagrin, Chacos are just a shade too flat (that qextra quarter inch can make all the difference!); Tevas don’t have enough support over the long haul; and I haven’t found anything else that has remotely close to enough arch support. I never was a big fan of flip-flops or any kind of thong sandal; they never quite seem to fit right. (And I have cute feet, dammit! Just don’t look at the scars along my left Achilles tendon. Or on the front of the left ankle, where the surgeon tried to remove some bone spurs and scar tissue arthroscopically, but couldn’t see anything once he got inside and decided to cut me open again.) ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/55 "2006-08-12T20:47:22Z")
I have three pairs of Birkenstocks that I wear whenever I can get away with it. That generally means “whenever I’m not wearing long pants”, though I sometimes wear them with jeans. I also have a pair of Tevas (everyone I know promounces it tEE-va), which are stictly for camping and being in/around the water. My next purchase will likely be a pair of Keens. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/56 "2006-08-12T21:02:32Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > 1. Am am not from Massachusetts. Far from it actually and I don’t approve of a great deal of what occurs here. > > 2. Two wrongs don’t make a right. > > I am a libertarian so I don’t really care what people wear on a global level. However, sandals are an extremely dangerous and volatile class of footwear to choose. If someone is looking for a date, a job, or anything else that requires the scrutiny of someone else, they are a poor choice. There is nothing that they broadcast that is positive. I have a feeling that the users of these things have little idea of how much of the negative in their lives is caused by this choice of footwear. Shag, I am absolutely fascinated by your sentiments regarding sandals and I would really really like to hear more. Please elaborate. I anxiously anticipate your response. /Winston ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/57 "2006-08-12T21:04:55Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Here in Australia they were called ‘treads’ I think we called them ‘tire treads’. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/58 "2006-08-12T21:10:31Z")
Living in Florida has its advantages. I can wear sandals to work, so I have several pair of casual sandals and dressy backless sandals to wear. The only restrictions…no thongs. Of course, this means my toes must be polished and neat, but hey, when I can go practically barefoot at work in November, it’s a small price to pay. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/59 "2006-08-13T13:21:26Z")
I have a pair of leather Keens that I love like no other. They go on hikes, to work, around town, around the house…comfy, rugged and not to horrily ugly. I also have a pair of crocs that I love to death but which are a little too geeky to wear too often (though I have them on right now…with socks, too! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574/60 "2006-08-17T19:37:03Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > I agree with the anti-sandal crowd, on men in particular. Men have ugly toes. Some are uglier than others, but they’re all ugly. Whether they’re all bulbous and knobbly, or long and skinny, bald or hairy-knuckled, with thick disgusting fungus nails or a finely-trimmed pedicure, it’s all just degrees of ugliness. > . I’ve noticed similar comments with respect to shorts, basically equivalent, “It’s good that men don’t wear shorter shorts any more, because they’ve all got hairy ugly legs.” If this idea that men’s bodies are ugly gathers any more steam, they’ll have us guys in burqas before long. And meanwhile, women will end up wearing thong bathing suits on the street. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sandals/367574.md?page=2)