Flip-flops will turn you into zombie-food

There are so many things I could write about this, one of the worst forms of footwear I can think of. Every now and again, I ponder writing a blog post on the shuffly evil that is flip-flops/jandals/thongs and I'm usually so seething with rage that I put it off. So here, finally, is a small list of the many reasons I dislike them so much:

• You have to change the way you walk so that they don't come off
• Fit-Flops aside, they provide no support for your foot
• You can't run in them (out-run a zombie? I think not)
• They are easy to lose (not a problem on the beach, but bad in a city)
• They make a nasty nasty sound
• People can easily stand on the back of them in crowds
• They pretty much all look horrid (especially on manky feet)

Some people wear them all the time and they're not designed for that. Aside from the fact that they look inappropriate in certain social situations, as Barbara Kantrowitz said a couple of years ago in Newsweek, "Questions of etiquette aside, flip-flops may not be the best choice for health reasons. [...] researchers at Auburn University found that flip-flops actually alter the way wearers walk. That change in gait can cause persistent foot and ankle pain—the kinds of problems usually associated with a fondness for Manolos and Jimmy Choos."

Suffering discomfort for something that looks good is one thing, but what's with shuffling around on two flimsy bits of plastic only to complain when your feet hurt and people keep stepping on your toes? Just don't get me started on the shuffly absorbent outdoor slippers known as Uggs.

Image via the_moog's Flickr.