Oh, The Places You'll Go!- A Flip Flop Tale

Momma Told Me: Shoes are the vehicle for memories yet to be made!

As a child I despised the task of shopping for footwear. My readers already know of my lifelong battle against my feet, and their early developing shoe size. Much like Sabrina (10), I was wearing adult sizes, and stealing Momma's shoes long before I'd left elementary. As a girl who developed into size 11.5 feet I quite literally dreaded the task of shopping for 'formal' shoes for high school dances, and opted to wear flip flops to my Senior prom. I can recall many occasions in my teenage years where I was found slumped, defeated, over a fitting island in a high end shoe store. Whatever the occasion, it would ultimately end the same; myself exclaiming in exasperation "Why can't I just go barefoot?!" Momma who, looking back, seemed to have the patience of a saint, would very calmly sit down beside me and remark that "Without shoes, there is nowhere to go!" Of course, in a literal sense, that was not entirely true, but figuratively, she was right. Dances had a mandate for footwear, I could hardly walk the Summer pavement more than 2 feet without a proper sole, and I couldn't even walk into a McDonald's and grab a bite without shoes!

Lucky for me, with the exception of rare formal occasions, Momma was generous in her definition of 'everyday footwear' and encouraged a blossoming appreciation for sandals (more affectionately called flip flops). I quickly learned that this marvelous genre of shoes allowed much more freedom in fit than close toed counterparts, and were often affordable enough for me to collect multiple pairs for styling and expression. Of course I realize that not all of my readers can be as lucky as I am to live in a climate that permits such footwear year-round, but I am so very grateful that I am. Raised and rooted in sunny Southern California, our home just minutes from the shore, I could (and admittedly do) live in my sandals. No matter where you live, any woman can acknowledge the invaluable worth of a beloved pair of flip flops. Whether you're waiting for a pedi to dry, or looking for something to slip on after a day in heels, the right pair of sandals can ease our souls and inspire adventure.

Just like Momma Told Me, my footwear is the vehicle I use to get to, and through, many of my life's biggest adventures. If my shoes could tell a story, they'd have thousands; one for every day I've walked in them. In the 4th Grade, Sabrina has very a very strict footwear policy at school and often comes home complaining of how stiff or sore her feet are. She's a wild child at heart, and hates to be tied down to the monotonous task of socks and lace tying. If I had a dollar for every almost heart attack I've had watching that child walk with intentionally untied laces, I'd be living in a bigger house! During the weekends we all pull out our flip flops and try to hit the local sights for some exploration and appreciation of the beautiful palm tree lined harbors.

There are a lot of independent surf shops and boutiques down by the harbor, so you can imagine my surprise to discover my new favorite footwear vendor was a Sport Chalet in town. It should come as no surprise that their footwear selection contained a vast array of active-wear shoes, including hundreds of styles of.....drum roll please.....flip flops! Even sporty in nature, a great pair of designer sandals is worth it's weight in gold. I'd decided instantly that we were all due for a new pair of shoes, and let Jeremy and Sabrina enjoy their hunt. We looked at a lot of familiar brands, but were most intrigued by a name that was new to us. Reef specializes in lifestyle apparel geared towards individuals who love to get outdoors and enjoy casual activities like surfing and sandcastle making. Their collection of apparel and accessories covers casual close-toed footwear, flip flops, wetsuits, beanies and more. Considered more of a culture than clothing line, the brand is at once trendy and casual, with designs to suit the entire family.

We consider ourselves casual consumers, and were immediately drawn to the range of printed straps, and lush textured foot beds. Jeremy was at once in awe of the craftsmanship found in their J-Bay Collection with it's beautiful leather footbed and pigskin lining. Even I was swooning at these masculine shoes, and had to promise their appearance as a birthday gift later this year, to force them out of his hands. Sabrina and I were equally torn between the beautiful Bohemian inspired woven rainbow Gautamalan Love Style, or the more mainstream Stargazer prints. In the end, we favored the plush footbed and arch support of the fashions with animal print, and both opted for Zebra strapped flip flops. No sooner had we left the store then I was asked if I had scissors (to cut the tags so Sabrina could don her new shoes). And the three of us had hardly settled in the car when a suggestion was thrown out to make a day of the excursion and hit the marina.

With Reef afoot, we journeyed to the local harbor, where we enjoyed the sights of local mosaic murals, inbound fisherman's vessels, and tourists on paddle boats. Playing photographer I chronicled the day which included exploration with over-sized binoculars, snapshots of human heads on cartoon bodies, and a hand scooped cone on the Boardwalk. Somehow I managed to avert hours spend on the DDR game in the arcade, though I didn't quite make it out of the boutiques with my wallet in tact. Shortly after lunch we wandered down the the local park, which also happens to be right on the beach, and lounged around in the grass. I was about to remark how impressed I was with the comfort of my feet after all the walking we had done that day when a hyper 10 year-old drug us off towards the sandy dunes. Jeremy had requested a gratuitous Facebook photo of him sitting on a dune staring out into the ocean, so I picked up my camera once more. No sooner had I snapped my first shot then I looked to my Left to discover the above; Sabrina buried waist down in sand!

It seemed like we'd never make it to those rolling waves, sliding our shoes off to make the remainder of the trek in sinking sand. Just another benefit of wearing flip flops, complete versatility- they're even light to carry, and slim to stash in my beach tote! Everyone seemed quite excited to see the tide rolling in; after all, it was a very warm, even hot, day. Poor Sabrina was in for a surprise though, no sooner had she slipped her shoes back on to walk on the 'hard sand,' than a wave came rumbling in and soaked her feet. Apparently it was cold, because she promptly jumped backward and let out a shriek. Thankfully, her footwear was water resistant. Once feet got wet, it was all over; a second tide came rolling in and soaked us 2 feet up. Moments later a sand crab was discovered and the 10 year-old ran along the shore with her shoes making odd clapping noises along the soles of her wet feet.

It's days like these that I suppose I'll remember for a lifetime. Days without a plan, faced with the sincerest enthusiasm for ordinary adventure and unexpected memories. And not one of those memories could have been collected without my faithful flip flops. At the end of the day, caked in dried sand and mud, they met a quick rinse down with the hose, and were lovingly sat back by the front door, awaiting tomorrow's unexpected journeys. As a wise man once exclaimed "Oh, the places you'll go!" Do you have a favorite memory tied to a pair of shoes? Are you as passionate about freedom in flip flops as I? Get a behind the scenes sneak peek at this season's footwear trends in our Flip Flops Google+ shopping album.


What Daughter Says: I'm a Southern California girl who loves to 'drive' to her memories in a favorite pair of flip flops!

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