Apparently this summer’s hottest sandal isn’t all that new. In fact, it takes hints from fashionable, yet not super functional, footwear of the ‘90s. Hello again, high-heeled flip flops.
How in the world did this ‘90s trend become 2019’s favorite summer sandals? The New York Post wrote a feature on this controversial shoe and claims that it all started with the more formal wear of regular flip flops.
In 2016, high-end designers such as Michael Kors, Alexander Wang and Isabel Marant started introducing the casual beach sandals as fancy footwear on a spring runway. Two years later, label Saint Laurent and Havaianas collabed to build an even classier shoe inspired by the ‘flop.
Saint Laurent x Havaianas Flip Flop / Peter White / FilmMagic
But the biggest breakthrough was in 2018, with the introduction of singer Rihanna’s Fenty x Puma motocross-inspired collection, in which models sported flip flops with 4-inch heels and velcro ankle straps.
Despite her fans’ love for her brand, people did not love Rihanna’s footwear choice. But designers picked up on the trend nonetheless and began making the sandal stiletto their own. Even Kim Kardashian boasts about her Yeezy pair on Instagram.
But maybe they’re just photoshoot shoes for celebrities. The Post wrote another article reviewing the street-sense of these sandals, and found it unsurprisingly impossible to walk in them.
So what do you think? Are you flipping for these kitten-heeled beach shoes, or are they a flop? Let us know in the comments below!