As temperatures climb and we enter the season of exposed feet, we’re here to help, with all the best tricks for keeping your feet presentable, as well as comfortable. While this week happens to be the start of Fleet Week, we’re doing our own take as summer begins. Welcome to Feet Week on the Strategist.
Last Friday, at 10:13 a.m., I received a text message from a friend that read, “In your opinion, what are tolerable sandals for men?” In theory, she was asking on behalf of her husband, but of course, she was really thinking of herself. And rightly so. It was 94 degrees, and she was anticipating three months of having to stare at his feet. “Yikes,” I wrote back. And then I took a picture of my own feet and sent the photo. “These are the best,” I added. “The free ones you get at nail salons.”
It’s a unisex endorsement I stand by. There are, admittedly, a lot of cons to these disposable flip-flops, which nail salons give you to make it home without ruining your pedicure. They’re not environmentally friendly; they provide no arch support whatsoever; and you can’t ever be entirely sure a rusty nail won’t poke right through them. But still, the pros are convincing.
They’re absurdly cheap, if not literally free; their clumsy width is weirdly flattering (makes your ankles look small); and maybe most importantly, they’re too flimsy to take you more than a few blocks from your apartment, which means they provide insurance against wearing sandals where you otherwise shouldn’t anyway. They’re not meant for the beach, or even for walking the dog for 20 minutes. I’ve found that you can generally rely on them for approximately five bodega runs before having to toss them, but they do make great shoes for padding around the apartment, post-shower, or going down the stairs to pick up your mail or Seamless order. Think of them as your summer around-the-house slippers. It’s actually an act of gross negligence that Margiela doesn’t make a version.
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