A gal at the Atlanta Blogger event last night asked me when flip flops became high fashion. My initial thoughts were: “when were they ever not?” and “when I started wearing them, of course.”

In the 70’s and 80’s we saw only black rubber wedge flips with bad fabric or rubber straps, so it’s not hard to understand why you wouldn’t wear them year round. Times have changed and I now have no less than 10 pairs with varying degrees of bling and attitude. Some are friendly and have ladybugs on yellow grosgrain ribbon, some are flirty made of hemp and with rhinestones braided in, and even some simple old school rubber flips in assorted colors. I have a flip for every occasion and yes, I wear them to the office.

Bodyguard Steve-O chimed in and offered that I wear them to church. True.

“But you wouldn’t wear them with something formal” she offered. Au contraire, I wore them with a nice silk dress to my brothers wedding just two weeks ago.

The rules for pulling it off are simple really, anyone can do it.

Rule #1: Get a pedicure. No one wants to look at your toe funk or your crooked, jagged nail cutting job or your bunions or your Hobbit fur patches. Groom, then wear.

Rule #2: I don’t want to hear you walk. Period. Don’t make me go all wicked witch and yank those things off your feet and beat you about the head with them. Silence is golden and completely attainable. If you need lessons, e-mail me.

Go forth and let freedom ring, let the tyranny of closed footwear be damned. The stifling of fresh air between your toes ends today! VIVA LA FLIP FLOP!