To sock, or not to sock ? That is the question.

I find it truly amazing how you can start with an idea or preconception of something and then somehow over time end up miles away from where you began. Case in point, the TubeFlop. I remember the very first time that I saw this bizarre item and thought to myself ‘waaaaaait a minute, what’s going on here?! Can this really be what it looks like or has this person really cut the heel and toes of her sock in some strange attempt to finally cross the ‘no socks with sandals’ barrier ? My problem in acquiring an answer was that the very person wearing them was a new friend and I couldn’t bring myself to ask the question burning in my brain, ‘what is up with your shoes!!?' I decided that maybe some good old fashioned Google investigation was in order and I could decide for myself just what was going on here.

It turns out that even though I may not have been the last person in the world to have heard of TubeFlops, I may have been close. This very unusual and yet quite ingenious idea for footwear was designed by Sanuk shoe founder Jeff Kelley in 2010 after a trip to Asia in which he witnessed many fashionable women wearing stirrup bottom leggings with flats and/or heels. From this the TubeFlop was born, perhaps well ahead of it’s time to the fashion cavemen such as myself. Regardless, I could not look away, I was truly captivated with the simplicity and style of this unique hybrid of sock and sandal. You see every girl I have ever met seems to live with the curse of cold feet and yet finally here was an attempt at a solution that should have been thought of years ago...well done Mr. Kelly, well done.


In closing, I have decided that thanks to TubeFlops I will never again look at fashion in any regard as ‘lame’ or ‘stupid’ at first just because I don’t understand it. I have learned the lesson that putting a little thought into it is the only way to go...from there one can decide what they like and what just belongs on the catwalk or department store mannequin. This is what makes fashion great, the ability to challenge us and open our minds to the minds of others. I must say however, the one beef I have with this fashion monument is simply this...how ‘bout some men’s sizes...!?

peace,

puffy shirt.