Monday, July 4, 2011

Summer Sandal Memories

Today I'm reminiscing about sandals, probably because it's the 4th of July, the quintessential summer day. What kind of sandals do you remember wearing in the summertime? Dr. Scholl's "exercise" sandals. These were the forerunners of Shape-Ups, I guess. I was never allowed to have them, because I'd break my neck. Mom was probably right, although I think she just didn't want to listen to me clomp around in them. I remember them being part of the Dr. Scholl's footcare display at the drugstore, as if they really had some sort of medical use.

I had these rainbow flip flops in the eighties. Didn't everyone? Mine had blue straps, and I remember wearing the soles down into the layers of color.

I didn't have official Saltwater sandals until a few years ago, but many people have fond memories of wearing them at the shore. To me, these are the epitome of all the sturdy, buckled, flat sandals I had as a small child. And you really can get them wet! And they're made in the USA!
Huaraches, another eighties option. Remember how they'd kind of creak and squeak when you walked? This is an upscale pair from Frye. $100+ for huaraches? Criminal.
Bass Sunjuns. A classic. The pillowy suede footbeds felt so good, but always looked terrible by the end of the summer.









Kork-Ease and knock offs were everywhere for a couple of years. I had the discount store version, which featured peeling "suede" on the soles and a higher heel than I'd ever worn previously. Now you can get them with a four and half inch heel--yikes! These are awfully cute though.




Which ones do you remember wearing? Have I forgotten any?

9 comments:

angelia729 said...

I had some of those blue flip flops. and i recall wearing the sun juns in white during the summer. i remember those dr schools hard soled sandals, but i never wore them. i recall the salt water style sandals too from childhood. cute post.

SewNice245 said...

As soon as I started reading I thought about the Dr. Scholls. I remember my mom wouldn't buy them for me so I saved my babysitting money until I could buy a pair. I bought the sunjuns this year and they are soooo comfortable. I can't wear those super flat ones for very long but those I can wear all day!

WendyCarole said...

I had some dr scholls in the 70s and at this very minute I am wearing a pair of two colour red and black flip flops that I have worn down two bands and very comfortable they are too. I have had them a long time probably since the 90s

Anonymous said...

Oh!! I had rainbow flipflops! And Sunjuns, too! $100 for Huraches? That's ridiculous for a pair of squeaky shoes.

One you forgot - the original Candie's sandals. They had wood soles/heels, and had slots cut through them so that you could switch out the straps. Mine came with a set of white patent straps and pink canvas ones.

Sherry from Alabama said...

Do you remember Jellies? They killed my feet, but I wore them anyway because because they were so CUTE! Love this post!

Sherry @ A Happy Valentine

Julie Zaccone Stiller said...

I finally talked my mom into letting me get those Dr.Scholl's, they were so cute, and loud, but after a long day in them, soooo uncomfortable, duh, hard wood, no padding. I also had those rainbow flip flops(which broke right away) and the Bass sun juns (those were my fave, I made them last two summers). How fun to remember, thanks!

:o) mg said...

OH I love this post! Why is it that our mothers would not buy the Dr. Scholls?
Definitely remember the rainbow ones, the sunjuns,.. yes yes yes!

Anonymous said...

Anyone remember these natural colored Kork-Ease knock-offs? A small rose was tooled on one of the front straps. I loved them!

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a great page. It took me through a timeline of my childhood. I remember getting a pair of Dr Scholl's one summer and wearing them down to splinters of wood, I was probably 8 or 9. Those bass sunburns were the first pair of sandals I ever wore to school - I remember a tragic water spilling event which ended up with them squishing as I walked between classes one day. I had a pair of those Koreas sandals my senior year in high school, and I even wore them to graduation.