You develop a callous (is that how that is spelled?) between the toes. Maybe not so useful in the Pacific Northwest, but I would have freaking died without flipflops in the southwest, so I put up with the breaking in period.
Do callouses help with the bone bruise feeling? Because that's what leaves me wincing with the things. They make the space between the toes feel like it's been battered by a Bond baddie. As a kid, I just wore Saltwaters or barefeet, and as an adult, I have an assortment of (I shudder to admit this, but they fit and are comfortable) Birks for hot days.
Plei is totally me wrt flipflops/thongs. I even have the Birks.
I continue to be baffled at anyone who can wear flip-flops...without experiencing excruciating foot pain where the slidey bit goes between the toes.
Perhaps it is just getting used to them in childhood. I have no callus between my toes, but my big toes are well separated from the rest, and I can't remember flip-flops ever hurting. I tried Tevas once a few years ago, but the band across the base of the toes was painful (which was odd, because they aren't
that
different from the ones on flip-flops), and the band behind my Achilles tendon hurt even more.
I used to hate flip flops for that very reason too, Plei. you need to find the right kind. i got these awesome ones at Old Navy a couple of years ago made with corduroy-like material and they don't hurt me at all and have made it so i can wear other kinds of flip flops without any pain.
I have an unholy love for flip flops. I have, at last count, 10 pairs in several colors including teal and pink.
Bone bruise sounds pretty bad. I've had pain when breaking in a hard plastic pair, but not as bad, I'm guessing. But if you're really interested in flipflops, Old Navy has satin strapped ones that I've found the most comfortable pair to wear. I also bought a pair at Gap last year with a soft suede strap that was very comfortable. It's the plastic ones that will really kill you.
Plei, it helps a lot if you buy the kind of flipflops that have fabric instead of plastic between the toes. Plastic between the toes is more evil than an Alan Rickman character.
I am just stunned by the tightness of the arc plotting in HEROES. It's been a long, long time since I've had that puzzle pieces slotting into place feeling (Tim and Joss obviously excepted; VMars had some sloppy bits.). Somebody should do the CLOCKWORK ORANGE thing with J.J. Abrams and say THIS! THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE! and then slam him in the head with any of William Goldman's books.
I may be overthinking here.
First, for me they are called slippers. And secondly, what you are all wearing are not them. It's all in the quality and the make and the shape. I know it seems like there shouldn't be a difference, but there totally is. My mom & I are in mourning because the store that makes our slippers in Honolulu has gone out of business. We stubbornly refuse to wear any others and are slowly wearing to shreds the last ones we have.
Cute nephew story: Last year when we & my parents were visiting my sister's family while they were on furlough in the states, we were bemoaning the fate of our slipper store. My sister admitted that she'd stopped wearing hers because her husband can't stand the sound. We were, of course, deeply appalled by this, which calls into serious question the character of my brother-in-law. Who would marry a Japanese woman while not being able to stand the sound of slippers?
But I digress. So my sister says, well, I've got these extra pairs in good repair, so you can each have one. We were happy. And she handed me a pair. Whereupon, my nephew enters the room, finding the slippers at my feet. He casts a terrible wounded look at me and picks them up, delivering them to my mom. "How could you possibly steal Grandma's slippers?" he was clearly emoting to me. My mom & sister laugh and try to explain to him that Auntie has slippers too, but he would not be persuaded, and clearly thought less of me. We eventually had to let my mom take them to her room and sneak them out to me later, after he'd gone to bed.
Liese, are your "slippers" the same as zoris?
