Saturday, July 08, 2006

J.Crew Flip Flops Are SO Worth the Dough!




I just got my very first ever pair of J.Crew flip flops. What fabulous comfort! Who knew what I had been missing all these years. My friend Banana has been swearing by them forever. She buys 2 pairs every summer and doesn't even look anywhere else. But $20, I gasped. It's against the principles of a budget-conscious society girl to spend more than like $10 on a pair of rubber flip flops that will probably break (they always do) or get chewed by the dog. Especially when the extra $10 could be used more effectively towards a fresh manicure. For the past 5 summers, I've been starting off each Memorial Day weekend with 2 pairs of Old Navy flip flops -- always 1 white pair and 1 black or brown pair (they came out with an elegant silver pair this year!). Anyway, I did exactly such this May but found my new white pair ruined by early June (note to self: no more gardening in white flip flops). As for the silver pair, well, accidents happen (even to graceful society swans) and so, I was left without any flips flops except an old pair of Target standbys. So, I seized the opportunity when I had to return something to J.Crew. Without even trying them on, I grabbed a brown elastic-thong set from a giant overflowing silver beach pail (J.Crew has great merchandising displays). The register salesgirl tried to con me into buying another pair to save 20%, but I nipped that conversation in the bud promptly. I mean, $20 for a pair of rubber flip flops when I was used to paying $12 or less at Old Navy? As if!

The problem with flip flops is they're either too slippery on the bottom, too annoying in the toe thong part, too low for short girls, or too bulky for a princess's delicate feet. So once you find a brand that fits everything you're looking for, you tend to stick by it loyally.

Of course, I took the first available opportunity to try out my new high class J.Crew flip flops. As soon as I put them on, my feet were elevated into flip flop heaven. I felt them out and bounced around while experiencing a cushioned pillowy sole with plenty of support. Perfect for standing for long periods of time. I will now take these babies out for the ultimate test: a day of shopping. I will let you know how they stand up to the jagged cracked brick sidewalks of our town and slick food shop floors.

Day 2:
The J.Crew flip flops passed with flying colors! A day of shopping and doing chores didn't faze the pillowy cushionedness that my feet felt. I decided to take them out for another day of errands. Not only did they provide relief during the long lines at the Hecht's registers (they were having a not-t0-miss sale on men's apparel and in a rare show of solidarity my fiance volunteered to go shopping with me), they performed beautifully while I sprinted all over town (well, at least the zip code) to find some fresh Starbuck's decaf espresso pods -- more on that later. They also pulled together a nice casual chic outfit for an impromptu brunch with the fam. Can't complain when I had to carry a bunch of heavy items in and out of the car either. The whole time my feet bounced on a soft marshmallow cloud while I ran errands, whizzed in and out of stores, and stood in lines. I give these flip flops an A!

1-Year Update:
I bought a pair of J.Crew flip flops in white about 4 weeks ago. I've been wearing them non-stop and they are still the best! I prefer the classic elastic to the newer plastic thong, but I am told both are very comfortable. I learned from a J.Crew associate that they are made from tire rubber. Interesting... All I know is, they literally save my feet after a long day and are totally hip for most of my summer outfits. Especially now that shorts are such the rage. Who knows? Maybe next year, I'll add the pink flip flops to my collection.

3-PENNY PRINCESS HOME

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