Gothamist: Agony of the Feet

pee-er

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 12:43:42 -0500

Let's just put this out there: Crocs are UGLY. There's no way they look better than flip flops. Plus, they don't completely protect your feet from the elements anyway.

ryan

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 10:57:41 -0500

I don't wear sandals/Tevas/Birks in NYC -- I have, unfortunately, been one of those guys who wore Birks in the rain, and accidentally stepped ankle-deep in a puddle uptown. Jane's right: one must lose the germ phobia in order to pull this off. I now rock a pair of Crocs, which have kept my feet quite dry and look better (to me) than flip-flops. I can't even understand how someone can walk in them, period, but to each his (or her) own. My bigger concern from an aesthetic standpoint is those "slipper shoes" which always look so unbelievably cruddy (and of shoddy construction) that I can't understand wearing them at all. Flip-flops are pretty high-end in comparison to those slippers.

nisey79

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 09:34:51 -0500

The doctor quoted in the yoga mat article is my podiatrist (thankfully, I haven't had any foot funk problems). He is really awesome--highly recommended.

Anya

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 03:31:15 -0500

Cheap sleeping pads (for camping) make the best yoga pads because they're more comfy than the thin yoga-specific kind. For example, there's a $6.50 one at American Science & Surplus (sciplus dot com -- search for "Insulite").

turkishjade

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 00:03:06 -0500

I read an article in a fitness magazine and in it, a doctor said that the proliferation of sneakers with all of the cushioning is bad for the feet. His example was: take a healthy person and put a constricting brace around their neck for a 6 months. At the end of that period, there will be a 30% loss of muscle power and moving the head will cause neck pain and headaches. Similarly, he said those fancy cushioned soles, cushioned arches, etc. stop your feet from developing the necessary muscles to carry your bulk properly. Logically it makes sense...why else would Nike sell those running shoe/socks? Maybe sell a flip flop with a built in sock that looks like a foot? Available in various skin tones and inserts with velcro for faux toe nails? I'm just sayin...

sm

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 21:17:05 -0500

ITS THE NEW YUPPIE DISEASE!!!

sm

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 21:15:41 -0500

FLIP FLOP NATION!! YOU CANT STOP IT!!

C.H.U.D.

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 20:13:19 -0500

Nothing turns the ladies on more then my beer bellly, my smelly farts and my old ratty Birenstocks!

jaj

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:38:11 -0500

Jane Minty, that's the most eloquent rant against rants against flip flops ever. I don't give a fuck if a girl wears flip flops as long as she's hot. The nastiest shit is ugly people doing anything. I fucking hate poor ugly people.

LM

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:43:53 -0500

I really am surprised at how many people use communal yoga mats. Considering I've seen mats for sale at places like Kmart and Marshalls for $10-15,you could but a mat for less than the cost of a class. If you can afford yoga then you can afford a mat. I mean do you really want to lie down or put your face near where someone else's feet have been? EWWWWWWW!

Jane Minty

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:17:49 -0500

Kevin, How is this any worse than touching a subway pole, where inevitably a homeless person has rubbed his crotch? Or, rotting fish juice "splashback" from restaurant employees hauling carbage to the curb? Or, accidentally touching your hair to any surface in the city? Opening doors? How about the other melting pot of foul particles in this great city? Do you remove your shoes upon entering your home (and I know that some do)? Do you shower before sitting on the couch that evening? If you do wear your street shoes in the apartment, have you ever gone barefoot to the bathroom in the middle of the night? At least you were consistent about the open-toed complaint, but these people who complain only about flip flops crack me up. Evidently it's OK to wear other flat heeled, exposed footwear as long as the straps are not technically constructed in the flip flop arrangement. They love when we appear in our "fuck me" heels, yet bitch when we have to give the blisters a break the next day. I personally wash my feet before bed every night if I've been wearing any open toed shoes, and I imagine most of us do. But where do you draw the line? What about closed toe flats with no socks? What happens when you're caught in the rain with regular shoes and socks, and step into that lovely soupy mess on its way to the drain cellars? Unless you wash the shoes, those nasty bits and pieces from the streets are forever trapped within the layers of your shoes, not to mention mingle with your trapped foot sweat. MMMMMMM. My point is, when you live in this city, you just have to let go of your germ phobias, at least to some extent. Think about this the next time your adorable dog is curled up in bed next to you, with crusty remnants of your neighbor's garbage between its toes. :) http://cockspots.blogspot.com

tien

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:08:44 -0500

i'm with kevin and teddy. the grime on your feet after wearing flip flops is just nasty.

Teddy N

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:01:06 -0500

I only use my sandals when I walk around the neighborhood, maybe 5-10 blocks at most. I never wear any open-toed shoes on the subway or walking in Manhattan. I wore flip-flops once and my feet were dirty when I got home. BTW, the sandals I use have better support than those lousy flip-flops. Women of NYC, do yourself a favor and wear better shoes. Your feet will show their appreciation (at least until you wear your high-heels). I have a feeling New York women have some of the worst-looking feet in the country.

Kevin Walsh

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:35:12 -0500

I have no idea how women (and men for that matter) wear sandals or open toed shoes in NYC, given the grime and whatever else can be found on the sidewalks... www.forgotten-ny.com