Monday, February 21, 2005

824 My blue flip flops

This is not about John Kerry. Two years ago I purchased a pair of bright blue flip flops with little sparkles on the straps for $1.00 to wear in the shower house at the RV park in Florida. I left them with my sister-in-law to use when I came back, or for anyone else visiting. I'm no expert on this type of footwear, but apparently, neither is anyone else, not even the ones who spend a lot more.

Last week Wall Street Journal did a survey on flip flops (average cost $600 a pair) and tested men to see if they could pick the $24 variety from the $1,000 kind. The designer/brands were Manolo Blahnik, alligator strap for $1,190; Brian Atwood, gold, $450; and Miss Trish, $530. And so forth. (The Manolo Blahnik shoes the new Mrs. Trump wore at her wedding were so expensive they were on loan!) The men failed the WSJ test--usually choosing the cheaper pair as the more expensive. So they tried asking women, and they too failed. Apparently there is no way to tell the pricey ones by looking. So if you're going to pay $1,000 more for flip flops than I do, would you leave the price tag on, wear a sign around your neck, or just casually drop a comment to your closest 30 friends at lunch about the high cost of looking good?

The rich have a different set of problems, don't they. I can't find a photo of these sandals, but here's a site that makes my feet hurt to look at it.

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