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![the best flip flops for your commute](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/flip-flops.jpg)
Ladies, which are your favorite flip flops for your commute or for the weekends? Do you look for arch support, comfort, sustainability, or color?
When we've talked about flip flops in the past, it's almost always because we're including them in a list of what not to wear to work — but because it's Weekend Wednesday, flip flops are the main attraction today. So let's hear it — which are your favorites? What flip flops are best for your commute, the weekend, or beyond?
![collage of reader-favorite flip flops](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/flip-flops.jpg)
Of course, we really don't recommend wearing flip flops around the office — if you commute in them, change out of them as soon as humanly possible (if not in the lobby of the building or a block or two away). Still — we all buy them. So which are best?
The brands of flip flops most often mentioned as Corporette reader favorites are Okabashi, Reef, Rainbow, and OluKai. Other brands that have gotten the thumbs-up from readers are Havaianas, Chacos, Teva (the Olowahu style), Yellow Box, Sperry, Orthaheel, Ipanema, Vionic, Sanuk, and Tkees, the brand that looks like a Tieks typo.
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Some of my other favorite sandals are in the widget below (click the items for more details). I have multiples of these Birks. These Reefs has always been my preferred flip-flop (arch support!); for sportier sandals, readers have sung the praises of Teva and Chacos.
Some cute, highly-reviewed nude-for-you sandals for 2024 (but seriously, know your office!!) (You can find all of our latest favorite nude heels for work here.)
![nude sandal](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/vionic-zinfandel-nude-sandal.png)
![nude sandal](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/weitzman-nude-sandal-block-heel.png)
![tan wedge heeled sandal](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/sofft-innis-nude-wedge-heel.png)
![nude sandal](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/nude-sandal-nine-west-pruce.png)
Ellen
I love the NIKE flip Flop’s that I bought last week when I went to the manageing partner in the HAMTONS. Usueally the flip flop’s hurt my toe’s, but these do NOT have that thing in the middle; they are kind of clunky lookeing, but they are VERY comforteable. I recomend them especialy if you have chunky feet like I do. YAY!!!!
KT
I have Crocs flip flops and I don’t care who judges. They are comfortable enough I can walk at Disney for 10 hours without crying, if they get dirty you can just hose them off and they’re cheap.
A
Yep, me too, 2 pairs. Love them. Every couple years I update them. I walked 15,000 to 18,000 steps for about 8 days in China this May. The pair I took was trashed but I had no blisters and no prob keeping up with younger travel buds
Anonymous
Croc flip flops, specifically the “CAPRI” style are the BEST. I had planters fasciitis and tried all high-end walking sandals; spending well over $100 for “flip flop” styles. The Croc Capri’s are very padded in the heel and I’ve walked for hours without blisters or planters fasciitis. Best part, they’re under $40! I stock up every year!!
Anonymous
Birkenstocks for ever and ever. Rubber flip-flips are OK if you are planning to go to the beach and get them sandy and wet. I can’t imagine commuting in them.
anon
Rainbows!
Daisy
+ 1 bajillion
Those initial 5-10 wears hurt as they mold to your foot, but ohemgeee, after that, pure joy. I’m in a pair right now I’ve had for more than two years. Heaven.
E
Yesyesyes
Mine gave me blisters for maybe a week and then completely molded to my feet and are now the best flip flops eh.ver. I’ve had them for over 5 years and have only just started thinking I might want to replace them soon.
Cat
Yes yes yes. My current pair is 4 years old and they are still supportive! Plus, the leather top minimizes “thwacking” noise.
newbinlaw
I just calculated that I have had the same pair since 2008. & I live in SoCal, so I wear them a lot (on weekends now, but I was in college back then & probably wore them every day for years!)
Anokha
Reefs really were life changing for me! I’ve had the same pair for over three years and they’re still running strong.
SW
Reefs FTW!
Sue
I have two pairs of Fit Flops. They are cute and I can wear them all day at an amusement park, They are also fancy enough that I can wear them at my relatively casual office.
Name Goes Here
Pro tip: Changing out of commuting shoes “a block or two away” is ridiculous. How is changing shoes in some public place a good idea? If you’d be somehow so embarrassed to be seen in the shoes that you commute in, you shouldn’t be wearing them on the commute either.
Sydney Bristow
I don’t think it’s the same. I don’t care what anonymous people on the subway think. I do care what my boss and people up in the hierarchy of my firm think.
cbackson
Honestly, do you work in a firm where you think that this would be badly received? I cannot imagine this having a negative impact on an associate at my (AmLaw 50) firm. It’s always obvious to me when I’m in the elevator with someone who is wearing commuting shoes; that’s just different to me than hanging out in flip flops all day.
(I commuted by bicycle and foot as an associate, and now commute by foot as a partner, and have never changed my shoes until I was safely in my office.)
Sydney Bristow
Not now, but I used to. We were specifically instructed not to wear flip flops in the building because several partners had complained. I regularly see people in biking gear or other exercise clothes now. I just haven’t gotten past the feeling that was drilled into us at the other firm.
Sydney Bristow
Both are Amlaw 50 firms in the NYC office. The culture differences between the two are drastic though.
rosie
To each her own. The only time I would change my shoes not at my desk is if I’m not going to my desk (going to court, an interview, etc.), in which case I would change them in the lobby or before entering the building. As a walking commuter who doesn’t want to carry more than I have to, I don’t carry my shoes (they’re all under my desk), so that’s another reason why I’m not changing shoes before I get into the office.
OMG
I can walk in them, but I cannot go up or down stairs at all in them. I look completely tragic.
And yet I have seen children jump rope wearing them.
I feel like there is a gene for this and I lack it.
Lauren
I have had good luck with Nike or Adidas memory foam flipflops (in fact, I even hike in them, which sounds crazy, but I swear they’re more comfortable than anything else I have) and Tevas.
Senior Attorney
I have several pair of Tommy Hilfiger flip flops that I just love. I live in them at home, year round — wear them instead of slippers. I am surprised, though, at the suggestion that flip flops would ever be appropriate for commuting. Wouldn’t you be worried about getting your toes squashed?
Anonymous
What? No. Flip flops are perfectly fine for a crowded commute when it’s eleventy-billion degrees outside and comfort is the most important thing.
Anon
For arch support, I like Rainbows, but I’ve found I prefer to have an ankle-strap, so I nearly always wear sandals on flip-flop occasions. I have a pair of “Xero” barefoot-style sandals combine a thong in front with an ankle-strap in back on a very flexible flat sole. Apparently, I either like a lot of arch support, or none at all!
BB
I have those exact Olukai Ohana flip flops and LOVE them. They are good and supportive for long walks and have held up well with very heavy usage for 2 seasons now. They also look more “dressy” than regular flip flops, which I like.
Cat
Must note my disagreement with the “change out of them ASAP” advice. I see tons of people in the elevator in flip flops — pausing on the street or in the lobby to change would be really bizarre, PLUS why bother carrying your “real” shoes with you when you can store them in a drawer in your office?
Anyway. Wearing flip flops while walking all the way to your office, clearly arriving for the day (evidenced by still having your tote with you), is totally acceptable if not MORE acceptable than swapping in the lobby.
Maddie Ross
To answer the question of why carry your “real” shoes – I have about 30+ pairs of work shoes and I pick what I’m wearing daily based on my outfit. Maybe that’s excessive, but I cannot imagine storing more than one or two backup pairs in my office. So I carry them about.
Wildkitten
At my last job many/most women had 10+ pairs under their desk at any time.
Cat
Ha! I store 20 pairs at the office in my filing cabinet. I walk to work so only bring a pair home for the weekends as needed (rarely).
Never too many shoes
Exactly!
cbackson
Yes, I cannot imagine stopping a few blocks from my office to change out of my commuting shoes.
blue
Some workplaces have a clear no flip-flops dress code. In that case, I think it’s reasonable to swap them out before you are even out of the elevator. If your workplace isn’t that rigid, getting to your office to change is no big deal.
Cat
Both of my “grown up” jobs have a clear no flip flops dress code. Uggs and sneakers are also prohibited. But no one cares about your commuting shoes as long as they aren’t like, Hello Kitty or something. If you’re clearly still arriving at work (as opposed to starting up your computer and running to get a coffee w/ your flips on still — I would advise changing to appropriate shoes as soon as you’ve put your bag down), NBD.
Yankee-Dixie Marriage
My husband and I by all accounts are from the same culture. We’re white, Protestant, east coast lawyers with English/Irish/Scottish heritage. But I’m from Boston and he’s from Charleston. My family is typical Boston Irish (although Protestant, but not Northern Ireland Orangemen — this matters in Boston). We’re loud, interrupty, fond of drinking, talk s—t about each other both to each other’s faces and to anyone who will listen, independent but also there for anyone who asks for help (but you do have to ask for the help, otherwise everyone will assume you’re all set). My husband’s family is subdued, extremely sensitive to propriety, will offer more help/food/everything than you need but will be a bit put out if you actually accept everything offered, find it offensive if you say anything negative about a relative to a stranger, and the men tend to take honor seriously (e.g., my husband has never punched anyone in his life, but he worried when, on one of our early dates, a guy was slightly rude to me and my husband worried he had been a coward for not decking the guy — I assured him I would have been horrified if he HAD punched him, especially for what was a minor offense — and anyway, being a Bostonian, the guy’s version of rudeness was seriously bush league; it would have been an insult to true rudeness to dignify the guy’s lame slight with umbridge).
Does anyone else have a similarly mixed marriage? It causes problems sometimes because my husband thinks I’m being not only rude (but definitely rude) but also disrespectful and ultimately unloving toward him when I do things that in my culture are totally acceptable but in his are completely taboo.
Anon
Well…regardless of whether or not something is “acceptable in your culture”, if you treat your spouse in a way that makes him or her feel disrespected/belittled/unloved, and you KNOW that they’re going to feel that way but you do it anyway, then that isn’t a cultural issue.
And I say this as someone who comes from a family of people who tease and make fun of one another (jokingly and lovingly) and who married a man that legitimately gets his feelings hurt if I do this to him.
Anonymous
Every marriage is a cross-cultural marriage.
Even my parents have one (born within 2 miles of each other in a no-stoplight town — each family is “eccentric” and views the other as “peculiar”).
Wildkitten
Mr Kitten is a Myer’s Briggs “F” and I am a “T” and this comes up on occasion. One strategy that is really helpful is just talking about it. So Mr. Dixie would say “I was worried that by not decking that stranger, you would think I was not masculine enough for our relationship” and you would say “Not at all dude!” As far as I know this concept of talking through the shitty first drafts of your feelings is a Brene Brown construct.
Senior Attorney
The culture that matters is the culture of your marriage. I agree with Anon at 2:25 that it’s not cool to treat your husband in a way that he experiences as rude and disrespectful.
Cc
Just stop being rude? This is where mass hole comes from. My grandparents are from Ireland and my dad grew up in real southie. There is nothing more off putting to me then this fake Bostonian bull shoot. Like this all sounds so affected to me. “My culture.” Your family isn’t the Wards, relax.
Yankee-Dixie Marriage
It’s only rude if you think it’s rude. This makes me crazy. My husband tells me that the way my family does things is simply “rude.” Well, no. It’s rude in your culture. In my culture it’s totally accepted. I’m sorry you don’t like your father’s Bostonian habits, but it’s not all fake. People in different parts of the U.S. have different social norms. I think it’s barbaric that he thinks he needs to punch people if they’re disrespectful. To me, punching anyone is the height of rudeness. Talking over someone just happens sometimes. But backgrounds and upbringing matter so what’s normal to one person is completely inappropriate to another.
Senior Attorney
So do you want to be right or do you want to be considerate of your husband?
Yankee-Dixie Marriage
I don’t think I’m being clear. I try very hard to avoid doing things he finds insulting or hurtful. But because I don’t know what they are ahead of time, I only realize after the fact that I’ve done one of them. Because he often doesn’t believe that anyone could be ignorant of the fact that what I’ve done is hurtful, he assumes I did it on purpose. I don’t understand why people think I’m not being considerate of his feelings when what I’m trying to explain is that it would never occur to me that certain things would be hurtful until after he explains. It isn’t something that happens all the time, but when it does, it’s a big deal. Also, there are often variations on a theme. So I believe I’m not interrupting because I carefully waited for him to stop speaking, but he feels I didn’t leave a long enough pause after he stopped talking. So then I try to figure out how long a pause I’m supposed to leave. It’s just not ingrained in me because my upbringing was different. I’m not trying to be rude or inconsiderate. I just don’t know the rules because I grew up with different rules.
shopping
Sounds like you both could use a little study of each other’s “rules”. If you are consciously waiting for him to finish speaking and he still thinks you’re interrupting, then you need to establish some kind of signal that says he’s done, like a little hand motion or a significant glance or you say “is that your take?” and he confirms. Use a talking stick if you need to. It sounds hokey, but setting it up and sticking to it will tell him you mean it when you say you don’t want to be rude. Pretty soon you will probably be able to do this for big things only, things where someone might want to form their statements carefully. And if you screw up and step all over him speaking, then when he points it out (or when you notice) you react like you do any other time you screw up: apologize sincerely and do your best not to do it again, because nothing says “insincere” like an apology followed by an immediate repeat offense.
If you both really believe that this is simply a matter of different norms and not that one is superior to the spouse’s way, you can work it out. But as others have mentioned, your first couple posts don’t give that impression.
As for talking about each other’s families–doesn’t sound like a good idea, at least not for the first ten years. But if he does say something your family did or said was rude, you can always say “in Charleston (or wherever he’s from) it sure would be! Can you imagine how your Aunt Martha would react? OMG!” or “good thing cousin Bobby knew how Jeanie meant it!” or whatever, just consistently highlighting the fact that it’s the cultural difference that he’s noticing, not actual rudeness.
The hardest part for me would be when I honestly didn’t know if someone meant what they said. This happened to me the other day in a completely different context and the person took no offense (that I could see) when I said “I’m not sure if you are trying to let me down easy and the answer is no, or if you are willing to give it a try”. Idk if you can do that with his family directly, but you certainly ought to be able to say it to him later, not angrilly, just trying to clarify. “I hope it was ok with your grandma that I did that. I wasn’t really sure”.
If all else fails, come up with a little list of what attracted you to each other to turn to after these kinds of flare-ups. Good luck!
Senior Attorney
I think he needs to brush up on Senior Attorney’s Rules of Life, Rule 7: Assume good intentions.
And also? Maybe brush up on dealbreakers vs. price of admission. Maybe the price of admission to a relationship with you is that from time to time his delicate sensibilities are going to be trod upon.
Personally, I would consider that kind of rudeness a dealbreaker, but he married you so I don’t think he gets to be the Bad Intentions Police over it.
And honestly? My horrible narcissistic former husband used to get on my case all the time for interrupting and speaking over him, and it was because he never paused for breath. Maybe I’m projecting here, but I am getting a little skeeved out by this whole “you hurt my feelings and I am choosing to believe you did it on purpose” thing.
Cc
Sorry I wasn’t clear- my father doesn’t have those habits. Real Bostonians don’t- it’s this fake tough guy attitude that drives real Irish Bostonians crazy. Like we get it you’ve got the irish tattoo and drink a lot. Doesn’t make you bulger
Cat
You say you’re “by all accounts” from the same culture… but Boston and Charleston might as well be on different planets. If your husband feels insulted and hurt when you tease him like you might tease your siblings, that is a legitimate feeling to have, and one that you should consider and value if, as Senior Attorney put above, the “culture of your marriage” is important to you.
Anonymous
A- Hahahaha. Nope. You are obviously from very different cultures and no one should say otherwise.
B- your culture embraces, apparently, being rude insensitive and hurtful. If your husband thinks you are treating him badly, you stop doing that bad thing.
HSAL
I would have no idea how to search the comments for this, but there was a very similar and surprisingly lengthy comment thread on this issue years back. Does anyone have a better recollection than me?
Yankee-Dixie Marriage
Not sure if it’s too late to comment on this, but to be clear, it’s not that I do things I know hurt him and keep doing them. It’s that I do something that to me doesn’t even register as a problem and causes huge amounts of hurt feelings on his part. Once I understand that it bothers him, I stop doing it. For my part, it’s something that would never occur to me would bother anyone. For his part, he can’t see how anyone would NOT see it as hurtful. When something like this happens, it causes a big fight because I’m trying to figure out what exactly I did wrong, and he feels like I’m denying responsibility because he thinks I must have meant to insult him. The best analogy I can think of is if one person comes from a no left hand culture and the other doesn’t. If the second person uses the left hand to pass something to the first person, the first person will feel insulted even if the second person is totally unaware that using the left hand is insulting. Because our cultures seem so similar, it catches us by surprise in a way it might not if we came from totally different countries. We often think the other person is just being dense/hurtful/difficult but only after awhile do we see that it’s actually a cultural difference.
Anon
Hmm. Although the “no left hand culture” analogy is helpful, from your original post, it sounded like this is a repeated issue in your marriage, and so I guess I’m struggling to figure out how it is possible that there are SO MANY differences that you keep encountering this issue, repeatedly but unknowingly, with respect to different things. I mean there has to be a finite universe of things that cause him a huge amount of hurt feelings, right?
Cat
I’m struggling to see how this is a new issue for you. Did you make efforts to behave more traditionally “politely” when you were dating, and now that you are relaxing into the marriage, your “true self” is harder to squelch?
Also, all the examples you’ve given seem fairly identifiable (teasing, interrupting, public airing of complaints) so I’m not sure where the “omg what will set him off next?” concern is coming from.
Have you actually talked about the underlying problem, which seems to be that you both jump to conclusions and then get stubborn about them?
Senior Attorney
I posted above, but I’ll repeat it a little differently here: Since when is it okay for one spouse to assume the other spouse is being intentionally insulting or hurtful? Since when don’t you give your beloved the benefit of the doubt? Seriously. Why is this a fight?
Anonymous
I understand what you are saying because it happens in my marriage as well. But I don’t think it’s really a culture issue, my husband and I have nearly identical ethnic backgrounds. He assumes everything I say and do that makes him unhappy is a result of me intentionally wanting to hurt him instead of a simple oversight. And it’s usually minor things, like not picking up my phone immediately when he calls. And now…we are in the process of getting a divorce. Lol. I’ve learned the hard way that not meeting Senior Attorney’s Rule #7 is a deal breaker for me. (Note: I don’t mean to imply that this alone is worth breaking up over, but it’s something that should be immediately addressed because it can cause long-term resentment).
anon for this
I am in a cross-cultural family. I am am an asylum seeker from Central Asia, and my husband grew up in a wealthy Asian-American household. So basically he grew up in a many many million dollar mansion in CA with private school and fancy extracurriculars, and I grew up in a shack in the desert and slept with a knife under my pillow every night for fear of being kidnapped or murdered. But we share a lot of the same values so it works.
One thing where we clashed a bit was parenting. I was admittedly very dismissive of his concerns for our children’s and even my safety, which to me seemed outlandish given we live in an upper-middle class neighborhood. It hurt him a lot when I was dismissive. So even I think it is safe for our kid to do something, I listen to his concerns and engage in actual discussion instead of dismissing them. It takes a lot of mindfulness at first and is honestly sort of annoying, but maybe you could try the same sort of thing?
anonymous
I would like to keep track of how much time I spend on mindless internet surfing. Does anyone know of something that does this?
anon
there is an app called moment that tracks your data usage. I don’t know if there is a desktop plugin.
Calling all Introverts
Great article by Ask A Manager lady:
http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/07/ask-a-boss-being-introverted-is-holding-me-back.html
Killer Kitten Heels
I have a great pair of Rockport flip flops that I picked up at the outlet at the end of last summer that are comfy, have arch support, and have been wearing like iron so far. I’ve walked 5+ miles in them in a day without any problems at all, and because they’re leather with a more detailed top (I’ll post a link to them in the reply), they can “pass” for sandals in nicer settings on the weekends, so they’re more versatile (for me, anyway) than, say, Havaianas.
Killer Kitten Heels
Link to this year’s version of the shoes I’m talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Rockport-Trujoris-Interwoven-Thong-Macadamia/dp/B008MHNISO/ref=sr_1_49?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1469642845&sr=1-49&nodeID=679425011&refinements=p_89%3ARockport
thigh teeth
Ooh, I want. And I normally don’t like that style of sandal.
Sydney Bristow
Havianas forever. I even wore champagne colored ones for my wedding. Not sure if they were part of the bridal collection though.
I almost always slip them off/on outside of the building. It never fails that on the rare occasion I don’t that I wind up on an elevator with a partner. One firm where I was a contract attorney had partners specifically instruct all contractors not to wear flip flops in the building so even though I’m not there anymore, I still get nervous when it happens.
Anon
+1 for Havianas. I have 3-4 pairs in various colors and they last forever.
I drive to work, but when I’m a city doing client meetings and hitting 5-6 different offices in a day, I’m that random person changing shoes on the street/in the building lobby when checking in. I typically wear flats as my ‘commuting shoes’ in those instances, though.
CPA Lady
I have to say, not all Havaianas are created equally. I have two pairs and they feel very different. The sole part is a lot more squishy and comfortable on one pair and harder/more solid on the other. I got the harder ones at TJ Maxx though, so maybe they’re a lower end line.
Love Rainbows too. I had one pair that wore like iron for about 5 years. I never replaced them, but I should. Loved them.
Sydney Bristow
I’ve never experienced that. I bought my first pair at Urban Outfitters in a panic when my Old Navy ones broke and the rest (meaning 2 others since they last so long) from Zappos. All have been the slim strap ones and they’ve all had the same level of cushion.
X
I swear by these okabashi flip flops for my plantar fasciitis, which went away as soon as I started wearing them:
https://www.amazon.com/Okabashi-Pacific-Flip-Sandals-Black/dp/B00CPSS7TG/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1469643368&sr=1-1&nodeID=679337011&keywords=okabashi+pacific
Unfortunately, I broke my ankle so I’m not wearing them this summer…
Anon
Let’s not be ridiculous here. You don’t need to awkwardly change your shoes two blocks from the office on the off chance your boss will see in the 30 seconds you might be in the office together. It’s okay to be comfortable, it’s okay to exist, and it’s okay to not be a “perfect woman” every second of every day. This site drives me insane sometimes.
Anonymous BigLaw Associate
This, but I am in CA.
Anonymous
Vionic brand flip flops. My feet need proper arch support. Will have to check out the Okabashi.
Side note, I wish designers would realize there are plenty of women out there who need orthopedic shoes but don’t want to look 80!
NY Native
+1
Anonymous
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Sanuk flip-flops! They’re made from recycled yoga mats so they provide a little bit of “stickiness” (I hate when my feet are slipping in and out of my flip-flops). Many of their models are uber-cushioned so you can wear them for long periods of time without foot pain. I literally own 6 pairs, and my husband (who has never worn flip-flops in his life) is a convert too (he owns 3 pairs, courtesy of me). I can’t say enough good things about them!
Care
I love Sanuks! I was surprised to not see them mentioned!
Mariah
Reef Fannings. Ugly as sin? Yes. Comfortable? YES. I’m on my second pair in probably 7 years? Maybe longer. The first pair I wore until the toe thing came out.
Also the bottle opener on the bottom has for sure come in handy a few times.
Chris
LOL, I am currently wearing flip flops in the office! I keep all my shoes under my desk, and if I’m not seeing clients or other important meetings, have been known to forget to change shoes.
Coach Laura
Columbia Sportswear is my choice – been wearing one pair for 4 years now. Normally get them on closeout for <$25 from amazon or zappos. Currently have the Kambi and the Tilly Jane.
anon
Tevas. I also have a pair of Adidas slides for post long run bumming around, wherein I need to wear compression socks.
Min Donner
Chacos! The multi-strap ones don’t really work for me, though I have friends that love them, but I love love love the regular flips. They have vibram soles, arch support, and are very comfortable. I also love the original Reefs, but Chacos have a textured footbed that prevents your foot from slipping compared to any of the foam bed flips.
Reluctant Southerner
Ahhhhhh, please no flip flops on your commute. Ahhhhhhh.
shopping
Don’t know if anyone is still reading, but I’m surprised no one mentioned flip-flops that are not thongs. I’ve had a few pairs from Bass, and of course Nike & Adidas make the ones people wear after sports. I just can’t deal with that little thingy between my toes!