Leave the flip flops alone

The flip flops are a symbol of freedom from stupid shoes. They a signify a causal lifestyle. They a causal and they are cool. The free the feet from being constrained. By there very design, they are minimalist and they reek of simplicty – nothing complicated about the flip flops (that they call jandals in New Zealand, thongs in Australia and slops or plakkies in South Africa).

The antithesis of that lifestyle and simplicity and freedom is that their are many brands now building arch supports into the humble flip flop and medicalizing them (see the Archies in Australia).

LEAVE THEM ALONE! Feet need to be free to develop and not in jail.

Another shoe company being pursued by the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission in the USA has filed a lawsuit against the Gravity Defyer shoe company alleging that they are illegally making unsubstantiated health claims for their shoes. In the lawsuit, the FTC allege that the company is violating a 2001 order that barred then from such allegedly deceptive advertising by making scientifically unsupported claims and using misleading consumer testimonials to sell Gravity Defyer products. The FTC are clear and that: “Health-based claims require science-based proof, and faking it by misusing studies and customer reviews breaks the law.” Gravity Defyer footwear have been making claims that there shoes supposedly relieves pain, including pain in people suffering from numerous medical conditions. According to the FTC’s complaint, the ads make many claims, without competent and reliable scientific evidence to support the claim.

Gravity Defyer have responded by saying they do have evidence and that the lawsuit violates their rights to free speech.

Previously, Gravity Defyer received some publicity and some ridicule for their sperm shaped logo, signifying the seed of new life that happens when you try their shoes. They no longer use that logo.

Crocs and Your Dignity

Crocs are the butt of jokes and at the same time a well-loved form of footwear. The contradiction and absurdity is not hard to escape. Those that love their Crocs, love them. Others hate them!

There certainly is debate if Crocs are good for your feet or not. Some think they are, some think they are not. Some have even used Crocs as a running shoe and run marathons in them.

Bunion Correctors

If you have fallen into the shoepidity trap and developed a bunion, then can you use the bunion correctors to fix them?

Bunion Correctors

This are splints or braces that you are supposed to be worn at night to correct the bunion. They have been around for years but not a lot of research shows if they work or not.

There is lots of discussion about if they work or not. The consensus is that they do appear to help a small amount. The reason that they probably do not help a great deal is most likely that the amount of force that they use to “correct” it during the night is massively superseded or overcome by the force from the shoes and walking biomechanics during the day pushing the toe back in the other direction. If you worse stupid shoes, then you can buy a bunion corrector here.