Róisín Ingle

Source from: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2011/0319/1224292243774.html

. . . on getting the boot in

BOUNCING SOULS . There are not enough of them around at the moment. Bouncing soles, the Doc Marten variety, are everywhere though. In my day it was the footwear of choice for disaffected youth, from the diehard punks to those white-faced hordes of Cureheads outside HMV. And now? A 10-year-old acquaintance of mine wears them. So does her 40-something mother.

I don’t think Cureheads exist any more and the once counter-cultural DM has been mainstream for years. For some, the beginning of the end was the introduction of side zips, rendering the laborious laces merely decorative. I thought of them quite a bit recently while on a hunt for the perfect winter boot. Personal austerity measures mean a lot more research goes into finding footwear these days. Mostly the process was a frustrating trawl through the unsuitable, the uncomfortable and the underwhelming.

Spring might seem like a strange time to go looking for winter boots but they are on sale in a lot of places, if you are not picky about having boots several seasons out of date. Shoe boots. Wedge boots. Knee-high. Ankle. And spring is actually a fine time to go winter-boot shopping if you are, like me, the kind of oddball who wears them all year round. Give me a stout boot over a dainty shoe anytime, whatever the weather.

Being more careful with my money, I didn’t splurge on the first fancy boot that caught my eye. For once there was a long list of criteria as opposed to, do they fit and do they make me look taller? I wanted a boot that would last. I wanted a boot with stature. I wanted comfort. I wanted boots that didn’t make me topple over. (I’ve fallen off many a boot in my time.) I wanted a boot that could take me from work to a party to a stroll in the park.

While trying to squeeze into one awkwardly designed pair, I thought of DMs because they were hands down, feet up, the most comfortable boots I ever owned. I had two pairs, both of them eight-holed because I wasn’t cool enough to have carried off the 10-hole never mind the 14. The first pair I bought from the late, great Peggy, who sold Docs to the whole of Dublin and beyond from a stall behind the Ilac Centre. The second pair were given to me by an ex. We were broke; he saved up for months and then hid them in their box under the duvet. It remains one of the best presents I’ve ever received.

I have a friend who, even though she hasn’t worn them for years, epitomised the allure of the Doc. She teamed her 10-holes with homemade dresses and satin corsets so the clumpy boots offered a masculine contrast to her gothic-princess ensemble. She remembers meeting a boy she will only call “the king of the Cureheads” in Bartley Dunne’s once, wearing a brand new pair. Over a drink – cider with Pernod and blackcurrant, obviously – it dawned on her that the boots were far too shiny and new looking to be taken seriously. She was mortified until the gallant king did her the honour of kicking the boots up and down Grafton Street, scuffing them up beautifully.

But what happens with Docs is that one day you wake up and realise, unless you are lucky enough to be employed in an indie record store, that rebel-rousing boots aren’t going to work for you any more. Your boots get civilised. They start to feature wedge heels and shiny zips and elasticated pull-up designs. You start to choose business-style boots instead of boots that look the business. My friend, once white-faced, scarlet-lipped and trussed up in satin corsets, now wears MBT boots.

It comes to us all. But perhaps it doesn’t have to. I was nearly giving up my search for the perfect boot when, in the corner of the shop, I gravitated toward the Doc Marten display. And there they were. They had the distinctive air-cushioned sole. Some neat, brogue-style indentation. And – the shock of it – high heels. High-heeled docs. An outrageous travesty, some say. The perfect winter boot, say I. They weren’t cheap but I reckon I will get a few years out of them and the best bit is that they are the most comfortable pair of boots I’ve had since the last Docs I owned.

I can’t believe I am walking around in Docs again. I look at them on my bedroom floor and smile just at the sight of them. I don’t care if they have zips down the side so that I don’t have to do up the laces. They speak to my inner teenager, the one who skipped down Grafton Street but never quite had the courage to hang around outside HMV.

The high, Victoriana-inspired heel tells the world that I’ve grown up. The black and yellow “bouncing soles” Airwaves tag says “but not that much”.

Flip Flop Shops and Flojos Kick Off Flip Flop Season with Free Mojo

With warmer weather right around the corner, Flip Flop Shops has teamed up with Flojos to encourage consumers to "Free Their Toes" from winter boots with the latest styles from Flojos for the company's first system-wide promotion of 2011.

Throughout the entire month of March, customers at any of the Flip Flop Shops locations throughout the United States, Canada, Guam and the Caribbean will receive a free gift with any Flojos sandal purchase. Customers can choose from a Pura Vida bracelet, handcrafted from the beaches of Costa Rica, or a Flojos branded key chain.

"We are stoked to have Flojos sponsoring the first system-wide promotion to kick-off what is sure to be an epic 2011," said Brian Curin, the President (Size 10) of Flip Flop Shops. "Welcoming flip flop season back with a promotion sponsored by one of the top sandal manufacturers in the world was a no brainer."

As part of the promotion, each Flip Flop Shops location will receive a promotional facelift, complete with Flojos window clings and counter talker graphics. In addition, Flip Flop Shops' unique and innovative "flip flop trees" will be exclusively dedicated to the Flojos product line. Flip Flop Shops staff will create further awareness around the promotion by wearing "Flojos: kick into fun. slip into style." tees.

"Prior to Flip Flop Shops entering the retail scene, a huge, underserved market existed for consumers who wanted the hottest brands and latest styles of flip flops and sandals right at their finger tips, at any time of the year," said Alan Beatty, the Vice President (Size 11) of Flojos. "We're impressed with the way Flip Flop Shops has grown and how it's bringing its 'Free Your Toes' mentality to consumers around the world. Sponsoring the company's first system-wide promotion of the year is a major honor."

Bursting onto the retail scene in 2004, Flip Flop Shops quickly became North America's first retail chain exclusive to the hottest brands and latest styles of flip flops and sandals from such leading brands as REEF, Sanuk, Flojos, havaianas, OluKai, Cobian and O'NEILL, among others. Its mission: to provide the opportunity for anyone, in any climate, to "Live...Work ...Play With Their Toes Exposed®" while wearing the freedom of flip flops on their feet.

"We're taking Flip Flop Shops to new heights this year," said Darin Kraetsch, the CEO (Size 10) of Flip Flop Shops. "We're growing with brands, like Flojos, who understand the 'Free Your Toes' mentality we live by and share the same passion of spreading this message to consumers worldwide."

Today, Flip Flop Shops has more than 35 locations operating throughout North America, including the United States, Canada, Guam, and the Caribbean with more than 60 shops in development.

For further information on Flip Flop Shops or to find the nearest shop, visit www.FlipFlopShops.com.


About Flip Flop Shops
Founded in 2004, Flip Flop Shops is North America's first retail chain exclusive to the hottest brands and latest styles of flip flops and sandals from big names such as REEF, Sanuk, Flojos, havaianas, OluKai, Cobian, and O'NEILL. The recipient of the International Council of Shopping Centers' prestigious "Hot Retailer Award," Flip Flop Shops began franchising in January 2008. Flip Flop Shops is an Environmentally Responsible Retailer(TM) and encourages the nation to Free Their Toes®. The executive team boasts more than 50 years of franchise experience building and growing some of the world's fastest-growing franchise concepts, category leaders and some of the world's most well-known brands, including Cold Stone Creamery, Moe's Southwest Grill and Nike. With more than 35 shops currently operating and 60-plus in development, the company plans to open 236 shops by 2013. For more franchise opportunity information, visit www.flipflopshops.com.

About Flojos
Flojos®, recognized as one of the top sandal manufacturers in the world, is a name synonymous with the active, California beach lifestyle. Flojos® (pronounced flo-hos, meaning "kick back" in Spanish) specializes in beach, fashion and sport sandals for women, men and children, with a focus on comfort, style and affordable prices. Flojos® established itself as a force in the U.S. sandal arena in 1979, with the introduction of the original Flojos, a popular rubber criss-cross sandal. The original Flojos style was borrowed from a traditional design from the Mexican culture, a style that has been a favorite among fisherman, surfers and beachcombers since the 1940's. Recently, the Original Flojos and other Flojos® styles alike have been making resurgence, showing up on beaches as well as city streets. Owned by Conscious Corporation, the world headquarters are located in Thousand Oaks, California, with the warehouse located in Sacramento, California. For further information on Flojos, visit www.flojos.com.

Source from: http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/press-release/flip-flop-shops-and-flojos-kick-off-flip-flop-season-with-free-mojo_53019/