We just received this through and had to share it!
It’s the true story of a garage owner in New Mexico who gave his dog a haircut.
He was sick and tired of thugs breaking into his garage shop and stealing tools etc. So he came up with an idea to give his dog a haircut.
He put the word out that he had a New Mexican Lion that would attack anyone who tried to break in or climb over the fence.
The would-be thieves saw the ‘Lion’ from a distance and fled the scene!
The dog’s probably trying to figure out why his head’s so hot and his butt is cold!!!
The tale of two sandals
It is near impossible to walk down any street in the world these days and not see someone in flip flops! Whether you love them or hate them, these humble sandals have well and truly left their footprint in the sands of modern culture.
Origins of the flip flop
Although flip flops have become a staple fashion accessory for today’s society, evidence would suggest that the flip flop has older more ancient origins, dating back as far as the Stone Age. These early flip flops, or sandals as they would have been called, would have been made of papyrus, straw, rawhide and other available materials depending on the region. Their construction was very similar to todays flip flop, made up of a base, with attached straps extending from the sides and worn between the toes. Variations of these early flip flops can also be found within ancient African, Eastern & Egyptian cultures, prominently featured in Egyptian hieroglyphics and murals of the period.
These early flip flop concepts would have been referred to as sandals rather than the well loved term ‘flip flop’. This name derived from the sound that is made as the sandal ‘flips’ up against the bottom of the wearer’s foot!!
Designer Flip Flops – Early exposure
The flip flops initial introduction to modern culture was around the time of the Korean war in the 1950’s, when soldiers returned home with souvenir pairs of Zori, the traditional Japanese sandal, for their loved ones.
Early variations of the Japanese design were quickly developed using cheap rubber, but it wasn’t until the fifties Pop Culture explosion that the flip flop really took off. The flip flop was lovingly adopted into the Californian beach and surf culture in a multitude of bright colours & materials, as a casual & easy to wear alternative whilst combing the shores.
Undeniably, the major Brazilian producer Haviana, was one of the biggest influences in the conversion of this casual beach shoe to must-have designer accessory. A rags to riches story not unlike that of Levi blue jeans. Haviana have been producing flip flops for over 3 decades, which were originally worn by Sao Paulo housekeepers, dockworkers and peasants. Haviana transformed flip flops into everyday wear and beyond, as celebrities such as Kate Moss began to adopt the brand.
Our modern youth has undoubtedly transformed the casual fashion culture which has seen flip flops become part of the everyday dress code, alongside jeans, trainers and baseball caps.
Problems
Reports over the last couple of years have revealed that not everyone is ‘feeling the love’ for the designer flip flop! Foot surgeons have been blaming a rise in foot and ankle problems in the UK to pro-longed periods of wear and the lack of support provided by flip flops. With so many design and styles available on the market offering different levels of comfort and quality, I wonder if it is a fair assumption to tar the entire market with the same brush? The debate goes on….
Nevertheless, with a heritage stretching back as far this, it is highly unlikely that the flip flop will be disappearing from our wardrobes anytime soon!
For information on the heritage of our designer flip flops we are introducing a series of blogs about the endangered species such as the Giant Panda, that you can find on Beasts footwear flip flops. To read all about the Giant Panda follow this link.
We are rolling up our trousers and getting down to ‘Paddle round the Pier’ on 2nd & 3rd July for the funkiest free charity beach event on the south coast!
Paddle round the Pier is an amazing fund raising event spread over 2 days full of activities & competitions. For the water babies out there, you can test your skills against other surfers and swimmers, there are plenty of events throughout the weekend to get involved in! For all the land lovers there’s loads of BMX & skate action, plus loads of cool stands selling everything from clothing to surfboards and of course we will be there showing off our cool range of flip flops!! (A shameful plug!)
This years event is in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, RNLI & Surf Relief, so its all in a great cause & loads of fun is guaranteed! Some why not come on down and see us? Come by the stand & say hi and pick your self up a new pair of funky BEASTS and help support the Born Free Foundation’s animal conservation work.
Hope to see you there!
2nd-3rd July
Brighton Pier
For more info: http://www.paddleroundthepier.com or http://www.beasts-footwear.com
For those of you environmentally aware individuals out there who also have a passion for fashion, here at BEASTS® we have created a colourful designer flip flop that also raises awareness for endangered species and the habitat in which they live. Add to this the £1 donation we are making to the Born Free Foundation for each pair sold and we have a unique instrument to aid in bringing the plight of these unsuspecting creatures to the attention of the masses.
‘BEASTS® is all about bringing people together and incorporating ‘giving’ into everything we do’.
Check out our designer range and choose from the four categories we are currently offering: Marine, Polar, Rainforest and Safari – the face of an endangered species from each category is beautifully featured, and we offer sizes ranging from XS to XL. When you buy flip flops online you’ll not only be adding a timeless fashion accessory and increasing your wardrobe but at the same time making a donation to a worthy cause, as well as becoming a personal marketing tool for the environment without any extra effort – now that’s what we at BEASTS call giving… to yourself, and for the greater good!
Check out our BEASTS community page to share feedback on our flip flop range as well as your thoughts on, and events you are involved in, relating to endangered animals and the environment.
http://www.beasts-footwear.com
An ENORMOUS welcome to our Beastly blog!!
We really hope you will enjoy all of the thoughts and posts being shared here in the forthcoming months and can’t wait to hear from you.
We are really passionate about the work we are doing at BEASTS, so there will be plenty of good stuff to read about, follow and join in with! Like all good things, they are only made good by people getting involved and that is what it is all about for us. So we hope you stick around and enjoy the ride!
