Flip out! This season’s hottest footwear may not be practical, but it sure is fun

Flip-flops aren’t exactly sensible shoes.

They don’t call them thongs for no reason – they give about as much coverage as their undergarment counterparts. When you walk, they make a distinctive slapping noise with every step. And, as Jimmy Buffett so eloquently put it in “Margaritaville,” they can be downright hazardous – “I blew out my flip-flop. Stepped on a pop-top. Cut my heel, had to cruise on back home.”

Still, the allure remains. From a pair of standard rubber sandals at Old Navy to a tastefully upscale plaid model by Burberry, flip-flops are this season’s hottest accessory. The beach-bag staple is having its day in the sun.

According to Ellen Goldstein, chairwoman of the accessories design department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, flip-flops, originally called zoris, originated in Asia in the 1700s, though some would say they date back to the lace-up sandals worn in ancient Greece and Rome. Ever since then, they’ve ridden the typical wave of fashion and become a hot item every 20 or so years. This spring, they have resurfaced with lavish embellishments, status logos, bold prints and sky-high heels.

“I have seen flip-flops worn with suits and with evening dresses,” Goldstein said by phone from New York. “Unless you are a foot model it’s very difficult to pull it off. … I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but there are definitely some fashion dos and don’ts when it comes to flip-flops.”

At the top of the “dos” list? A pedicure, of course.

“People don’t realize that if you wear them without a pedicure it’s really disgusting,” Goldstein said.

Also, be sure to match the type of sandal with your outfit – a pair of shower shoes from Wal-Mart isn’t the best fit when you’re going out on the town.

“I would definitely never wear rubber flip-flops with an evening dress,” Candice Dhakhwa, a fashion editor at Glamour magazine, said by phone. “If you want to do flip-flops for evening, make sure it’s jeweled with a kitten heel. Make sure it’s dressy.”

In New York, the most coveted flip-flop is Sigerson Morrison’s rubber version with a demure kitten heel. It costs $85. The first day it went on sale, all 350 pairs sold out of one of the designer’s Manhattan shops.

“There have been a couple of designers that have given the flip-flop an update,” Dhakhwa said.

Among them are Gucci, Fendi and stiletto god Manolo Blahnik. But virtually every flip-flop purveyor out there, from Old Navy to Chanel, has added a bit of pizzazz to the standard rubber model. Metallic, jeweled sandals are popular for evening, whereas denim, corduroy or printed cloth work well with jeans, casual skirts or cargo pants.

“They’re very comfortable, above anything, and they look chic with almost any spring or summer fashion you’re wearing them with,” Dhakhwa said. “It’s definitely better than wearing a sneaker, especially now that there’s so many options out there.”

In Bangor, a variety of rubber flip-flops printed with stripes, fruit and bold colors are available at Miller’s Discount, whereas floral, surfer-girl-style sandals are available at the Grasshopper Shop. Dressed-up versions can be found at Filene’s, in leather, crochet and beaded styles.

“Not only can you wear them to the beach or the pool, but you can also wear them around the city,” Dhakhwa said.

Before you wear them to the office, you may want to consider the environment. If you work in a button-down atmosphere, your sandals could stick out like a sore toe. And the “flip-flop” sound can be a bit distracting, especially going up and down stairs.

The most appealing thing about flip-flops is that they’re fun, so wear them when you’re doing fun things, such as dancing or walking on the beach, or just going out for a bite to eat. They’ll look cool and casual, not fussy.

“Flip-flops are comfortable shoes,” Goldstein said. “They are leisure shoes. They are wonderful for that kind of environment, but when you put them into a fashion environment, it’s really not appropriate.”

It’s also a fashion don’t to wear flat or kitten-heel thongs with too-long jeans or pants – it ends up looking sloppy, not casual. And skip the platform-heel version that was popular last summer. They’re out of style, Dhakhwa says, and besides, they’re dangerous. With flip-flops, it’s always better to err on the side of caution, both physically and stylistically.

“Flip-flops are not anatomically correct,” Goldstein said. “It makes it very dangerous to wear them in a rugged terrain. … You’ve got to be careful. If the sole is very high you could twist your ankle. There is no support.”

And, as Jimmy Buffett knows, if you have a run-in with a pop-top, it could ruin your whole night.