Ask A Woman: Mandals… Cool? (As in okay, not temp)
If you’ve got a question that needs the female treatment, chances are you’re not the only one who wants to ask it. Beth is our source for the answers. From opinions on men’s style to decoding the sometimes mysterious ways of women, she’ll take on a different question every Thursday. And don’t worry, your identity will be protected too. Click here to get to know Beth, then get in touch with her by sending your question to: askawoman@dappered.com
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Hey Beth:
It’s starting to warm up, and I’d love to hear what women think about mandals. You know, men wearing sandals. I was totally that guy in high school who wore his Birkenstocks almost all year round. Is it acceptable? Or are women just turned off by the sight of a man’s slightly hairy, very ugly feet?
Thanks for reading.
– Paul
Meanwhile… also in Beth’s inbox…
Hi Beth,
Summer seems a long way off, but since I grew up on a coast I’m looking forward to the warmer weather. And warm weather to me equals flip flops. Most of the “style gurus” from Esquire, GQ, etc… all seem to shun a man showing his toes. Even in the warmest of climates during the hottest part of the year. I’ve never heard a woman say she finds it unattractive. Are flip flops that serious of an infraction from a woman’s perspective?
– Dan
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Hello Paul and Dan,
How fortuitous that two devoted readers should write me with the same question. Don’t know what fortuitous means? Shameful. Look it up and then write a letter to your state representative about the hideous condition of English education in your region.
First of all, I’m so glad that Paul has taken my cue from two weeks ago (manties) to reference mandals. What other words can we come up with? Mants? Mackets? Somehow these words don’t have the same melodious ring. Ah, well.
Second of all, how ridiculous that women and/or style gurus would tell men that they can’t wear sandals because their feet are ugly. Puh-lease. Yes, men have hairy feet, and are perhaps less likely to pay close attention to issues of aesthetics, like ragged toenails. But I suspect the public will survive an occasional chance sighting of the dreaded manfoot if it happens across their line of vision during the warmer months of the year. It’s a foot! Plus, there are plenty of women out there who aren’t getting regular pedicures and no one is forbidding them from wearing sandals. Men of the world–wear sandals! Feel the breeze through your unsightly toes! Take control of your foot destiny!
One caveat. Dan mentions flip flops specifically. Flip flops and sandals are different in my book. When I hear flip flops, I think plastic/foam cheapies you get from the drugstore. When I hear sandals, I think leather/cork shoes you get from the department store. Yes, some leather sandals might have the thong (not that kind) construction, but they’re a higher quality, more classic- and mature-looking shoe than your flippy-floppies (which are best reserved for the beach).
I leave you with a sampling of sandals for the spring. An auspicious way to begin April, yes? (Oh for God’s sake, you don’t know what auspicious means? See fortuitous above…geez.)
-Beth
Got a question for Beth? Send them to: askawoman@dappered.com
Hi James,
I have to respectfully disagree Beth, which is rare because I usually think you’re spot on.
Sandals on a full grown man are just plain old fashioned unsightly, bordering on gross.
I do agree that sandals and flip flops are very different though. Flip flops can work with a pair of shorts in a very casual setting without looking like a middle aged tourist, or a Roman wannabe.
And for the record, feet are but one item on a long list of things that its ok for women to expose that men are wise to keep a mystery.
I agree 100% with DaveS…Beth is way off on this one.
Men’s feet should never be exposed, especially not with sandals. Unless you are in tropical environment (i.e. Brazil) or walking on sand (i.e. the beach or desert) sandals are a big no-no.
The closest I would ever get to sandals would be woven loafers with a closed toe and no socks with light linen or cotton pants. That’s as casual as I get!
Leather sandals? How are you going to wash leather after you stink it up after a full day of walking around in a hot environment?
I don’t want to see your feet but I won’t feel distaste towards you if I do. I just won’t look at your feet. I am sure the soldiers of ancient egypt in their sandals did not feel awkward at all and I bet their feet were worse than what men’s feet look like today. If I see a sock in those sandals, I will feel distaste towards you.
same way you wash your leather dress shoes after a full day of walking around, you don’t, you leave them alone
But they smell. Don’t your feet sweat?
My feet sweat but I let nature takes its course when it comes to my leather shoes drying. I guess I don’t sweat as bad as some or my sweaty feet do not have odor
Yeah, also gonna join the horde above & disagree with Beth here.
Sandals, thongs, flip-flops, etc… belong on the beach. If you’re coming to a beach or going to a beach, that’s ok. If you’re on vacation someplace that has a beach, that’s ok.
Otherwise, no.
It’s not a “men’s feet are ugly!” issue for me, it’s more of a sloppiness issue. Mandals are sloppy. You just slip them on without a care. If you’re on this site, that means you care about how you look, and wearing mandals just won’t communicate that.
Just how I feel – judging from the sheer number of mandals I see everywhere though, I guess it’s not how the majority of men feel.
Sorry fellas,
I have to side with Beth on this topic. I think that a nice leather sandal is perfectly paired with a heavily whiskered pair of bootcut jeans, cargo shorts, or pleated khaki shorts. Besides, who has time to look at your feet when they are reading your clever graphic t-shirt.
Gotta disagree with Beth as well. Flip flops on a guy really only work on a beach. The dreaded “Man-dal” aka leather strap sandals that aren’t flip flops that you refer to are awful looking. Stick with boat shoes or something like TOMS shoes that are canvas and breathe better.
The whole point of “Ask a Woman” is to get the female perspective on matters of style. And since I’m not really concerned with what you guys think of my feet, I will continue to wear a stylish pair of sandals (not cheap flip-flops) when the weather turns hot and my toes need a breath of fresh air.
If you prefer not to wear them, that’s fine.
I didn’t think this was such a hot topic either.
I don’t wear sandals much / at all in the states but in Europe (specifically around the Mediterranean) I think it’s very common. To me, boat shoes or canvas shoes don’t breathe enough in a hot / tropical climate. I also make a point to dress like the locals as much as possible when I travel.
Of course this is in casual situations when I’m walking around the city.
Beth,
Thank you for sharing. I think you are spot on. I’ve asked a lot of the ladies in my life their opinion on the issue as well, and they all agree that mandals are fine.
If sandals don’t fit into your personal style, then yeah, don’t wear them. Here in the south, though, summer can be brutal. It is on those 100 degree days with 80% humidity that I am very tahnkful for my sandals.
Maybe it’s because I’m still relatively young (late 20’s), but I think sandals are fine, especially during the summer months. I normally don’t pair them with anything other than cargo shorts, but I’ll occasionally wear them with jeans. In my opinion, sandals are comfortable and convenient, especially for those of us who don’t want sweaty feet in shoes all day.
As far as style goes, though, I have to say that I prefer the reef sandals to the others Beth presented.
I agree with Beth on this one. It depends on the time and place. I live in a beach town in south Florida and sandals are a must have. The high temp will reach 90 today with 80% humidity. It will only get warmer and wetter from now until November.
Sandals are perfectly accepted nearly everywhere day or night paired with jeans, chinos, and shorts. This is very common among my peers (mid-20’s young professionals). That doesn’t mean I live in them, but they are by no means the bane of footwear existence that others make it out to be.
Keep it all in context.
Sandals are obviously off limits for nicer venues and events and nighttime “clubs” and “lounges.” Flip-flops (plastic/rubber thongs) are definitely beach and boat only.
Mandals, never. Rubber/plastic cheap flip-flops, sure. #manrule
Your irony is so well played I honestly can”t tell if your serious or not.
Come on Joe, you gotta weigh in on this one, no standing on the sidelines like a wallflower 😉
I agree with Beth. I don’t know about you guys, but I live in Mississippi. It’s hot here. And the humidity doesn’t help.
Sandals aren’t my thing (I prefer the “grown-up” sort of flip-flops), but if they were, I’d wear them all summer, or as long as shorts were necessary.
Wait… what’s going on? 🙂
For a second I was like, “Hey, toolbag alert”…but then I read the graphic shirt bit. Well-played, good sir.
Spartacus wore sandals. Ergo, wearing sandals is manly. QED.
First of all – there is nothing inherently unattractive about feet in general, or man feet in particular. Trim your toe-nails like a big boy, wash your feet regularly, and no one needs to be hurt or offended. Of course, there is a range of human feet. If your feet are genuinely, distractingly ugly, then maybe you should steer clear of sandals. The vast majority of people will not fall into that category.
But I have to say that most “dress sandals” are incredibly ugly-looking. They are clunky and heavy and unflattering. Even the examples posted above look fairly dorky to me. Plus they’ll give you a really stupid tanline if you wear them too often. If you’re going to wear sandals, go with a sleek leather flip-flop. They’re simple, understated, lightweight, good-looking, and offer maximum breathability to prevent excessive sweat and odor.
Something a little sturdier, like Chaco Flips, are also a great option. They are sleek, lightweight, highly durable, and for those truly concerned about foot-stink, they are machine washable, as well. And they do pretty well at preventing you from slipping on wet boats and rocks.
If you’re in a situation that’s casual enough to allow for shorts, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to wear a grown-up, non-plastic flip-flop.
With all due respect to Beth, and I always enjoy her columns, this one baffles me because I would think the woman’s perspective would be quite different here.
I mean, it’s common knowledge that the first thing a woman looks at when walking past you/meeting you for the first time is your feet. It’s why a lot of us invest so heavily in our shoes with those Aldens, etc…
Wouldn’t wearing $30 mandals/flip-flops (and let’s face it, whoever is paying more for them is a sucker) violate this standard?
Bravo, sir, bravo.
You left out Oakley sunglasses and a Nike sun visor.
Let me summarize what you just said: “cheap sandals/flip-flops are cheap, so you shouldn’t wear them. Expensive ones are for suckers, so you shouldn’t wear them.”
Yes, my entire post was about how you shouldn’t wear flip flops, whether they’re cheap or expensive.
Also I found it strange that a woman was recommending mandals when women use footwear choice to judge men instantly.
Was there something confusing about that?
Completely agreed. Another comfortable, yet classy choice that I’ve found are Rainbow sandals. Durable leather construction available in several different colors that will last you more than just a couple of years. One thing of note: like most leather shoes they are a pain to break in, but once they are they feel like you’re walking on a cloud.
I have to agree with Beth here. As a woman, I have no problem with mandals as long as said man has trimmed his toenails. As with everything, personal hygiene is key!
As one other person mentioned above, this post was created to offer a woman’s perspective, therefore, wouldn’t you rather go by what us women are saying than what the other guys? As a man if you don’t want to wear sandals, then don’t, but from a woman’s perspective, they’re just fine, and are rather expected during the summer months. Be comfortable and clip those toenails.
I have a suggestion: If you want to wear sandals, put them on and look in the mirror. If you like how you look, go with it. If not, wear different shoes. If you don’t like sandals, don’t wear them.
I’m shocked to see so many people take up arms against other men’s shoes. I wear flip flops when I’m at the pool or relaxing in the sun or something. I don’t like the way sandals look, so I don’t wear them, and I don’t wear flip flops out because I walk a lot and they are annoying. It seems… simple.
That’s as flawless as logic can get.
Honestly, from a women’s perspective, I can’t stand to see any form of “mandal” on a guy; whether leather or Teva or anything in between. You look like my nerdy cousin when he was 15. If you’re on the beach, stick with a pair of Havaianas or a pair of leather flip flops that you don’t mind rinsing off (i.e. Kino’s). But don’t wear them to walk the boardwalk, or to go to dinner. You look like a child.
P.S. – The only other time, besides pool or beachside, that flip flops would be acceptable is if you were throwing them on for a late night rendezvous with a lady friend. We’d be insulted if you came over with anything involving laces, because it showed you were NOT in a hurry to get here 😉
Well, I can’t argue there.
While they are a bit more casual than my usual choice in footwear, I don’t see anything inherently wrong with wearing sandals as long as they are situationally appropriate (don’t wear them anywhere you’re expected to be “dressed up.”) If you can find a pair that isn’t aesthetically offensive and you’re dressing casually, go for it. To each his own.
Have you ever worn leather sandals in a hot climate? That isn’t a legitimate concern since your foot is exposed for the sweat to evaporate rather than staying trapped in the shoe. Yes after a while all shoes smell, that’s what happens to shoes, but you don’t pass out from the odor when a woman wearing a sandal walks past, same thing with me.
Few points.
1. If you’re reading this site I sincerely hope you trim your toenails regularly, if not please do, its part of basic hygiene, we’re not 10.
Now that we’ve dealt with the horridly flawed assumption that men must have ugly feet, lets proceed.
2. The whole point of sandals/flip-flops is to let your feet breath when its really hot outside, thereby reducing the amount of build up sweat around your feet which then results in a decrease of bad shit happening to your feet (smell, athlete’s foot, etc). So sandals are health.
3. Beth I disagree with you on the sandal v. flip flop issue. I find men’s sandals (stappy leather things that enclose your foot and latch around your ankle horribly ugly. A nice leather, suede or foam flip flop on the other hand looks simple and really relaxed. I tend to wear them with jeans, chinos or shorts during the summer when I’m dressed more casually (coffee shop at night, shopping, etc). I also live in south Louisiana (where it was in the 80’s today with like 100% humidity) so its a really practical choice.
4. I occasionally pair flip flops with a tie, and I think I look smashing thank you very much.
Siding with Beth. There are several sandals styles that let air in and are comfortable but don’t show ugly toes. Anybody who bets their maturity on whether they are wearing sandals, uh…hasn’t got any.
Reading this discussion I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s against men wearing sandals in the urban environment. Unless you’re in your back yard or pool area or in Florida wearing white pants I stay away from any open toe shoes. Oh, and plastic shoes of any kind – like the Crocs – are just a easy giveaway that tell a lot about the man’s taste…
Sandals are forbidden in my opinion. I can’t stop thinking of the disgusting gunk under a guy’s foot when I see a fellow walking about in leather sandals.
Flip flops are only ok for beach/ pool situations. You can wash those and they sell the ‘relaxed’ vibe completely, not trying to meet half way like leather sandals do.
If it’s warm out and you’re wearing shorts, get a pair of nice boat shoes with some vent holes or a pair of light, canvas plimsolls.
Win.
Im a Brit and travel France and Italy. I have several pairs of French handmade leather sandals from differnt artisan footware makers. All individual looking and a whole lot better looking than Berkies an flip flops. Sure you got to spend a little time on the feet and why not. You do on your hands, your teeth and face and so on. Feet are functional and surprisingly, so women if thats your problem! really appreciated if decent looking and in a pair of well designed sandals.
Blokes…sorry guys…on the whole dont care what you wear, at least in London and in any case its a matter of doing your own thing and being self confident. Im happily married and kids and London based and simply cant believe there is an issue. Passing words…Im not an ‘Old git’ and am an x media type. I would hate to make a fool of myself on purpose. No issue wearing good leather sandals and PS they dont smell either.
Men weren’t meant to expose their feet. Now sandals. Flip flops only if you are by the pool or beach and will be in the water most of the time.
I live in Florida and am a masters degree holding college student. I take care of my feet and they look good. I receive compliments on my appearance frequently enough that I am not concerned with what men think about what I’m wearing. It seems that mostly men don’t want to see mens feet, so don’t look. I don’t want to see your nasty man feet and you probably don’t want to look at mine either, however I have caught men staring at my feet before. I’ve dated two girls with strong interest in my feet and I can honestly say that if I was not wearing flip-flops or sandals around them when I had met them they wouldn’t have been interested in the first place. My advice, take care of your feet and wear sandals if you feel so inclined. Women appreciate a man who grooms himself properly but is not effeminate about it. What’s with all this socially constructed advice of fashion? You negs are WAY too conservative.
Avoid them no matter what. Mandals make a man look weak, dainty, effeminate and girly.
Um, flip-flops *are* sandals. On women they’re trashy; on men it’s even worse.
BTW, “Mant” was already covered here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107529/
Maybe she just doesn’t dislike men feet. I don’t understand much the problem, because it’s normal a man doesn’t like another man foot.
I personally think shorts look a bit better with sandals, depending on the sandals though. but others are free to think differently.