Hippie footwear in the 60s and flip flops

I know many hippies wore Birkenstocks in the 60s and this was how they became popular, although I have seen a lot of photos of hippies in shoes including some shots of Haight-Ashbury. Although hippies often wore sandals, there's another Haight-Ashbury photo of a young hippie man wearing flip flops, they look like the old-style rubber flip flops that were worn on the beach.

https://www.thevintagenews.com/wp-c...ht-Street-Hippies-San-Francisco-in-1967-1.jpg

I don't think I've seen any other photos of 60s hippies wearing flip flops, were they popular with hippies? I know back then and even in the 80s and early 90s, the only rubber flip flops were the cheap beach shoe type in blue, red, green, yellow etc. before flip flops became fashionable

 

I always had problems with flip-flops. They weren't robust enough for me and went more for sandals or - wherever possible - barefoot

 

I see what you mean about flip flops not being robust enough. I remember wearing a regular pair (the one in my avatar picture) walking round a city when I was on holiday and I found the same with them not being robust. I usually wear a hard-bottomed pair in the summer months now

 

"When I was a lad" - I'd end up with DIY repairs on several occasions (= chewing gum and paper was my 'go to')
I guess they're made stronger now(?)
Though sandals did allow a degree of barefoot-ness and freedom n' freshness, arthritis (and work requirements) restricts my use of these days.

 

Some flip flops are made stronger now and often have tougher soles like the pair I wear. There are still many that are more lighter and not robust, like the pair I had that I mentioned in my last post

 

I wore moccasins back in the day...

 

I think moccasins were popular as well

 

Hippies wore sneakers a lot. Sneaker brands back in the 60s included Keds, PF Flyers, Poll Parrot and Jeepers. Sneakers were great for running from the cops!

 

I haven't seen as many photos of hippies wearing Sneakers. I'm not sure if the image of many hippies being barefoot came from all the images of Woodstock, I know a lot of hippies did go barefoot of course, but I think the stereotypical image of barefoot hippies might have originated from the pictures and films of the festival.

 

Of course it wasn't smart to go barefoot on the sidewalk, good way to get your feet cut up.

 

I wore Birkenstock sandals in HS. And I have a gnarly second toe on my right foot - omg, I cringe! People saw my ugly second toe... It's deformed! Well... not actually. It's propped up on its neighbor toe though. Stupid crooked toe...

 

I like the way flip flops have become more fashionable over the last 25-30 years. As far as I know back in the 60s all flip flops were the blue/red/green/black type people often wore on the beach. I have often wondered what the origin of the patten on old style flip flop straps was, like on these
Paragon Casual Blue & White Rubber Flip Flops (Chappal) Choose From 5 Sizes | eBay