Rubber Soles: What Do You Think?

It is inevitable, in the course of human events, that some phenomena will not only leave a person cold, but befuddle her entirely. Twitter, for example. Striptease classes. Rachael Ray. At the moment, however, the trend that’s really got me out of step with the zeitgeist is jelly shoes. Don’t get me wrong—I think most of the new jellies are quite chic, in particular the See by Chloé pair Kate Bosworth wore at Coachella & the gladiator sandal introduced this season by Givenchy, which I’m informed sold out at Satine in a single afternoon. Aesthetically, I get the appeal. & I get the appeal, too, of seeing a pair of not-on-sale Givenchy sandals priced, coolly, at $177. But here’s the rub—and I do mean rub. I wore jellies as a kid, & the main thing I remember about the jelly sandal summer of ‘83 is the sound “squish, squish.” I mean, it’s rubber! Your feet can’t breathe in rubber! Now Kartell has come out, this week, with a pair of sleek-looking rubber ballerina flats designed by young Italian designer Normaluisa, & I’m dying to know: Am I missing out? Has plastics technology improved that much? Or, as the first hot weekend of ‘09 descends, will girls be slipping ‘n’ sliding in their jelly Givenchies? Comments, please.
—Maya Singer

Photo: London Entertainment/Splash

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