Page 27 - Port Douglas Magazine 26

WORDS by Rosie Wang
DID YOU KNOW...
ere in Port Douglas the thong is the ‘thing’ and
you will find most people flip-flopping under
Hsunny skies in the tropical heat. The Oldest Thongs
But where did the thong come from? Thongs have been depicted in cave paintings from the Stone
Mention thongs to anybody from the US or UK and they will Age and in 4,000 BC Ancient Egyptian wall art.
emit a small titter, as this means a saucy ‘g’ string. Since The oldest surviving thongs were made of papyrus and
1972 they’ve called them ‘flip flops’ due to their sound. are displayed at the British Museum and date from around
Thongs are also referred to as ‘jandals’ (derived from 1,500 BC.
“Japanese sandals”) and ‘double pluggers’ (thongs designed
with double securing plugs) in New Zealand. They are called The Most Expensive Thongs
‘slops’ in South Africa, ‘tsinelas’ in the Philippines or, in
some Visayan localities, “smagul” (from the word smuggled). Eco-conscious footwear company Chipkosa created the
world’s most expensive thongs, complete with 18 carat gold
1950s and 60s logo and display case, for a flipping (and flapping) astounding
After WWII US soldiers brought the ‘zori’ back from Japan. $18,000. The company’s philosophy was that sandals have
the power to protect more than just your feet and gave all
They were originally called “Go-aheads” because they’d fall the proceeds to help preserve rainforests.
off your feet if you tried to walk backwards. YOU LOOK GREAT, BUT WATCH YOUR STEP!
The earliest thong wearers were mostly American
housewives who would wear a pair in the shower and to Of all the emergency visits due to shoe-related injuries in
potter around the house. 2016, 27,000 were associated with thongs!
This morphed to footwear that could be worn down to the on a final note
beach and just to relax in. Due to the increasing demand
Japan began shipping rubber thongs to the U.S. as one of Not necessarily suited to your everyday life, some may
its earliest post war exports. say due to their lack of arch and heel support, but let’s be
honest, on holidays, thongs are hard to beat!
1970s They are the ideal companion for the beach, poolside, or
From the beaches of California and the surf culture of the complementing your pretty new holiday dress or pair of
shorts to dinner. You may have opted for some extra bling, a
50’s and 60’s, the thong was becoming an icon of all that
was cool and groovy. heel or an array of colours to match your bikini and boardies
but adding them to your shoe collection, doesn’t break the
In 1970 Jackie Kennedy (Onassis) was photographed in bank, they are light in your luggage and as soon you pop
Capri wearing thongs. She was a style icon of her time and them on your feet… you are officially on holidays!
this put the thong firmly on the style radar.
So enjoy your newfound foot freedom… aka holidays…, but
1990s remember to take them all home with you, accompanied by
awesome memories and leaving only your footprint.
The dot-com revolution made overnight millionaires of 20 See you next year!
year olds steeped in West Coast youth culture, who wanted
to know why they shouldn’t wear what they chose to the
office.
Now dressing for success meant dressing as if leisure
could strike at any moment. Summer was not just summer;
summer was subtext. Every day became Casual Friday.
2000s
The age of the thong had finally arrived! AND STRANGER TOO
Havaiana, a $3 Brazilian thong had been traditionally worn
by Sao Paulo peasants for over 30 years. When celebrities The Tarahumaras, a tribe living in Mexico’s
started wearing and endorsing the brand, exports went 1. run hundreds of miles across woods and
from zero to a staggering $20 million. rocky terrain in self-made thongs.
Thongs are regularly seen on the feet of models and
actresses as they hang out at the Cannes Film Festival, 2. The 19th June is actually celebrated as
or on the catwalks of Jean-Paul Gautier and Michael the “Flip Flop Day”.
Kors (Spring 2018 Collection).
3. Greeks wore the toe strap between their
1st and 2nd toes and the Ancient Romans
wore the strap between their 2nd and 3rd
toes, with the Mesopotamians wearing their
between the 3rd and 4th toes.

4. Super Furry Animals and Jimmy Buffet
have written song lyrics about flip flops.

PORT DOUGLAS MAGAZINE 27