Rainbow Flip Flops: The Plain Brown Pairs and the Braidy Ones, Plus Designer Thongs

Let me start with the word itself. Merriam-Webster defines a flip-flop as a rubber sandal loosely fastened to the foot by a thong, and the first sense it lists is simply the sound of something flapping loosely. The Bata Shoe Museum's Elizabeth Semmelhack says early American postwar thong sandals were called zori and were not called flip-flops until the 1960s. I love that, because it means the thing on your feet has a longer story than the name.

 

Rainbow flip flops have a shorter one, and a very Southern California one. Rainbow Sandals says founder Jay Longley, known as Sparky, first experimented with making sandals in his Laguna Beach garage, then officially started Rainbow Sandals, Inc. in San Clemente in 1974. Footwear News reported that the sandals carry a lifetime guarantee and that repairs are often done in-house by Longley himself. Rainbow says the guarantee covers the lifetime of the sole, and that it repairs or replaces pairs with manufacturing defects. That is the brand's point of view, and I like a company that says it out loud.

 

One honest note before the products. Rainbow makes only a handful of women's styles you can find away from the brand itself, which is why this edit is built around a small group of them and then branches out.

 

This first grid is all about the plain strap. The Narrow Strap Flip Flops come in Redwood, Brown, Chocolate and Sand, and they are the pairs I would reach for with straight jeans, a white shirt and nothing else. The Luxury Leather Narrow Strap Flip Flops in Brown and the Leather Flip Flops in Sand are the ones with leather right there in the name, and the Single Layer Premier Leather Flip Flop in Expresso sits in the same quiet family. Then come the Single Layer Arch Sandals in Sierra Brown and Dark Brown, which I would describe only by that name: a single layer, an arch, and a clean line from toe to heel. Newer here are the Classic Leather single layer pair in Mocha, the Luxury Leather in Buckskin and the Double Layer Premier Leather in eXpresso, all in the same plain, one strap spirit.

 

My small fitting-room test is where the strap lands between your toes and how the sandal sits against your heel while you walk across the room. Do that in the color you actually plan to wear, because Sand and Chocolate behave very differently against a pale trouser.

The second grid is the one with a little more going on, and it is the part of the Rainbow line I find the most fun. The Flirty Braidy is a Rainbow design, and Rainbow describes it as a single layer midsole sandal with a narrow strap, a braid on the outside straps and stitched leather trim on the inside straps. The braid is what you notice first, and it is a lovely small detail on an otherwise simple shape.

 

The Flirty Braidy Flip Flops in Chocolate are the deepest and most grown-up of the group, and I would wear them with a slip dress and a denim jacket. The Sand pair is lighter and works with white linen, cream trousers or a faded pair of jeans. The Dark Brown is the pair I would pick if I wanted the braid to read more quietly, and the Brown Combo is for someone who likes a little color play in the strap. The Flirty Braidy Flip Flop in Sierra Brown is a warm, softer tone that I picture with a gold bracelet and a cotton skirt. The Madison in Premier Black and the Twisted Sister in Classic Tan Brown are the two newest braids, one on a rolled strap and one a full double braid. A narrower Madison and a braided nylon pair on a soft rubber top round out the grid.

 

Then there is the Hemp Flirty Braidy Flip Flop in Natural. Hemp is right there in the name, and the natural color gives it a beachy, sun-bleached look that none of the brown pairs have. I would wear it with rolled hems and a loose shirt, and I would not try to dress it up much.

 

Rainbow also says the Flirty Braidy's straps are double stitched, and I think you can see that care when you look closely at the trim. If you are choosing between the plain strap and the braid, think about your outfit: the plain strap disappears into a look, and the braid becomes part of it. Neither is wrong. I wear the plain one on busy days and the braid when I want one small pretty thing at my feet.

Now for the flat leather thong sandals from other designers, which are a different take on the same leather flip flop idea. The shape is the same: a flat sole, a strap between the toes. The difference is the finish, and the designers all have their own opinion about what that should look like.

 

Aquazzura's Almost Bare is the softest pair in the grid, a pale pink leather thong with a thin strap that wraps around the ankle, and I would wear it with a slip skirt or a white poplin dress. Khaite's Archer has a snake-effect leather strap in beige, which reads like a neutral with a little texture, and it works with a long linen skirt or a trench thrown over bare legs. A.Emery has the Kinto and the Flora, which feel slightly more relaxed and lend themselves to a cotton dress. Christopher Esber's Palma is the one I would pair with tailoring, a sharp shirt and wide trousers, because the sandal keeps the whole outfit from looking stiff.

 

Gucci brings the Double G, Valentino Garavani brings the Rockstud and Saint Laurent brings the Cassandre, each carrying its house signature on a very simple sandal. Bottega Veneta's Livia has the Intrecciato weave, the house's signature, and it is the one that reminds me most of the braid on the Rainbow pairs. The Kiwayu from Amanu, the Saionara from Ancient Greek Sandals and the Sunkissed from Herbert Levine round things out with a more sun-soaked, holiday feeling.

 

What I would skip: dressing up a flat thong with a heavy evening look, or choosing a pair because of the logo alone. Hold each one against what you wear most. If you live in jeans and tees, stay with the plain strap. If your closet is mostly dresses, the woven and studded pairs make more sense.

Here is how I choose. First, color: pick the one that sits closest to your bag and your belt, because a matching brown looks planned without trying. Second, strap: a narrow strap looks light and a braid adds detail, so decide how much you want to say.

 

Third, the walk test. Put the sandals on, go across the room and listen. That flapping sound Merriam-Webster mentions is part of the charm, and you can decide if you like it.

 

Last, care. Rainbow says its warranty does not cover damage from leather conditioner, oils or lotions, so the brand advises against using them. That is worth knowing before you reach for the shoe polish. Keep the pair simple, wear it often and let it become the sandal you grab first. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Designer Shirts for Women and Designer Slides for Women.