Hayley Blake

Colleagues and friends value your knowledge and rounded opinions. Your wardrobe is mostly black – but you do black well! Your style is understated, though you like the touch of glitz on your black Lulu FitFlops

You are known for being efficient and well organised. Friends always compliment you on your well-put-together outfits. You work hard but are rewarded by excelling at whatever you turn your white Gizah Birkenstocks to.

You always land on your chic silver Havaianas. You are cool and together – the perfect person to have around in a crisis. People are drawn to your quick wit and well-thought-out world views.

You are vivacious and fun, with a passion for life. You put your heart and soul into everything you do – jumping in with both red Havaianas Red range. You have big emotions and are loving and loyal to friends and family.

You’ve fallen on your gold Ipanemas and are outstanding at everything you take on. The life and soul/sole of the party, you are often the first on the dance floor.

How many ways can you think of to use an old flip flop? For this bearded Aussie, there was only one: striking the ends of a set of carefully-tuned PVC pipes to bash out some techno (or ‘acoustic bass synth,’ as he calls it) – and he does it in the middle of a shopping centre to a large crowd.

The tie-dye-T-shirt-wearing busker bashes a bass drum – well, more like a box – while he rocks out in the centre of the shopping centre in Adelaide, South Australia, using only his flip flops to bash the ends of the pipe (to create different beats) and slap his thighs to mimic a clapping sound – or was it high hats he was going for?

Either way, this video of Pipe Guy performing in Rundle Mall, in August 2014, has been seen a colossal 8.7 million times.

This psychedelic chap has quite a following on social media too, with more than 46,000 Likes on his Facebook page, where people have left requests for him to teach them the art of making flip flop/pipe tunes following a gig in an Indian desert.

Back

Havaianas are one of the top dogs in the flip flop world, and the story behind the brand is a vibrant one in equal measure. In fact, you could say it’s as colourful as the flip flops themselves!

At the Flip Flop Shop we like to get to know our brands and understand what gives them their va va voom. We adore Havaianas flip flops for their signature materials and eye-catching colours, but when you dig a little deeper then you realise that there’s so much more to love about ‘em.

To do this digging, a few weeks ago we set off on a quest for stories, adventure and flip glorious flops, to Casa Rio – home of the Havaianas’ HQ.

And what an amazingly elaborate HQ it is! Casa Rio is a villa in a gated complex on the outskirts of Madrid, surrounded by lush green trees, and other striking villas in large grounds. (You could easily imagine bumping into Cristiano Ronaldo walking along the road!) The Havaianas team were incredibly welcoming and we were privileged to have access to everything

Flip flops. They’re just a pair of basic flats, right? Well, no not really. Flip flops come in a variety of styles, from blinged up and girly to simple and sporty. There’s something out there for everyone, regardless of personal style.

Here are the main types of flip flops you’ll come across, along with a few suggestions for that particular style.

While most flip flops are a variation on the standard thong style, the ankle strap style adds a little more stability, and looks more like a sandal. The great thing about this particular style is that it can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

Wedge Flip Flops are a relatively new entry to the footwear fashion industry, and they’re a comfortable and flattering alternative to high heels. Perfect if you’re hitting the beach or if you just want to look casual yet glam on the school drop off.

If you’re more likely to be seen soaking up the rays on the beach rather than indulging

In our ongoing series on trends, we look at the young and fun alternative to pastels - bubblegum colours. Thanks to stars like Nikki Minaj and Katy Perry, Japanese modern culture and the popular Vivienne Westwood Anglomania for Melissa shoes, bubblegum colours have never been more popular - and the more cartoon-like the better. The jelly material more commonly remembered for those beach shoes worn in the 90s is now better known for this particular trend.

What better way to get Katy Perry’s look than to wear the shoes she’s been seen in? For a more subtle take on the look, go for something a little more grown up, but still have that pop of colour that you’re after. Add to this pretty details which match your outfit and you're set.

Previously, we spoke about the girliest trend - pastel. Understandably, not everyone loves the overly girly look. Which is where Sports Luxe comes in. Sports luxe is exactly what it sounds like - a luxurious take on the sporty look. We’re not talking shell suits here - but tailored and practical looks and lots of bright colours. Imaging a neon vest top with smart skinny black trousers and heels or fashionable but practical footwear.

If you’re after a laid back look for the day or an unusual evening look, Sports Luxe might be your trend to try this season.

What qualities are we looking for? Practical, super-comfortable, luxurious and clean lines while adding a little detail to your outfit.

When it comes to fashion trends for Spring/Summer, there is one particular look that is inspiring everyone, from the fashion magazines to the high street. Pastels. At last, those who create fashion and those that follow fashion can play with an exciting palette of pretty colours, leading to some very girly catwalk shows.

Pastels are just as popular in flip flops too. Gone are the clumpy boots of winter (yes, even when it’s pouring with rain!) and in are fun pastel colours, from heavenly macaroons to sweet sorbets, think fun in the sun with soft sweet pastel hues.

We're noticing that a lot of the pastel flip flops for this season are based around icy pink and very sky blue palettes. Not sure where to start with this particular trend? We’ve highlighted a few of our favourite finds for getting the pastel look.

A lot of very well known flip flop brands from Brazil are well known for being very ecological in their manufacturing, with the obvious close ties to the rainforest many Brazilian flip flop companies have very well established recycling programs for both the flip flops and the chemicals used in production.

Flip flops and sandals from well known brands are built to last. But like most things, they still have a shelf life. So, what do you do with your flip flops when they’ve had their last trip to the beach? Actually, there are quite a few things you can do with an old pair...

Did you know you can shred an old pair of flip flops? Maybe don’t use one of those mini paper shredders from your desk though. Once you’ve shredded your flip flops, you can use them as stuffing or packaging.

Flip flops are the perfect thickness for placing under chair or table legs to avoid scratching, under appliances to stop them wobbling or vibrating (especially for washing machines or tumble

Occasionally, high heels and flip flops tend to come in for a bit of a beating in the national press. It’s suggested that high heels can lead to back pain and foot pain, and flip flops can lead to blisters (well yes, probably, if you choose to walk miles in them. Most shoes would!).

The reality is, there are very few types of shoes that don’t lead to problems when worn for long distances or periods of time (and certain newspapers love to claim that anything and everything is harmful anyway). Run a marathon in a pair of trainers and you’ll still likely to get blisters, and badly-fitting boots can be tight and uncomfortable at the calf. All footwear has side effects if worn for longer periods of time than usual.

The key with most shoes is to make sure they’re comfortable and that you’re treating your feet well. Flip flops from established brands are designed to be as comfortable as possible, with spongy soles that support the foot and thongs that don’t irritate the feet. Some brands such

With the current weather in the UK, it’s unsurprising that a lot of us are enjoying flip flops and summery dresses. We are still getting the odd day of overcast weather though, so there’s no need to pack away those jumpers yet! In fact, you might want to embrace some of those summer trends now.

Patterns are big for spring/summer, and will continue into the autumn. Floral prints in particular are a trend to observe. Floral prints are those patterns that evolve, it's all about the winding patterns that change as they move around the flip flop rather than patterns that repeat themselves over and over.

The Havis Slim Organic Flip Flop is a great example with it's evolving coloured floral print on the sole those gold and brown tones will also continue to be fashion-friendly next season, so it’s two trends in one go.