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Havianas Slippers: the Story of Style

Everyone has heard of Havaianas slippers. In fact, many of us have associated it with high fashion and the upper crust of society. Traditionally, original Havaianas - as these sandals made by Sao Paulo Alpargatas SA are collectively known - are highly-priced, because they are imported straight from their motherland of Brazil. But today more affordable and no less stylish models of Havaianas are out in the market. If you're looking to distinguish yourself by your choice of footwear, you just can't go wrong with Havianas slippers.

Havaianas is the world's most recognized brand of sandals. The name alone is a mark of quality and prestige. The name, actually, is Portuguese for "Hawaiian." The manufacturers originally intended their footwear to be associated with the US tropical state, which is a favorite destination for people looking to enjoy long and stress-free vacation breaks. Since the company's founding in 1963, it has produced over 2 billion pairs of slippers.

There are many kinds of slippers endowed with the Havaianas name, but the most common among them are what is referred to as "flip flops." Flip flops are a kind of sandal that appear to have been closely inspired by traditional Japanese woven footwear. It is a thick, flat, backless piece of material (rubber, cloth, leather, etc) that is kept onto the foot via a U-shaped strap that is clipped at the end by the large toe and the second toe. It is a very comfortable, breezy design that allows for maximum freedom of movement. It is popular for wearing especially at beaches, because the minimalistic shape makes it easy to wash clean of sand, dust and other tiny particles, which would otherwise be hard to clean off closed-shaped slippers.

In Brazil, the common name for this sort of slipper is either "chinelos" or "sandalias" (emphasis on the second "a"). However, they are sometimes mistakenly referred to as "havaianas" because the brand is just that popular over there! People elsewhere in the world also tend to call flip flops "havaianas," because they have associated the make of the slipper with this specific brand. So if you want "real" flip flops, or casual footwear that stands at the pinnacle of quality and good taste, purchase only Havianas slippers.