Sure its   bindaas   to hang around in   chappals   and in summer its comfy too! But would you fork out an astronomical $49 for something that looks like a multi-coloured   hawai chappal   ?


Our pretty,   zari   embossed   kohlapuris   or elegant Shantineketan leather slippers come for a mere Rs 250 – after you have haggled to your delight. Now take a look at what the rest of the world is eagerly searching the Net for: Rainbow sandals (nothing but boring flat   chappals   ), reef flip flops and other strappy creations that cost a fortune and look disappointingly like the stuff sold wholesale on our footpaths.

Browse through some of the world's most popular chappals and have a quiet laugh reading through the product descriptions. Truly a classic case of brand hype!



 Rainbow Sandals

Rainbow Sandals kicked up the most summer footwear searches on Yahoo! this week. Yahoo! Buzz says "rainbow flip-flops" consistently outranked "Reef flip-flops," "Hawaiian flip-flops," and "Nike flip-flops." Curious to find out what makes Rainbow Sandals so special? Read on.

Here's what the company has to say about its brand: "Rainbow is one of the world's finest producers of quality, long-lasting sandals since 1975. Rainbow sandals are hand-made with the finest quality materials, including parachute stitching, 2,000 lb test military-specification straps, specially-formulated glues and non-skid, closed-cell sponge rubber surfaces."

If you aren't particularly excited about the sandals displayed here, you can choose from pink, blue or green sandals. Or a bright red one!




Reef flip-flops

Dainty and pretty, with an imaginative name to boot, Reef's 'Fiestah Flower' has a synthetic strap with an attached raffia flower. The website even provides a close-up of the flower! The footwear's specialty? A "sea grass tatami insole" with woven plastic accents. For the uninitiated, tatami is woven rice-straw matting used as flooring in traditional Japanese homes. These were originally a luxury item since those not so well-to-do had dirt floors.

Why pay $25 for them? Because Reef is the world's leader in authentic, surf-inspired footwear and because you would like to imagine you were sporting flip flops that reflected a "unique blend of sensuality and irreverence"! Take a look at the sensual side of Reef by clicking on the 'Miss Reef' link on their website.

Reef sandals were high on the Yahoo! search engine's list of most searched items.


Teva

The sports footwear has a rather quaint history. Teva traces its origin to the waters of the Grand Canyon. Mark Thatcher was a Grand Canyon river guide who would ferry tourists across the Colorado river. His clients would invariably get soaked in the river water and wish they too could wear flip flops worn by the boatsmen. Only problem was that the flip flops were too flimsy for the mountainous terrain of the Grand Canyon. Thus was born Teva - a sports sandal that was waterproof and sturdy. Incidentally, Teva (pronounced Tev-ah) in Hebrew means Nature and since its inception over 20 years ago, the company says that it remains committed to both innovation in footwear and the protection of waterways around the world. If that anecdote interests you, here are some Teva creations for your viewing pleasure. A 'Pretty Rugged', comes for $70. Its’ USP? "Supportive enough to spend all day on the trail or river and still look good when hanging in town. The Pretty Rugged is a symbol for warm summer days, travel, and adventure.

Was the 'Pretty Rugged' too sporty for your liking? Here's a more feminine Teva offering: a tiger lily coloured ,'Ventura Cork'. For the privilege of having your feet strapped up in Teva's patented Universal Strapping System, you would need to spend approximately $75.



Birkenstock

Enjoy getting drenched in the rains? If you haven't already trooped down to the nearest Bata and bought yourself a colourful rubber flip flop, here's something you can feast your eyes on: A Birkenstock Sansibar. Two hundred years of expertise makes this world-class footwear rather exorbitant. The waterproof sandal for women comes for $70. All it has is three straps "to keep it snugly on your foot and give it maximum adjustability."

Birkenstock customers swear by their purchases. One customer review reads, "they are modern, stylish, go-anywhere sandals." Another says wearing them will ensure "your days are filled with orthopedic walking comfort"! The company deconstructs its footwear for its clients in its "anatomy of a Birkenstock" section on the company website." Each contour in a Birkenstock footbed is precisely placed to stretch, flex and move naturally. Your feet benefit from free movement, constant exercise and improved circulation, resulting in long lasting comfort and better health." That should be enough to quell your doubts and make you reach for your wallet.