In the first scene, Johnny and the guys are talking about knocking a bottle off of a car fender with a soccer ball from 20 yards. Gracie says she can't do it because of her footwear, which she calls "flip-flops." That's the current term for what she was wearing, but I don't remember hearing it in the USA in 1978 (I'm a couple of years older than Elisabeth Shue). I remember them being called "thongs."
shareMaybe it depends where in the US you're from. I was from Long Island and they were always flip-flops.
shareYep, I remember then as thongs.
shareIn Hawii in 1950, they were go-aheads. Never could figure out whether they were thongs or flip-flops after that.
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It may be a moot point given the age of this thread, but I grew up in OH (born 1967) and there were two distinct versions and therefore names, for these type of "sandals."
1.) Flip-Flops - A piece of sub-base "sole" (usually some type of foam) with a strap going over the mid-foot area to hold it in place. (i.e. ONE strap across foot)
2.) Thongs - Similar to the above, but with a strap that goes between the big toe and the rest of the toes. (i.e. two smaller straps that meet between the big toe, or one strap that is divided by a post between the big toe and the rest of the toes.)
I never wore thongs because they rubbed my toes and gave me blisters. I have worn flip-flops for as long as I can remember.
At least, this is my memory/recollection of this type of footwear. I think the common name today is simply "flip-flop" and I couldn't see the characters foot enough to see what variety she was wearing.
EDIT: I just had another observation, I think the naming change stems from the fact that in the mid-late 80's, undergarments called "thongs" came to be, and have gained popularity from there forward. Note the similarity of the strap going between something with the two versions. That could be one reason why the name "thong" has fallen to the way-side in reference to "flip-flops."
also, since it's made for people in the 2000's, and there are underwear called thongs, if she would been like "i'm wearing thongs." and her brother was like "take them off." SOMETHING would've seemed wrong.
shareI am a little younger than Elisabeth, and I definitely remember the term "flip-slops" growing up, in fact I owned a pair of them.
To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
I grew up in the 50's and they were flip-flops then. There were no designer flip-flops, just plain old vinyl or rubber ones. But, they were great for the beach or to keep sand spurs out of your feet.
And, you wore them with peddle pushers, not capris :)
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I live in Illinois and was born in 1976. We called them either/or, but mostly thongs. But as soon as the underwear thong became popular, they became just flip-flops. Now, my kids would definitely be confused if shoes were refered to as thongs.
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