WHAT IS THE FIT FLOP

General information

The Fit Flop is the brand name of a stylish range of footwear that includes sandals, boots and mules. Initially Fitflops were developed to improve posture and tone legs and bums but feedback from wears suggests they may also help a wide range of joint and foot problems. The innovative, slightly-curved sole design is what makes the FitFlop both comfortable and good for improving your posture. Wearing the Fit Flop is a great way to incorporate exercise into a busy, hectic lifestyle. Simply wear these sandals, boots or mules outside or around the house and wait to see the results!  The FitFlop brand arrived in the UK in 2007 and was soon snapped up by savvy shoppers and celebrities as the latest must-wear range of sandals to wear as toning and posture shoes. Over a million shoes have been sold already in the USA and UK. If you missed out last summer, the Fitflop is now back with great new styles along with the most popular styles from last year, all available here at Foot-Well! If you are looking to tone up without working out at a gym or class then read on. Remember all FitFlops feature the same sole so they all offer you the same benefits and feel the same underfoot. It’s the upper part of the shoe that changes, with people buying according to their own taste or usage. We want you to fully understand what this amazing shoe can do; so we have included information on how the shoes actually work in later sections. The following section (What ranges are available) talks about style, colours, the uses of different styles and how the range has changed since last year (in case you are an existing wearer). We want you to understand before you buy so we have put together this text about FitFlops as our Mantra is that informed buyers equal happier customers. Pick out the bits of interest or read our text in its entirety to give you a comprehensive understanding of the FitFlop product range.

Toe Posts – If you usually hate them, please give them a try!

Wearing a sandal or flip flop that has a toe post or thong between the toes is something you either wear or do not wear, love or hate. Last year, we found that many people had never worn a toe post yet found the Fit Flop extremely comfortable. They barely noticed the toe post at all, especially after 2 to 3 days and spent all last summer in their FitFlops. The reason for this? Normally toe post sandals have a much slimmer band that goes across the foot, whereas FitFlops have a wide band (especially Electra and Walkstar 3 ranges), which is the area that supports or keeps the sandal on your feet. Please give them a try since we are confident you’ll be delighted with the comfort of toe posts and FitFlops. Alternatively, if you really can’t bear the idea, wait until the FitFlop Freeway range comes out in June 09 which is a non toe post style.

What ranges of Fit Flops are available

The original and still very popular design of FitFlops is called the Walkstar 1 model. This Fit Flop retails at £36, being the lowest price in the FitFlop range. This shoe is a toe-post sandal made of leather and webbing upper with a man-made breathable sole. For 2009 the Walkstar 1 style FitFlop features an update on the original, with a new microfiber lining on the vamp to keep feet cooler and a soft kid-leather toe post to avoid chafing for greater comfort. Previously, the Walkstar 1 had a man-made synthetic upper, so this year’s model is a big improvement. The Walkstar 1 FitFlop comes in seven colours for 2009, five of these colours are the same as last year (black, bronze, white, red, silver) with new exciting colours (purple, royal blue which are hot colours for spring/summer 09 in both clothes and accessories). It’s a great everyday product and the large colour choice means that you can mix or match with this season’s colours. The Walkstar 1 has a casual and sporty look which looks great and feels extra cool during long hot summer days. Just by wearing an open toe sandal, your body temperature cools down considerably (relative to wearing closed shoes) so you will feel so much cooler and fresher.

An evolution of the original Walkstar 2 FitFlop from 2008, this year sees the launch of the Walkstar 3, priced at £45. The Walkstar 3 model is made with a leather upper and features a soft microfiber lining and sole designed for maximum comfort across the instep. These attributes make the Walkstar 3 more comfortable and better-made than the Walkstar 2 from 2008. Colours for this leather fitflop are four from last year (black, silver, bronze and oyster) plus a new colour, lipstick. In the flesh this product looks amazing, it has a beautiful gloss or shine that makes the product look more expensive and stylish and we’re sure this will be the most popular product for everyday wear. It’s such a versatile style that you can wear it for work (with trousers or skirts), jeans at the weekend or with cargo pants/shorts on holiday. The Walkstar 3 is easy to clean, with only a quick wipe with a damp cloth making them look like new again.

A brand new style for 2009 is the Walkstar 3 ‘Jelly’ FitFlop, a shoe with a gorgeous patent wet-look leather upper. Selling at £45, this has an all-leather toe-strap to avoid chafing, and looks ultra-stylish yet is exceptionally comfy to wear. The colours in this range are very exciting featuring black, strawberry, pistachio, lemon, blueberry and flamingo! We think the Walkstar Jelly is the ultimate holiday fitflop. Not only light and cool, the colour range has been developed to match key colours for swimwear and accessories for summer 09 so enables a fully co-ordinated beach look. The gorgeous selection of colours has been designed to help you stand out from the crowd in this eye-catching new FitFlop. Its fresh design looks young, sporty and the ultimate summer footwear to be seen in. It’s a practical range too as the Walkstar 3 Jelly is very easy to clean (compared to the Walkstar 1 and Electra).

The sequin styled ELECTRA Fit Flop is also back for more in 2009 and is priced at £45. This was the fastest-selling Fit Flop range of 2008, no wondering why given the gorgeous sequin look and high-quality leather build! The Electra FitFlop is back in the same three popular colours as last year, black, silver and gold plus bronze which has been added for this year. The FitFlop Electra 09 has been re-styled from last year; it has a narrower band going across the foot, to make them more comfy and easier to fit people with high insteps. This year the sequins are smaller and sewn closer together to make them sparkle even more! We think that the Electra FitFlop is the must-have purchase from the whole range, it is glamorous, stylish and comfy – words that don’t usually go in the same sentence where shoes are concerned! It is fabulous to wear for nights out but is not limited to being an evening shoe as it can give a bit of sparkle to an otherwise plain outfit. If you missed out last year, be sure to buy this year’s Electra early.

Brand new for 2009 Oasis Fit Flop range, this suede style sandal looks most like the Walkstar 1 but with a completely suede upper and is priced very reasonably at £36. Available in three go-with-anything colours - black, chocolate and natural ivory. The suede is durable and luscious on your feet; it feels soft and gives a classic look compared to some of the acid-bright colours of the Fit Flop range. If you are looking for one Fit Flop to wear for most or all occasions look no further than the FitFlop Oasis, this understated FitFlop will give style, quality and comfort to your wardrobe as well as being great value (we thought they would have cost much more than £36!

For Autumn/Winter 2008/9 the Fit Flop evolved from a sandal range into a mule/mini boot called the Fit Flop Billow, for the first time offering non toe post enclosed styles. Priced at £87.95 RRP, the Billow Fit Flop is made of a real sheepskin upper yet features the same sole as the other FitFlops, bringing all the same benefits and comfort whilst creating a year- round product. We were gutted to take off our FitFlops last October when the weather turn cold so were delighted to see the Fit Flop Billow arrive in December 2008. These boot-like Billow FitFlops come with a cuff that can be turned down (to give a mule look or turned up to appear more like an ‘UGG’ style of boot. They look great with jeans or trousers and can be worn either outdoors or in. They are staggeringly comfy and the soft sheepskin upper feels truly amazing. The lovely furry lining gives your feet added insulation during the colder months, which in turn offers you benefits such as maintaining a warmer foot temperature, which in turn helps to reduce pains and joints tightening under colder weather conditions. Clearly, the Billow sheepskin boot FitFlop offers much more than a normal sheepskin boot. The Billow FitFlop is available from Foot-Well.com in four colours, black, mushroom, chocolate or camel. Working your legs muscles never felt or looked so good! This is one shoe you will hate to take off, though mostly we have worn ours throughout winter and spring, outdoors, office and at home.

For those people interested in the technical aspects of the Fit Flop Billow, this is not just a cute boot but a serious piece of footwear in the shape of a fashionable sheepskin boot built to enhance the benefits of walking and the muscles that you exercise when walking, primarily your legs and bum. Walking in Billow FitFlops boots will allow you to do just that, this type of boot enhances your muscle activity thanks to the innovative ‘microwobbleboard’ technology. Billow sheepskin boots feature the following: Du Pont Hydrology treated sheepskin which is water and stain-resistant; roll-down fleecy sheepskin cuff; micro-wobble board midsole; lining of 15mm shearling plus cuff.

Gogh FitFlops are a new style of suede mule that allow you to carry on wearing FitFlops all year long. With a selling price of £64.95 RRP this gorgeous suede shoe can be worn indoors or out to make a snug slipper or a stylish mule. Although launched in December as part of the Fit Flop winter range, the Gogh really is an all- rounder. Being able to wear both indoors and out really makes this an all-day shoe so that you can help tone your legs at work, home or play. The robust and hard-wearing yet stylish suede upper of Fit Flop Gogh offers insulation and protection from the cold winter elements; it feels snug without cooking your feet like heavy-duty winter boots. Equally in the spring or autumn or as a slipper in the summer the exceptional comfort of the Gogh mule is hard to beat and so it is hard to take them off your feet! It you love the FitFlop Walkstar sandals you MUST get a pair of Billow or Gogh to have a year-round product. As we see it, there is only one disadvantage to the entire Fit Flop range - when you wear your normal shoes they instantly feel a lot less comfortable than the wonderful cushioning of a FitFlop, making them a range of shoes you wear again and again. Of course the more you wear FitFlops, the greater the health benefits you receive and it doesn’t take long to feel and notice a difference.

The Fitflops Gogh are manufactured from suede and treated with Du Pont repellent which leaves the Gogh Fitflops water-resistant, unusual for a suede mule to be water-resistant, but we are talking fitflops here! Features are water-resistant suede mule, high-grip rubber mule-type outsole, plus the Fit Flop Microwobbleboard technology built into the sole of the mule to work your muscles harder when you walk.

Overall, Fit Flops are available in so many different guises that there really is something for everyone. For a comfy, healthy shoe that is great for correcting posture and helping with weight loss then look no further than the FitFlop.

What is FitFlops - FitFlops Technology - FitFlops Benefits - FitFlops Principles