Hey, did any of you Boomers have a pair of these during your hippy-dippy-doo days in the 1960s/70s? I know blogging buddy Mitchell of Moving with Mitchell did because he recently confessed all in a blog post comment.
Not too long ago at Poetry Club, we were given the prompt "feet." Here's the poem I dashed off about my days of wearing these sandals. It's not a particularly good poem, but it brought back a lot of memories!
buffalo sandals --
cheap, sturdy brown leather
from India or somewhere
water buffalo hide, I think
tanned and oiled, perfectly flat,
a special loop for your big toe
you had to soak them in hot water
walk around wearing them
til they dried and took on
the shape of your feet
only one step up from walking barefoot
I wore them incessantly every summer
in my university days
now I walk comfortably
only with expensive custom orthotics
worn in sensible shoes
good arch and heel support a must
to prevent plantar fasciitis flareups
looking back to my buffalo sandal days
I can't help but think:
who WAS that lunatic?
[Poem © Debra She Who Seeks, 2025]
Postscript:
Apparently you can still buy these sandals at an online site called HippieShop but the price is absolutely exorbitant these days -- $45! Even the sale price -- $29.99! Mitchell recalls never paying more than $1.99 US for his and I certainly never paid more than $5 Cdn for mine. But sheesh, I guess those current prices reflect 50 years worth of inflation.
2 comments:
$45??? Oh my gosh! The last time I wore those I discovered they’re no protection when you step in dog poop. I cleaned my feet on the grass and went barefoot. Yeah, now I worry about fit and never go out without my custom insoles. Who WAS that lunatic? (I’m always honored to be mentioned by you. Thanks!)
How did we ever wear such flat shoes? Yes, I had sandals like those. My big toe liked being isolated like that, I think! LOL!
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