By Laju Arenyeka

Now it is as it was in the beginning. The rains have ceased, signaling the end of the rubber sandals era…again.

In the beginning, there was primary school; the rains beat sense into wise parents that the expensive “cortina” shoes would find no repose in the watery ‘shoe-graves’ that formed their children’s path to school. Even then, parents knew that brown rubber sandals were the only substitute to leather. There were, however, other parents whose tyre marks replaced their children’s feet on the path to school.

Rubber Sandals

To these parents who had cars, it didn’t make any difference: it was either leather or leather.

Now it is as it was in the beginning. Bright colours have replaced boring brown, and beyond primary and secondary school grounds, university campuses witness the soles of rubber sandals.

But this is different. Even after the rains, soles of university undergraduates have clung to their rubber sandals in the name of style. The variety of colours have tempted ladies to have one pair for each dress, and today, coloured rubber sandals are the platform of hip colour blocking.

Red carpet queens may turn up their noses. And the catwalk models might not get it. But for the practical fashionista whose runway is long distance between library, class and hostel, and whose shoe allowance has no place in meager pocket money, rubber sandals will live beyond the rains!