Flip-flops are the new stilettos. From college kids to working women, flip-flops have gained momentum like no other footwear in the city. While college students like to mix and match their outfits with colourful flip-flops,working women prefer them while travelling, to walk around with comfort. Flip-flop, fondly known as Hawai chappal, has taken on a new form of late, with colourful straps and smiley stickers. There are quite a few collections for brand freaks as well, with leading sports brand Bata coming up with lightweight flip-flops. “These are really comfortable. They come i n a l l colours and sizes as well. I can mix i t up with any kind of clothing like jeans, leggings and even salwars,” says Anju Anil, a budding model. Tenaz Rafiq, owner of Head Over Heels, a prominent shoe store in the c i t y , says “College-goers love making colourful collections out of flipflops. Since they are very cheap and quite trendy, they are currently the in-thing. Most flip-flops in the shop here are lightweight and have funky colours. Girls love buying them in bulk and wearing them to match their outfits,” he says. Mehnaz Hafiz, a college student, says, “Flip-flops have become an essential part of our wardrobe now. The funny thing is they are all unique. Some have fluffy pandas on the strap and some have smileys. Angry birds too was a rage in between. The funky new neon colours are the most sought-after. The best part is that we can afford it with our pocket money.” Bhavya R a n j a n , who works with an adv e r t i s i n g agency in the city, says, “I don’t think the flip-flops are apt for office, but if you are working in a c r e a t i v e s p a c e , I guess comfort has an upper hand over dress code. I team up my flipflops with a l eggi n g , a kurta and a stole.” Though flipflops are comfortable, they come with a fair share of health hazards. Research by an international organisation has proved that driving with flip-flops makes it difficult to hit the brakes when compared to driving with high heels. Orthopaedics also suggest that women should refrain from wearing extremely high heels or extremely flat chappals on a daily basis as it can affect the structure of the backbone.