Flip Flop Insurrection

The words "flip flop" can be incendiary, and not just when it comes to presidential candidates.

"I hate it when women in my office put on flip flops the minute they leave their desks," said a male friend who works for Société Générale. "It is so annoying."

To which a woman might respond, why don't you try walking a mile my shoes, or even your own leather dress shoes without socks? To which another male banker friend responded, why don't you try wearing a tie?

Used properly, ties don't make you bleed.

Battle of the sexes aside, this flip flop tidbit merited investigation. A brief foray to the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center showed that women - particularly women in their 20s - are indeed putting on foam Reef or Havaiana flip flops, often paired with suit pants, to enter and exit their offices.

The greatest divide in corporate dress codes may be a generational divide. A generation that never experienced pantyhose requirements has no fear. Flip flops are worn with the same insouciance a girl might assume when flouting school uniform rules.

To any office managers thinking of tightening the summer dress code noose to combat individual instances of bad taste, beware: if these photos are any guide, the result could be mutiny.