These days it seems that way. Once the lowly men’s footwear was relegated only to the beach, the shower room and the college dormitory and the college campus, now flip-flops have captured the imagination of designers across the industry, from Mossimo for Target (priced at approximately the all-time-low $5) to Hermes, the high couture French fashion house (priced at a whopping $250).

No doubt about it–flip-flops have reached a definite “fashion status.” And they’re an essential part of every man’s cool, urban, forward-fashion wardrobe, in a wide variety of colors, patterns and materials. In fact, men may now own several pairs of flip-flops, like athletic footwear, for different reasons and at different price points.

Shopping for flip-flops can be fun and easy with almost every retailer offering its own label or, for the high-end designers, their own signature name, in flip-flops. Can you believe that there’s even a status thing going on with flip-flops? Check out Gap (rubber), available at all area Gap stores, Nautica (“Zori,” rubber), available at Macy’s, Adidas (“Leucadian,” nylon and rubber), available on their own store, J. Crew (grosgrain, nubuck and rubber), available at the Shops at Liberty Place, Center City, and Diesel Footwear (“Jobim,” nylon, mesh and leather), available at Diesel on Walnut Street.

Signature designers also feature flip-flops, including Polo Ralph Lauren (“Dentric,” rubber), available at Ralph Lauren, Shops at the Bellevue, Park Hyatt Hotel, A/X Armani Exchange (polyester and rubber,), available at all area stores, and Puma (“Footie,” rubber), available at Foot Locker.

Other high-end flip-flops have been designed by Paul Smith, Dolce & Gabbana, Hugo Boss, Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, Oakley and Salvatore Ferragamo.

The only downside of flip-flops are warnings from foot doctors who suggest not wearing them all the time as the insert can cause irritation and infection between the toes and the lack of support can be hard on the bottom of your feet, especially if you’re hitting the concrete most of the time walking around the city in your favorite, most stylish flip-flops. This means that you should alternate wearing flip-flops with sandals, athletic footwear and even, yes, your shoes.

What to wear with your flip-flops?

For summer, you can wear the bright, happy colors and the wild, all-over, patterns of summer on garments from casual dress shirts to surfer swim trunks.

These days you can even do casual, hip, beach look, even when you’re out partying in the city, you can sport the latest and greatest in board (as in surf board) shorts. Quicksilver features a retro, psychedelic, screen-print, three-dimensional graphic design, actually inspired, by record album designs from Grand Funk (priced at $45) and available from Quicksilver Boardriders Club stores.

Bargain hunters alert: The discount houses are already are stocking their shelves with marked down prices for several brand names of filip-flops. You’ll find them currently at Daffy’s in Center City and you’ll smile at the prices.

Happy Shopping!