Flip-Flops the Hot New Business Shoe?

You never know what will be the one thing that your customer, boss, or co-workers will notice about you. Do you really want it to be that you wear flip-flops to work?

Are Flip-Flops Damaging Your Career?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - With more women wearing flip-flops to the office this summer, U.S. style gurus are warning that the casual shoe once mainly seen on the beach could be damaging to careers -- as well as to feet.

Lauren Cardinale, 25, who works at West Glen Communications, wears beaded or other fancy flip flops to the office -- when she can get away with it.

"Occasionally I wear flip flops to work," she said. "I wear nicer shoes if I'm meeting with clients or if I know there will someone in the office who doesn't approve of flip flops."

Cardinale is one of thousands of young women in New York who consider flip-flops an essential part of their summer wardrobe.

An online survey conducted for retailers Old Navy and Gap found flip-flops topped the list of wardrobe items that college and high school students planned to wear to work this summer.

More than 31 percent of women said flip-flops were the single "must have" item for work this summer.

But many companies disagree.

I would have to agree with the companies. Flip-flops say to me "it wasn't worth the time to put on shoes". Not exactly what you want to tell your clients, eh?