I always knew flip-flops were missing something. I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Now I know.
This pair of Aperitivo Flip Flops from designer Tommaso Colia fashions the footwear into a usable coaster, fitted with a circular cup holder built onto the surface. That means, when you sit on the sand, you can put it right next to you and use it to keep your beer upright. Basically, it turns erstwhile regular flip-flops into a two-in-one (well, three-in-one if you count killing cockroaches with it).
Both feet of the flip-flops get their own cup holder, allowing you to always have enough coasters for two. The design envisions leather, midollino and rattan as materials for the open footwear, though, there’s no guarantee of comfort for those gaping holes at the heel.
If you’ve ever sat to relax on the sand with a drink in tow, you know how difficult it is to keep your glasses, bottles and cups upright. The coaster flip-flops sure make that undertaking a bit easier, though not entirely perfect.
Should you have stinky feet, for instance, you’ll end up drinking from a nasty-smelling cup – not the most appetizing way to spend the early evenings on a tropical resort. The sand usually slopes on many beaches, too, which means the flip-flop isn’t likely to be perfectly horizontal when you set it down, forcing you to dig through the sand a little to even it up.
By the way, don’t let the Quiksilver brand confuse you – it’s unofficial. The pictured Aperitivo Flip Flops are design concepts only, but they look too simple to manufacture that we’ll probably see them soon. Combine this with a bottle opener on the side and you’ll have your own autonomous footwear-based drinking station.
[Tommaso Colia via Book of Joe]