Dress 563 What is a Slipper? A thong? A Flip-Flop? UK English, Indian language, Americanisms

 Footwear is described differently in countries around the world as I discovered to my dismay.

Thongs in Australia 

In Australia I went into a beachside bar. A sign on the door said, No thongs.

Okay, I was properly dressed in a wrap skirt, no thong underwear revealing buttocks.

The barman said, "No thongs."

I replied, "That is okay. I am not wearing thongs."

He replied, "I can see you are wearing thongs."

I was puzzled. How could he see my underwear. Through my clothes? Visible panty line?

In any case, he had made a mistake. I was not wearing thong underwear. So, I said,

"I am not wearing thongs. How can you see thongs?"

He pointed to my feet, "Those are thongs. On your feet. You ARE wearing thongs!"

I looked down, and said, "You mean my flip-flops? You call them thongs?"

"Yes."

"Ah!" Luckily I had other shoes in the boot of the car nearby. 

Indian Slippers

A second misunderstanding happened in the UK. A friend and I from a Toastmasters International speakers' group were in a contest to evaluate a speech. The test speaker was an Indian and his speech title included the words Slippers. Both of us listened to the entire speech which started with the speaker beginning a climb wearing slippers. Only slippers. Unsuitable slippers. 

His new friend had generously exchanged the speakers' slippers for a pair of sneakers or hiking books.  I waited for the end of the speech. But the pair of slippers never re-appeared. Why was he wearing slippers, indoor shoes, light shoes with soft soles, outdoors?

Afterwards we discovered that Indians use the word slippers for what we in the UK call flip-flops. 

My English Slippers

Angela wearing vintage gold English slippers, brand Milady. Photo by Trevor Sharot.


UK - Australia

flip-flops - thongs


US - New Zealand

sliders - slippery dips


Indian - UK

slippers - flip flops


UK - Morocco

mules - babooche

A babouche has no heel (flat sole) and no quarters (no divided sections, not four pieces, one arched piece of leather or cloth, not divided down the middle, no sides nor back)


US - UK

house shoes/loafers (moccasins) / slip ons - slippers

I looked for Milady shoes or slippers online. I found an Indian company called Milady's, but their prices were in Indian rupees, confusing, and a frightening large number.

I found a backless shoe with the model name Milady.

https://www.rubbersole.co.uk/Casual-Attitude-MILADY-x20286183.php#rst

I also found gold or silver Moroccan slippers from London UK. The seller did not say the size.

My Gold Slippers

My slippers do have a division down the middle. The outside top piece has an embroidered line of stitching a bit like a figure of 8. The sole is flat but the inside of the shoe raises about an inch on a gentle slop. The front two gold cover sections meet at the back behind the heel.

 I could try to repaint them with gold Dylon dye. The gold colour is dark gold. Gold comes in two main colours, light gold and dark gold.

Useful Websites

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=slippers

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slipper-Company-Womens-Grey-Size/dp/B07YSQT5BW

https://old-sole.com/blogs/news/british-vs-american-shoe-terms#:~:text=Loafer%20VS%20Slipper,slip%2Dons%20and%20even%20slippers!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/the-insane-australian-phrase-you-never-knew-existed/SBM25O5RUIQJIKWHWB3CI63IWI/

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