They make that signature pitter-patter sound. They require a perfectly pedicured pair of feet. They are traditionally worn into dorm showers. They are worth about $.25 and can be marked up to about $900. They can be worn to weddings and to meet the President of the United States. They are flip-flops.

Also known as thong sandals, these in-between-the-toe sandals were traditionally worn by the Japanese and called "zorries." The Japanese wore them with socks that had a divot woven into the design to accommodate the strap between the toes.

Members of Northwestern University’s women’s lacrosse team, after winning the national title, traveled to the White House to shake hands with President George W. Bush. After photos were released, the American public was shocked to see a few of the girls had worn flip-flops with their spring dresses.

"Nobody was wearing old beach flip-flops," Aly Joseph said in a press release, who wore a $16 brown pair with rhinestones. The famous flops are being auctioned off for a fund to help a 10-year-old girl with a tumor, according to cnn.com.

Is the flip-flop the perfect shoe that embodies comfort and style? Well that’s still open to interpretation. Despite some resistance, flip-flops have taken a turn and made acceptable to wear to pretty much any occasion. Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, star of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," wore them at her wedding to actor Freddie Prinze Jr. The pair of white Mella terry-cloth flip-flops was perfect for the laid-back beach affair.

After Britney Spears had a freak knee accident, the only shoes she could wear were Ugg boots and flop flops. She eventually went barefoot. The laid-back attitude of Hollywood’s finest has greatly influenced the American people.

Steve Madden’s "Gumby" is a stiletto-heeled thong sandal that combined the look of the beach sandal with the glamour of a stiletto heel. The comfort of these was another story that did not come close to a pair of Reefs. Gumby sandals made an appearance at nearly every high-school coming of age event from prom to graduation. The reason being, they were a compromise with mom - a heel, yet there was still a little something between the toes.