Men's Huarache Sandals

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Ethno American is a major theme in my wardrobe, so major that I will discuss it in an upcoming post. This one, however, puts the spotlight on a related shoe style that I’ve been fascinated by: huarache sandals.

The term “huarache” translates into “sandal” from the pre-Columbian language P’urhepecha, which is spoken in north-west Mexico. Thus, the term “men’s huarache sandals” is redundant (I’ve used it for SEO purposes, wink wink).

Huarache + Attitude = Huarachetude!

I first discovered these Mexican sandals while living in Los Angeles in 2006. Not surprisingly, they had become popular in North America in the 1950s and ‘60s via hippies, and, therefore, is a common find in today’s California flea markets.

Forget the hippies -- it was my hipster L.A. friends, Melanie and Kim (above), that popularized the style for me. (I really shouldn’t call them hipsters; hipsters hate it when you out them.)

Sachin Bhola’s pick :)

Where: eBay

Price: $6.55

I bought my first pair from the Rose Bowl Flea Market (Pasadena, California) for less than $10. And I recently bought a second pair of men’s huarache sandals off eBay for $6.55 (pictured here). Sweet deal.

Huarache sandals were originally consumed by peasants, which meant that they needed to be produced with inexpensive material. The use of rubber from recycled car tires for the soles became popular in the 1930s as this material was robust and inexpensive.

But buyer beware: As time went buy, this style inspired many variations of the original model. If you're looking for the real deal, here’s a checklist:

- Huaraches are traditionally made from hand-woven leather.

- Stitching and weaving is done by hand.

- The soles are made from old rubber tires.

- The hand-made quality, in theory, means that no two pairs are identical.

For Summer 2010, Asos.com has released various men's huarache sandals -- fashion versions, of course. 

Shown above:

Top Row: Woven Slip On ($47.35)

Bottom Row (left to right): Hirachi Sandal ($59.18); Step Down Basket Weave Sandals ($42.27)

Can't get enough huaraches? Check out this cool blog: HuaracheBlog.wordpress.com