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There's no doubt that Rihanna's Puma collaboration has been quite the sensation. The success of the line has been partly due to Rihanna's massive influence. Others love the creative take on the popular athleisure trend. The standout of the first Fenty x Puma collection was clearly the fur pool slides. People went wild for this completely impractical shoe. Although fur slides aren't my personal style, I give credit to anyone willing to wear fur in any sort of heat, even if it's just on their toes. My brain just can't make sense of the words fur and sandals in the same sentence. However, the newest FENTY launch is something I can slide my feet into. The Satin Bandana Pool Slide Sandals ($90) are actually pretty cute. But are they practical?
[Image: Urban Outffiters]
I generally don't consider myself cool enough to rock anything remotely endorsed by Rihanna. The woman has an incredible sense of style that is uniquely her own. As a self professed "jeans and t-shirts" kind of girl, I didn't think anything designed by Rihanna would align with my personal aesthetic. But when I cam across the army green satin FENTY x Puma slides at Bloomies, I was intrigued. I kind of liked the girly yet sporty vibes of the sandals. I was this close to purchasing the slides, but on the way to the register I changed my mind.
[Image: @marina_jag]
If an item has the word "pool" in the title, I fully expect to be able to wear it to the pool. After looking at the sandals more closely, I realized that they were the complete opposite of waterproof. One drop of water, and the satin bow would be completely destroyed. Even if I didn't wear them around water, I couldn't imagine the sandals standing up to the summer heat. The shoes are made of polyester and plastic. Just the idea of wrapping my feet in polyester in the middle of summer makes me sweat. Maybe it's just me, but I rather buy 20 pairs of Old Navy flip flops that I can actually wear to the pool than have one pair of FENTY "Satin" slides (retail $90) that I'd be afraid to go near any body of water while wearing.
[Image: @badgirlriri]
Maybe Rihanna took these concerns into consideration, because the next FENTY x Puma launch for Summer 2017 is going to be jelly pool slides. Pool shoes that are actually pool proof! While I fully appreciate the practicality, I was a little shocked when I saw the promotional pictures and the $90 price tag. I'm pretty sure my grandma owns the same pair of plastic jelly sandals, except she bought her's at the local dollar store. While Rihanna's design choices continue to baffle me, I have no doubt that these jelly slides will sell like crazy. For all I know, maybe grandma-style is the new athleisure. Until then, I'll be hanging by the pool wearing my Old Navy flip flops.
[Image: @ShoeCity]
