'These are the $40 shoes I'm living in this summer. I just bought them in 3 colours.'

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I never thought I'd say this, but my dad and I share the same favourite pair of summer shoes.

Not only do we wear these shoes out together, but we both own them in several colours. I'm talking about thongs.

(Before anyone who might be reading from overseas makes this weird, thongs are what us Aussies call flip flops or jandals.)

Watch: Why your shoe should actually be the centre of your outfit. Post continues below.

You might've heard about the return of the humble thong. Havaianas are having a major comeback and thanks to designer brands like The Row, the flip flop trend isn't going anywhere soon.

Our resident fashion experts Tamara Holland and Lucinda Picket even called it on a recent episode of the Nothing to Wear podcast; thongs are the official 'cool girl' shoes of the season.

But here's the thing… thongs aren't always the best for your feet.

Not only do my favourite pair of dressy thongs carve my feet up like a Christmas ham, but they leave my arches strained by the end of a long day.

Enter, mine and Dad's go-to summer shoe of choice.

Archie's Arch Support Thongs, $40.

Image: Supplied.

I first saw Archie's on my social feeds. If you've ever uttered the words 'thongs' in your phone's vicinity, there's a good chance Archie's ads are following you around the internet, too.

As for Dad, he got his at his podiatrist's office. There are a few things that makes these thongs different to Havaianas and other flip flops, but the main one is that they're designed to support your arches and mould to your feet.

I wore a black pair of Archie's thongs almost every day of my five-week Italian honeymoon — no shin splints, no blisters, no aching arches.

Naturally, I got two more pairs for Aussie summer — one in chocolate brown, another in a bright Chilli red.

Image: Supplied.

There's another very important detail that makes these thongs superior. They are plugger-proof.

Because the thongs are made from a single mould, there are no 'plugs' connecting the straps of the thongs to the base. If you go for a gutser or get your foot caught, your thongs won't break on you.

You can even gently stretch the thongs to fit your foot; the material softens the more your wear them, but being able to stretch the straps of the thongs means I never get tell-tale new shoes blisters on the tops of my feet.

Once you start wearing fashion thongs, it's hard to stop.

They literally go with everything. Archie's thongs come in a bunch of colours; from classic black and neutral khakis, navy and taupe, to on-trend shades of butter yellow, chocolate brown, olive, red and cobalt blue.

Image: Supplied.

I've been styling mine for work and weekends; they look great with a midi skirt or summer dress, and wearing with a structured shirt or nice top makes them dressy enough for a casual office dress code.

And if you're one of those people who just can't imagine wearing thongs anywhere but the beach… I don't make the fashion rules, OK? It's time to get the dogs out.

If you're keen to try styling thongs in your summer wardrobe, I've rounded up a few other pairs that are either sitting in my wardrobe or on my wish list right now.

Kmart Textured Platform Thongs, $8.

Image: Kmart.

Havaianas Slim Square Toe Thongs, $44.99.

Image: MYER.

Verali Bosley Platform Thongs, $89.95.

Image: MYER.

AERE Leather Platform Thongs, $140.

Image: The Iconic.

TWOOBS The BFF+, $149.

Image: TWOOBS.

For more helpful style advice and shopping recommendations, subscribe to the weekly Nothing to Wear Substack, listen to the Nothing to Wear podcast or watch Nothing to Wear on YouTube.

Listen to the latest episode of Nothing To Wear, here. Post continues below.

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Feature image: Supplied.