In footwear an fashion, flip-flops (also known as thongs, jandals or pluggers) are a flat, backless, usually rubber sandal consisting of a flat sole held loosely on the foot by a Y-shaped strap, like a thin thong, that passes between the first (big) and second toes and around either side of the foot. They appear to have been developed based on traditional Japanese woven or wooden soled sandals.