Eurocentrism is out, tsinelas are in
It’s 2025 and flip-flops are back in style. Celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo and Gigi Hadid have been spotted dressing up their Slim Square Havaianas. And making its rounds on social media is this new “cool Copenhagen way” of wearing flip-flops, but something doesn’t feel quite right.
For Filipinos, tsinelas have always been a staple. Every household has at least one pair. They weren’t just for the beach—they were for our homes, our streets, and even our trips to the palengke. And now, many content creators have suddenly found themselves asking: why is it only chic when it’s foreign? Why can’t we celebrate our own practical, instinctive style?
Copenhagen-style flip-flops: how it all began
In a video posted to TikTok that amassed more than 1.8 million views, flip-flops were featured on fashionable women casually strolling the streets of Copenhagen. The text accompanying the clips read, “Copenhagen girlies said it first: this is the biggest trend for Spring 2025.”
Another video posted by Fashion Magazine showcased more European women out and about in their open-toed slippers. The caption read “All the Copenhagen Fashion Week girlies wearing flip-flops in an Olsen twins kind of way.”
Soon, they were everywhere. On a recent trip to Rome, Kylie Jenner wore a denim midi dress with a Cartier watch, and surprisingly, a pair of thong flip-flops. But these weren’t just ordinary flip-flops—they were $650 flip-flops from The Row, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s very own label.
Other celebrities have also let their toes loose, with Gigi Hadid all smiles on a rainy day with her own pair: the Gigi Hadid Slim Square Flip Flops by Havaianas. Despite the beautiful mini dress, our gaze went directly to her bright orange slippers—a pairing that shouldn’t work, but just does.
Adding her name to the mix is Olivia Rodrigo, who kept her rubber soles neutral and black to match her sunglasses and bikini.
But Filipinos have been wearing it long before it was cool
Though undeniably fashionable, many Filipinos can’t help but roll their eyes at Europeans just discovering the versatility of tsinelas. While some fully embrace the Copenhagen way, others find it rather insulting.
Anyone wearing flip-flops is known to be turned away from high-end establishments. Tsinelas are simple, casual, and often worn with a particular humility. Now, all of a sudden, they’re celebrated as chic and cool—but only because they’ve become associated with European women or Western celebrities.
One Tiktok posted by a jewelry and luxury fashion blogger (who goes simply by Angel) reads: “Eurocentrism is embarrassing.” Her TikTok then goes on to show the numerous TikToks by Filipino women who are seemingly defending their choice of footwear by claiming to wear flip-flops the “Copenhagen way.”
“You know what’s disappointing?” Angel said, “[it’s] when you look back at your people at your homeland and they still have a colonized mindset. And what do I mean by that? Filipinos wear slippers. We do. Tsinelas. We wear flip-flops for everyday. It’s warm in the Philippines, but why to make it cool, you have to say it’s the ‘Copenhagen way?’”
Tsinelas have a rich history—not only in the Philippines, but all across Southeast Asia. They’re not just a part of our fashion, but our culture as well. We play street games with them. Tumbang preso, a game where players attempt to throw slippers at a tin can, wouldn’t exist without tsinelas.
We took something ordinary and made it a source of joy. We don’t need Europeans to do it for us.
