They say the flip-flop is the new little black dress.

But does it go with a big white dress?

Chances are, our mothers weren't adding thong sandals to their wedding lists unless they were headed to Maui for an after-ceremony vacay.

Our generation is thinking outside the box, the shoe box that is, when taking the plunge.

I remember girls in high school wearing flip-flops to prom and graduation. Their hatred with a stiletto, and even a flat, at least kept them comfortable while dancing the night away. They had something going for them while I was padding my blisters with Band-Aids. But then my friend Jamie's obsession followed her down the isle with crystal incrusted thong sandals flopping behind her. But then I wondered…is it really okay to wear flip-flops with your wedding dress?

I pondered the thought, "Is our generation ready to push the envelope that far?" I figure your wedding day is the only day in your entire life you can blow $500 on Manolo Blahniks and no one can say anything. It's our special day! Who wants to give that up for a plastic V on a foam foot?

Apparently a lot of brides do, even if the wedding isn't on a white beach.

Flowers? Check. Groom? Check. Big, white, expensive dress? Check. Flip-flops? Check.

"The flip-flop is the new little black dress," says Jackie Robbins, a partner in FlipFlopTrunkshow.com. She says brides request white flip-flops for the ceremony and six or seven pairs in pink for the bridesmaids.

But today's flip-flop is better than ever before. Made of leather and velvet and raffia, women's thong sandals have the option of embroidery and jewels. Designers like Juicy Couture are jumping on the bandwagon, too.

Despite the popularity, will a bride want to look at her wedding book 20 years from now wearing a formal dress with sandals poking out the bottom? I doubt it. If you're prancing down the isle in flip-flops, why not wear a tank top and denim shorts to match? I agree they're comfy, but they still lack the support a regular shoe has. Plus, I don't think a puffy dress with a corset made to suck in my fat is comfortable, either. I'd rather opt for pajamas.

Flip-flops are also cheap and easy, but they only add about two millimeters of height. Who wants to be known on their wedding as "the short one," or have guests ask, "When did she shrink?" A study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey says the average female height is 5'4". So unless you're a giraffe, we need all the help we can get.

So is the flip-flop replacing the high-heel the first step in modern marriage traditions? What's next, shift dresses and baseball caps?

On second thought, maybe in Milwaukee.

It's like wearing jeans to church; it's not supposed to happen. Yet it does, with increasing regularity.

There's a time for sandals (i.e. the beach) and a time to dress up. I had to wonder… has our generation forgotten the unspoken rules of fashion and special events?

"Flip-flops can be appropriate for running errands or Summerfest," affirms Lela's Stephanie Sherman, "but if a gal wants to look her best skip the flip-flops. There are so many attractive shoe options these days, from flats to wedges. Both styles are comfortable and flattering. And unfortunatley a heel always looks the best -- it elongates the leg -- and most men can't resist."

Sorry, that was a rhetorical question.