Flip-flops in the White House?

I don't get it either, wearing flip-flops to the White House, or anywhere that proper dress would be expected. I have the argument with my daughter frequently, and make her change shoes, if you can call flip-flops shoes, that is. I know everyone wears them whenever, but I remember them as beach thongs or zories. I called them "thongs" once to my daughter and she thought I had lost my mind. We are all accustomed to GWB doing flip-flops, but then his daughter wore them to court for her DWI hearing.