I have also enjoyed this thread. Living in Florida, I spend the bulk of my time in sandals or barefoot. I am not a fan of shoes and sadly I'm not a fan of flipflops either. I don't like the strap between my toes...lol...
Several years ago I discovered
L'Artiste brand. They are expensive, but will last a long time. I have several different pairs/styles. Most of mine are about 6 years old now and I have worn them a lot. Even all day at Disney! They all still look brand new.
DSW will carry some of the styles from time to time.
I don't like spending that kind of money on shoes, but these have proven to be a good investment. One style I like so well that I have in four colors.