Huarache definition (pronounced wah-rah-chay): a low-heeled sandal having an upper made of interwoven leather strips.
These shoes have been around for hundreds of years, and the "modern" huarache from the 1930's used recycled car tires for the rubber soles.. After World War II, veterans traveled into Mexico, and huraches gained popularity in North America thanks to their adoption as part of the 1960's hippie lifestyle.
Huaraches are mentioned in the lyrics of the Beach Boys' song Surfin U.S.A, in the novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac, and are worn by Skeeter in The Help, much to her traditionalist Southern mother's dismay.