In my opinion the only generally bad choice are straps. They trap your foot on the pedal if you need to emergency stops (including hitting something), they flop down at stops so you have to flip the pedal over when your head should be up watching traffic at intersections, they don't add any power (clipless doesn't add any significant power either) and you can get flats that are just as grippy nowadays.

In my opinion there's 2 good options:

1. Flat pedals with pins, and bike shoes (Five Ten makes the grippiest bike shoes). Five Ten shoes will grip the pedals just like clipless for forward, back, and down, the one thing you lose is staying attached to the pedal when pulling up. But racers don't pull up on the pedal when riding except for sprinting or uphill anyways (studies have shown).

You also avoid the drawbacks of clipless - you don't have to learn to clip in or out, it's easier to avoid leg pain from being locked into exactly one position, you can walk around in them off the bike comfortably, etc.

2. Clipless. The reason why racers use clipless is mostly that it's the most secure foot retention, holding your foot in even when you pull up. The idea that it makes you faster on the flats studies have said is a myth according to a number of studies. They may improve your speed when sprinting all out, or going uphill - it's harder to study that. But it's mostly because when you're flat out sprinting in a race your foot coming off the pedal would be a dangerous disaster, and clipless provides that best foot retention - that also lets you get your foot out in an emergency.

Being that you mention being bowlegged, I'd lean towards suggesting flats with pins and bike-specific flat shoes.

Like I said, I think that both flats with pins and good shoes, or clipless are good choices depending on your particular needs. In my opinion I just think straps are a bad choice that either of the previous choices do better and I personally don't recommend straps to anyone - go with flats or clipless.