Taking shoes off inside your home - are you offended?

[Anonymous]

Ugh, this thread again! It bugged me so much the last time around I just have to comment again.

Can't we agree that if you want people to take their shoes off at your home, that's fine, but you need to bear the burden of telling them about it in advance? it may be cumbersome or an extra step, but if I am invited to a no shoes house, I wouldn't wear:

pants with a length suitable for being barefoot (don't want to drag my clean pants on the floor or trip on a hem that is intended for taller heels)
slippers or socks with grips -- frankly, your desire for shoe-free floors does not trump my desire to avoid athlete's foot or an injury from slipping and falling

Others who are less worried about athlete's foot may simply want to update their pedicure, or be sure something is hiding their corns, take care that their blisters are bandaged effectively (so they don't get infected from traipsing around on the ground) and so on.

If you don't inform your guests of your shoes policy before they arrive, it's supremely uncool. If you tell people beforehand that it's going to be a sock-hop, no problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, this thread again! It bugged me so much the last time around I just have to comment again.

Can't we agree that if you want people to take their shoes off at your home, that's fine, but you need to bear the burden of telling them about it in advance? it may be cumbersome or an extra step, but if I am invited to a no shoes house, I wouldn't wear:

pants with a length suitable for being barefoot (don't want to drag my clean pants on the floor or trip on a hem that is intended for taller heels)
slippers or socks with grips -- frankly, your desire for shoe-free floors does not trump my desire to avoid athlete's foot or an injury from slipping and falling
Others who are less worried about athlete's foot may simply want to update their pedicure, or be sure something is hiding their corns, take care that their blisters are bandaged effectively (so they don't get infected from traipsing around on the ground) and so on.

If you don't inform your guests of your shoes policy before they arrive, it's supremely uncool. If you tell people beforehand that it's going to be a sock-hop, no problem.

One more thought, maybe humorous. The last time I was at a no-shoes policy it was at a party thrown by a college professor. Since many of his hipstery grad students were in attendance, the entrance hall was one enormous pile of chuck taylors. Things got quite chaotic when the partygoers, tipsy and tired, had to try and figure out which chucks belonged to which feet.

[Anonymous]

I am the OP. I cannot believe this thread gets revived every now and then. And I absolutely cannot believe how upset people have gotten about what has been discussed!
I can tell that clearly I severely offending some of my guests and others don't mind at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What else disgusts you? People use public toilets every day do you also want them to wash their bottoms prior to using your toilet. The most germ-ridden article for women is the bottom of their handbag--do you give them lysol or clorox wipes so they can wipe off their germ-ridden purses. When in Rome and in the US it is not the custom to remove one's shoes.

In some parts of the US is it customary. And it IS cleaner:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=5177409&page=1

IN some cultures talking about feet is considered very rude.

[Anonymous]

I always automatically remove my shoes upon entry when visiting someone's home. In my own home, I'm accustomed to wearing slippers, but I can't expect my hosts to have those ready for me. If say I'm wearing sandals on a given day and will be visiting a home, usually I'll just pop a pair of socks into my purse, and slide them on when I get to my destination (if slippers aren't provided). I'd rather wear my own socks than walk around barefoot on someone else's floor, with my feet possibly picking up lint, hair, etc, that might be down there.

When we have guests, I will just put some pairs of slippers near the door, and that's sign enough (in addition to seeing us as hosts wearing them) of what the "tradition" is in our household.

[Anonymous]

PP here, actually, I'd probably still put my own socks on, even if the host provided me with slippers, if I'd arrived in sandals ... Again, just my preference to have something of my own directly on my bare feet, after removing shoes when in someone else's home.

[Anonymous]

We are a shoes off house. I grew up in one and DH has now seen the light. For the most part we remind people to take their shoes off when coming in the house - DH's family I think doesn't take their shoes off on purpose but that's another discussion. However, we often host many parties at our home both personal and for DH's work. I never ask guests at these functions to remove their shoes. I wish I could, but I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I'm offended if I am wearing sandals or shoes with no socks and then I have to walk around someone's house barefoot. Esp. if my pedicure is getting old. Very embarrassing.

I think your "drill" should be more about your guests than about you.

Um what's your problem? I've worn flip flops MANY times to different people's houses and have been required to take them off at the door...I had no problem walking around their houses in my bare feet...are you insecure about your bare feet or something? I don't get it...

[Anonymous]

If the people who ask me to remove my shoes are Asian, I don't mind because I assume that it is cultural. If the people are not Asian and ask me to remove my shoes, I assume they are neurotic.

[Anonymous]

I am Asian, my husband is Swedish and in both cultures, shoes are removed when entering a home.

[Anonymous]

Every time I manage to forget about this thread, shit, there it is again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the people who ask me to remove my shoes are Asian, I don't mind because I assume that it is cultural. If the people are not Asian and ask me to remove my shoes, I assume they are neurotic.

I assume you are an idiot, Asians are not the only culture to own the "shoe off policy" - try educating yourself before you type.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the people who ask me to remove my shoes are Asian, I don't mind because I assume that it is cultural. If the people are not Asian and ask me to remove my shoes, I assume they are neurotic.

Really?

There are many cultures that take off shoes before entering a home, including some Middle Eastern, African, and European cultures. And I'm a white chic from New England and our family ALWAYS took our shoes off at the door.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the people who ask me to remove my shoes are Asian, I don't mind because I assume that it is cultural. If the people are not Asian and ask me to remove my shoes, I assume they are neurotic.

Really?

There are many cultures that take off shoes before entering a home, including some Middle Eastern, African, and European cultures. And I'm a white chic from New England and our family ALWAYS took our shoes off at the door.

I would guess that ALL Middle East countries (except Israel) take off shoes before entering a home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the people who ask me to remove my shoes are Asian, I don't mind because I assume that it is cultural. If the people are not Asian and ask me to remove my shoes, I assume they are neurotic.

Really?

There are many cultures that take off shoes before entering a home, including some Middle Eastern, African, and European cultures. And I'm a white chic from New England and our family ALWAYS took our shoes off at the door.

I would guess that ALL Middle East countries (except Israel) take off shoes before entering a home.

You would guess wrong.