Anonymous wrote:I don’t host formal events in my house bc I’m that grossed out by shoes everywhere. I once did host many years ago and some woman had a nail coming out of her heel on an old shoe that left dings in every plank of hardwood that she stepped on. I was renting then but would be pretty pissed of that happened on my floors. Only informal gatherings for me and shoes off!
Anonymous wrote:We're a shoes-off family. When we host we don't make guests take their shoes off. We used to do massive summer parties and no shoes were taken off.
It's funny though, when my DD first had high school friends come over, they must have asked her if they should take their shoes off, and I guess she said yes. So now when they visit, it's a habit, they greet us parents while simultaneously taking their shoes off and leaving them by the front door. I get a kick in seeing 10 pairs of shoes in all these sizes lined up in the foyer.
I do know one family that is middle eastern and are very strict about it. They hosted a corporate dinner, 10 guests, we were asked to take our shoes off. Thank god I had gotten a pedicure that week. One work friend was mortified bc she wasn't prepared and had worn sandals to work and didn't have socks to cover her unpedicured feet. If you're going to do shoes off give adequate notice so guests can be comfortable.
Anonymous wrote:I come from a no shoes indoors culture. However, that does not apply to the dressy shoes that people bring with them and change as they come in. That’s what most people did for formal events inside someone’s home.