Shoes: on or off inside?

[Scruff Bucket]

We (My wife and I) always had our shoes off (mostly bare feet!) in the house -- up until the time our friend needed us to dog-sit (Timber, a 14 yo German Shepherd cross mutt) for her for a few months, and then it was slippers on while Timber was here. Now Timber is gone (relocated), but we're renovating our basement, so it's still slippers-on until we get to clean and shampoo after reno's are done, hopefully before Christmas!

[Distill3d]

Following tradition of my parents and grandparents, shoes and hats aren't allowed to be worn in the house. Though, I'm not as strict as them. I'll let you keep your shoes on if you're in need of the bathroom prior to entering or exiting my apartment, however your hat comes off your head no matter what.

There was a point made about house parties and following the law of the land. I totally agree with that, but you can't mix it up. Shoes are either on or off and only because it hurts like hell if someone steps on your barefoot with their shoes on.

[rousseau]

I was just about to start a thread and do a poll about this very topic until I searched the site and found I'd actually already done this ten years ago.

This is a pointless resurrection of a ten-year-old thread. Nothing to see here. I swear I don't have a shoe/foot fetish or anything.

I'll be sure to resurrect this thread again in 2029.

[Nashe]

Shoes off. I'm no barbarian.

[le calmar]

Shoes off, but I have no problem walking through the house with my shoes on if I need to go back inside to get something I forgot, if I need to go to the backyard, etc. I obviously won't do it if my shoes are covered with mud or slush. However my mother-in-law as no tolerance for these things. It's no shoes in the house at all cost and sometimes I find it irritating I must admit. I am using the BBQ on the deck, it's dry, and I can't keep my shoes on and go grab a plate inside? It is like two steps away from the door.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by rousseau

I swear I don't have a shoe/foot fetish or anything.

Sure...........

FWIW, it's shoes off for me too.

I'm sure the difference between the Yanks and us on this file is the simple fact we'd be tracking slush into the house for nine months of the year..........

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Sure...........

FWIW, it's shoes off for me too.

I'm sure the difference between the Yanks and us on this file is the simple fact we'd be tracking slush into the house for nine months of the year..........

Shoes off. The kind of literal shit you step in with shoes on and then wear them around inside? Gross. I live in a condo and my shoes are probably dry by the time I step inside, but that doesn't matter.

[esquire]

I've noticed that people at the far ends of the economic spectrum (very wealthy or very poor) tend to keep shoes on inside. Everyone else takes shoes off inside. At least in Canada.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by esquire

I've noticed that people at the far ends of the economic spectrum (very wealthy or very poor) tend to keep shoes on inside. Everyone else takes shoes off inside. At least in Canada.

The former don't clean their own houses, the latter don't have floors?

[rousseau]

Does this thread have traction? I didn't mean to trample all over forum etiquette by reviving such an old thread, but then again, I guess only a heel would begrudge a popular topic by booting it off the mat.

Originally Posted by le calmar

I am using the BBQ on the deck, it's dry, and I can't keep my shoes on and go grab a plate inside? It is like two steps away from the door.

I'm in flip-flops if I'm barbecuing. They come on and off easy when running back and forth from the kitchen. I wear shoes if I'm barbecuing when it's colder out, but keep the laces untied for easy on and off.

Originally Posted by esquire

I've noticed that people at the far ends of the economic spectrum (very wealthy or very poor) tend to keep shoes on inside. Everyone else takes shoes off inside. At least in Canada.

Ahem. See my first post in this thread.

I think great minds think alike.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Ahem. See my first post in this thread.

I think great minds think alike.

As someone from a very middle class background, it is always jarring to go to a home where I am expected to wear shoes inside. It is a little thing, but it's a seriously weird fish-out-of-water feeling.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by esquire

As someone from a very middle class background, it is always jarring to go to a home where I am expected to wear shoes inside. It is a little thing, but it's a seriously weird fish-out-of-water feeling.

I'd say it's not healthy for your feet to wear shoes all the time either.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by le calmar

Shoes off, but I have no problem walking through the house with my shoes on if I need to go back inside to get something I forgot, if I need to go to the backyard, etc. I obviously won't do it if my shoes are covered with mud or slush. However my mother-in-law as no tolerance for these things. It's no shoes in the house at all cost and sometimes I find it irritating I must admit. I am using the BBQ on the deck, it's dry, and I can't keep my shoes on and go grab a plate inside? It is like two steps away from the door.

This is basically the way I operate. It was never like this when I was a kid nor is it like that at my parents' today. I think the transition to "shoes on" sometimes is made easier by the generalized trend towards houses with no carpeting. When I was a kid except for a small vestibule area and the kitchen, pretty much the entire ground floor including hallways was all carpeting.

[SignalHillHiker]

Every home I've ever been to here, shoes always come off as soon as you step inside. A small minority have house slippers for themselves and guests.

There are only three exceptions I've encountered:

The first and most common is at house parties where the ladies are all dolled up. They generally keep their heels on for the first few hours, and the guys keep theirs on too so it's not weird. It's always with the host's participation and permission.

The second is if the host says, "Leave your shoes on! I've got to do the floors anyway!", or "The house is a mess, don't worry about your shoes!", or whatever else. But then it's like Japanese gift giving where you have to insist on taking them off 2-3 times before finally just leaving them on. Extra points for bending over slowly while you do lol

And the final, rare one is when mummering during the Christmas season. That's faded as a door-to-door practice so you generally just visit family and people you know well, if anyone. We always leave our rubbers and whatever on. Tracking snow into the host's kitchen is part of the mischief.

[kwoldtimer]

I have a "shoes on" polcy. I don't ask (if my footwear is clean and dry), but will remove them if asked to do so. If I'm going to a house that I know is "shoes off", I bring a pair of black leather slippers with me and slip them on. I would never ask anyone visiting my home to remove their shoes, and when they ask I tell them there's no need.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Acajack

This is basically the way I operate. It was never like this when I was a kid nor is it like that at my parents' today. I think the transition to "shoes on" sometimes is made easier by the generalized trend towards houses with no carpeting. When I was a kid except for a small vestibule area and the kitchen, pretty much the entire ground floor including hallways was all carpeting.

That’s true — as a child it used to be if you went to a friend’s house and they had “hardwood floors”, it meant they were too poor to afford broadloom.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I have a "shoes on" polcy. I don't ask (if my footwear is clean and dry), but will remove them if asked to do so. If I'm going to a house that I know is "shoes off", I bring a pair of black leather slippers with me and slip them on. I would never ask anyone visiting my home to remove their shoes, and when they ask I tell them there's no need.

My opinion of you has done a complete 180.

[esquire]

I am reminded of a Russell Smith column on this very issue I read a decade ago in the Globe. (I notice it was from around the same time as when this thread began... did Mr. Smith take his inspiration from this thread? Or was it just a hot-button social issue around that time?)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...article794300/

This paragraph in particular stands out:

And here's my final suggestion, the one that's going to get me in the most trouble: This, too, is a class issue. Shoes-off is high-prole and lower-to-middle middle. (Sorry, Mom.) Old money lets you walk right in without any embarrassing changing. Not necessarily because they have staff to clean, but because they hate awkwardness.

This is 100% in line with what I'd expect Russell Smith to say, basically to distance himself as much as possible from those gauche proles and lower middles. So I guess you could also add to the list of indoor-shoe wearers not just the wealthy upper classes and the downtrodden underclass, but also the middle class members who want to associate with the habits of the upper classes.

[TorontoDrew]

Shoe's off inside at home, it was kind of a silly question. The real question should have been...


Shoes off or on at work?

I work at a studio and there is this one girl who walks around the place everyday with no shoes on, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, everyday all day. It's so freaking strange and disgusting. If you want to take them off at your desk or in your office go for it, the second you get up to walk around communal areas put your damn shoes on.


source: giphy.com

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Shoe's off inside at home, it was kind of a silly question. The real question should have been...


Shoes off or on at work?

I work at a studio and there is this one girl who walks around the place everyday with no shoes on, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, everyday all day. It's so freaking strange and disgusting. If you want to take them off at your desk or in your office go for it, the second you get up to walk around communal areas put your damn shoes on.


source: giphy.com

In more "structured" environments that's usually against workplace health and safety rules.