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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Ugly feet should be hidden?

119 replies

lettuceeat · 08/06/2026 17:33

I have really ugly feet, bunions, wonky toes, just horrid, I'm mid forties and never wear another shoes my feet as I'm so aware of how unattractive they are but actually it's frustrating every year trying to find footwear for when it's warm, I envy those with flip flops thrown on with shorts or a dress or those with Birkenstock and a dress so should I wear whatever regardless of how ugly my feet are? Like who actually would notice my wonky toes? Would anyone care ? Or comment if they saw my ugly feet?

OP posts:
anrom1969 · 08/06/2026 18:10

Rentobrill · 08/06/2026 18:06

Long second toes are beautiful! This is known as a Greek foot, because the Greeks thought these were the perfect proportions for feet.

Oh well that will stop me calling it my dinosaur toe !! It’ll now be my Greek toe

RichardMarxisinnocent · 08/06/2026 18:08

SunnyRedSnail · 08/06/2026 17:41

Most feet are ugly.

Wonky feet are fine. Just wear the sandals.

Cracked skin, fungal toenails are minging and need hiding.

I have two fungal toenails which I've had for ages, I am working on sorting them but it takes forever unless I want to take the medication that can affect liver function. I am not spending every summer with my feet getting hot and sweaty in socks and shoes, so I'm afraid I won't be hiding them and will be wearing sandals

I know someone who has a fungal scalp infection - would you insist that they wear a hat at all times so nobody can see their infection?

PiIIock · 08/06/2026 18:07

GarrettGraham · 08/06/2026 17:39

I have really ugly feet. Extremely wide. Short stubby toes. Awful.

They look a million times better if I keep them moisturised and have my toenails painted. Do that, then wear whatever shoes you want.

I’m the same and do this too. And pluck the toe hair 🫣

Poonu · 08/06/2026 18:07

I notice feet, always have.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 08/06/2026 18:07

dh’s feet are really bad- think, gentleman of the road, bad- and I got him those sandals with the covered toe. Massive improvement.

Generally though, I would encourage people to wear sandals in hot weather regardless of the attractiveness of their toes! I’d far rather a full strappy sandal than toe cleavage.

Rentobrill · 08/06/2026 18:06

anrom1969 · 08/06/2026 17:54

I have the ugliest feet ever , long second toe , bunions and just generally horrible, I have a few pairs of sliders and paint my toe nails in a nude shade , not happy about it but no one has looked at my feet and complained. Small comfort I know , when I say sliders I don’t mean sports wear , google black leather slides. Good luck ,

Long second toes are beautiful! This is known as a Greek foot, because the Greeks thought these were the perfect proportions for feet.

CruCru · 08/06/2026 18:06

I would not give a monkeys if you wore sandals. I am indifferent to whether or not you paint your toenails - the expectation that you should seems a bit like the one that you should blow dry your hair and wear mascara. Nothing will happen if you don’t.

BUT if you have bunions (and other foot troubles) please wear supportive sandals. Strappy sandals that slide about (or sliders) will do you no good and make you feel awful. They get a lot of hate on S&B but Keen sandals are supportive.

PancakeCloud · 08/06/2026 18:05

Literally no one cares how anyone else’s feet look. Wear what suits

TheJuicyLucy · 08/06/2026 18:04

Feet are inherently ugly. And that's OK. Many things that are necessary or very useful are also ugly and it is impractical to hide them all the time.

WeAreStillHere · 08/06/2026 18:02

From your title, I thought you were judging someone's ugly feet and I was all ready to come on here to tell you to fuck off, people have feet and feet are feet and they just need to live their lives.

So, get your feet out. Try to find shoes that a comfortable. No-one will look (or if they do, or if they judge, that is on them). I have wide mis-shappen feet and when I was 18 I was excruciatingly embarrassed by them but it is fair to say at 50 I genuinely DGAF. I wear birkenstocks (the jesus sandle ones) and love them.

CrowsInMyGarden · 08/06/2026 18:01

I have a huge bunion and big hammer toe and the most comfy shoes for me are fit flops. If people hate the look of my foot (it is only one) they can swivel their eyes in another direction!

Overtheatlantic · 08/06/2026 18:01

I hate all men’s feet, but I don’t mind women’s even if they are “unattractive.” Wear the sandals.

ConflictofInterest · 08/06/2026 17:59

Totally disagree with most people here, feet are great, I love to see people with their feet out, it makes me feel happy like I'm on holiday. I have never seen anyone who I thought had bad feet and I was a care assistant for years and looked after a lot of feet. Human bodies are supposed to all be slightly different, it's fine. I'm in sandals from late spring to early winter and go barefoot round the house and garden so I end up with thick soled hobbit feet. Could not care less what people think of my feet any more than what they think of my knees, hands, elbows or any other random bit. Stick on some colourful sandals and enjoy the summer feeling OP!

Littlebitpsycho · 08/06/2026 17:56

I have a massive phobia of feet so I guarantee i wouldn't be looking. At anybodies feet, at all, ever. I hate it if OH puts his feet on the sofa and GOD forbid they move even slightly 🤮🤮

ohyesido · 08/06/2026 17:55

I rarely notice others feet but am self conscious about my own, so much so that I’m seeing a chiropodist for treatment on my nasty toenails

wishingonastar101 · 08/06/2026 17:54

Get a good pedicure - not just toes painted but actually go to a professional and get thick nails thinned, all the dry bits removed etc...

anrom1969 · 08/06/2026 17:54

I have the ugliest feet ever , long second toe , bunions and just generally horrible, I have a few pairs of sliders and paint my toe nails in a nude shade , not happy about it but no one has looked at my feet and complained. Small comfort I know , when I say sliders I don’t mean sports wear , google black leather slides. Good luck ,

Monty36 · 08/06/2026 17:53

If anyone came up to you and pointed at your feet and made a negative comment they are not worth worrying about at all.
They have an ugly heart.

Exactfare · 08/06/2026 17:52

My job involves very unsightly feet (Google diabetic foot ulcers).

Outside of work the only thing that bothers me is really long toe nails on otherwise fit and healthy people 🤮

Wear the sandals (but cut your toenails)

HuglessDouglass · 08/06/2026 17:48

I can't remember the last time I noticed a stranger's feet op. And even if I did, so what! Wear the shoes x

OneThreadOnlybyN · 08/06/2026 17:48

Renamedefault · 08/06/2026 17:47

Very few people have attractive feet.

I disagree about painting your toenails. Fair enough, make sure they’re clean and neatly trimmed, even a pedicure, but colour either draws attention to them and looks a bit daft if they’re really bad, or it gets chipped and just starts to look even worse.

Edited

Totally agree!

OneThreadOnlybyN · 08/06/2026 17:47

Unless you're planning on resting them
on me, the state of your feet are none of my concern.

you don't need to paint your tow nails either. Just keep them as clean as you're able.

stop caring what random people think. Lots of people might think I shouldn't wear shorts, tough fucking luck, don't like my kegs don't look at them 💁🏻‍♀️😵‍💫

Renamedefault · 08/06/2026 17:47

Very few people have attractive feet.

I disagree about painting your toenails. Fair enough, make sure they’re clean and neatly trimmed, even a pedicure, but colour either draws attention to them and looks a bit daft if they’re really bad, or it gets chipped and just starts to look even worse.

ChurchYardFromMyWindow · 08/06/2026 17:47

Rentobrill · 08/06/2026 17:42

Very few people have pretty feet.

Going to disagree with PP- much prefer lovely clean toenails especially if they have been buffed (like they do at Margaret Dabbs).

I prefer lovely clean toenails to painted nails too.
Moisturised feet with buffed nails or clear polish looks more wholesome to me than coloured toenails.

HiZev · 08/06/2026 17:47

dogsarebetterthanppl · 08/06/2026 17:36

@lettuceeat imo, you need 3 things.

  1. to be confident or at least seem to be.
  2. to stop caring about other people’s opinions
  3. a full pedicure with gel toes (i think unpainted toenails are revolting and would much rather see bunions, they will also take the attention away from the other issues)

Including the men?