Going to the shop barefoot

[Lemonmaid]

Apologies for the possibly pearl clutching thread. I went to my local shop today (small supermarket) and the woman who went in just before me was completely barefoot, and remained barefoot around the shop.

Is this grim or is it just me who thinks so?

I don’t do it myself, too cold and my feet are too delicate and my gait too heavy but I honestly don’t understand why people find it grim or gross.
People who do walk barefoot often have better posture and walk more mindfully.

Seriously!? I also find this not at all grim. The soles of a person's feet have exactly the same things on them as the soles of everybody's shoes. It seems funny that some of you would be disgusted by this wonderful body part. One commentator even said something about the soles of the barefoot person being yellow. So what? How is this a problem to anyone? I go barefoot as often as possible. It feels good, and my feet are healthy. Also, they are tough on the bottom, so they are rarely injured by stepping on things. If I am doing something dangerous to feet, of course I wear shoes for protection. What a curiously unimaginative and self-righteous thread. I just joined Mumsnet, but perhaps it is better avoided.

How do you know if she can't afford to buy shoes: choice is shoes or food?>

Grew up in a seaside resort in an EU country and all shops/supermarkets/restaurants have signs that remind people that anyone trying to get in with no shoe, shirt or wearing swimming costumes will be refused entry. It is just common courtesy and those are the expected standards of everyone even if the premises are really close to a beach.

I personally don't want to shop having to look at someone's sweaty chest or dirty bare feet. It just makes you question their standards of hygiene in general.

Very silly in London to be putting your feet directly in contact with dog shit, vomit and whatever. That is the point of wearing shoes...

And for those who are saying yeah but your shoes are dirty too. I leave my shoes at the door when I go home and don't carry in all the city's grime.

So yeah, I am with you on this. Dumb thing to do and absolutely grim.

In my late teens, I never wore shoes if I could avoid it, and my feet were hard enough to run on gravel. I washed my feet every day, as everyone should, whether or not they wear shoes.

There's nothing new about shops with signs saying, "no shirt, no shoes, no service," so I usually did have a pair to put on in shops,because i couldn't be bothered with arguing.

I don't think there's anything wrong with going around barefoot - shoes are more likely to have things you don't want on them than bare feet - how many of us wash the soles of their shoes every time they've been out? Wiping them on a rough mat won't remove everything. Feet are washed more often.