to make people take their shoes off?

[suecy]

Moving into a brand spanking new house in a few weeks, loads of wooden flooring and pale carpets.

Want to have a housewarming for family and friends - c60 poeple. Is it really rude on the invite to say guests will be expected to take their shoes off, no matter what they are? Just don't want any damage to the floors.

Does it make me sound unreasonable? The alternative is not to have the party!

I'm around, watching The Real Hustle :o.

Telling people in advance might be a good option.
I would love to know in advance then I can make my excuses and not come rather than turning up with lots of wine and gifts for host who it turns out thinks more of their furnishings than their guests.

But loads of people who ad
mnire a nice cream shagpile will think you are being reasonable and happily come over wearing nice socks. You will all have a fab time with cream coloured finger food and white wine.

Horses for courses and all that.

( come to mine we have red wine and we are allowed to spill)

pag when Womble and I have finished bouncing on the beds here I will propose putting our shoes back on and heading over to you.

I already have a bottle of red open. Shall I bring with along with a nice big bar of Galaxy?

oh yes indeedy

I have three pre-disastered sofas. You may bounce on those too

wouldn't bother me tbh but it is a bit unusual

ooh more bouncing. :)

I would have been horrified if I had been asked to remove my shoes yesterday. I was wearing the most hideous socks that the dds bought me for Christmas. (lilac and pink with piglet on them!)

if I got an invitation saying that I had to take my shoes off I would laugh.

your floors should be fine

Oooh I love the "come as Zola Budd" idea

I live abroad. In the country I live in, it is the norm to take your shoes off and considered VERY rude not to. I got used to it and prefer it now.

I don't see a problem with it. I just think it is more hygienic. It saves on hoovering IMO. (please note, I do actually hoover)

I just want to add that if you have children, particularly toddlers, they will ruin pale carpets and scrape their toys on the new floors. They are still lovely though

Oooo, can I come, too, pagwatch?

I'll wear my Converse because I don't do heels, anyhow.

I suppose I'm used to it as well now.

oh I wanted to add I remember there was an episode of SatC where Carrie made an huge deal of having to take her shoes off and they were stolen! It is very unlikely. Unless you have guests wearing Jimmy Choos or whatever they are called

I don't buy Manolos to take them off at the door frankly.

Really naff to ask people to take their shoes off.

I'm already picturing twigs in a vase, that Ikea picture of pebbles and bowls of woodland pot pourri

We never took our shoes off at home growing up (my mother also thinks it's a rather common thing to do). In fact, at my parents' it is safer to keep your shoes on.

So I'm always unprepared for it and am wearing embarrassing socks or some such.

Have noticed that a lot of people do it automatically.

Tsk. My outfits start with my shoes!

I would be most put out.

Where would you put 60 pairs of shoes?

tbh dh and I do take our shoes off but in our own home because we prefer to do that.

Completely different to try and control guests in this way.

I would think someone was absolutely barking if I got that on an invitation to be honest.

Make it into a game maybe? 'best dressed' toe nails or somesuch?

YABU because it is not about the colour of the flooring but having shoes on inside is disgistuing all the time even on brown carpets... [boak]
In most cultures it is polite o take off your shoes when you get in (no exceptions, own socks or own slippers in the bag if diseases)

I always take my shoes off when I go into someone else's home unless (paradoxically) it's a very posh house or I don't know them at all (e.g. I'm visiting them as part of my work).

I much prefer it when people take off their shoes at my house but I only ask my close family and friend dcs to do it.

My mother brings her slippers with her!

If I went to a party I would think it a bit precious to be asked on the invitation.

... but we have just had a gorgeous hardwood floor installed and have only just realised that people will be coming in in their tackety boots if we have a party so are seriously rethinking.

I don't mind the dirt at all but I hate the idea of the floor being damaged by (say) metal stilettos.

oh for goodness sake, they are SHOES. It isn't like OP is asking people to take their trousers off or something.

I don't see how it can be common to take shoes off. Surely it better to do that walk around in dirty shoes and sit with your feet on the sofa.

Without causing offence, just wondering for those of you who have children: When they were at the crawling stage, did you walk around in shoes?

When my kids were at the crawling stage they often crawled about outside in the garden,so a bit of muck on the floor inside was hardly going to hurt them