To think that no one should be allowed to wear a sandal without some proper foot grooming?!

[williaminajetfighter]

It's that time of year again... Ah summer and its long days of sunshine. I so love it but the one thing I fear most in this change of season? The sandalled "foot claw"!

Suddenly everyone is wearing heel, toe and full foot exposed foot-wear. And the exposed foot often is a scary site to behold: yellowed toe nails, bunions, fungus, severely cracked heels, dry skin. I am constantly shocked by how many people so casually don sandals with their feet looking a hot mess. Certainly not for public view.

AIBU to expect people to invest in a little foot grooming in the summer? Have people not heard of a podiatrist or a pedicure?

This is an honest question as the flagrant disregard for foot hygiene drives me nuts.. But I may be the only person who feels this way?!

Bit of a first world problem if you ask me...

Just to gross out op, I have no toenail on my left big toe. I'm a bit self conscious about it. But I wear sandals anyway, on the basis that no one looks at your feet. Oh dear.

Oh wait. Hang on.....

.........

Yep, I'm over it.

Other people's lives.

'you might get different responses if you post your question in the Style & Beauty topic.'

Exactly. I have that section hidden and get very pissed off when they teeter out of it to squeak breathlessly at the horrors that they see.
So YABU OP, there's a ruffled satin cushion awaiting you in S&B with your name embroidered on it.

I like it when my feet are sanded, buffed and presentable. The soles of my feet were so dry that they would catch on my bedsheets at night . Not nice.

I'm not too fussed about other people's feet*. Apart from DH's although he likes nice feet too so I file the rough bits on his heels from time to time.

*apart from the time when I saw a lady wearing a pair of gorgeous Gucci sandals paired with the roughest, mankiest feet I'd seen in a while. I couldn't see the point of spending so much on shoes and leaving your feet in that state.

Pedicures tickle.

Are you at all aware of the fact that bunions are painful and often and debilitating foot deformity, caused by excessive bone growth, which require unpleasant surgery, metal bone pins and several weeks in a wheel chair or on crutches to correct?
I was just wondering how that could possibly be described as having anything remotely to do with 'foot grooming'!?

Is it very wrong that I want to see your nailless toe NumTum?

Your post has really upset me, OP. I do like to wear sandals, in fact, due to my foot condition it's quite good for me. However, I've had 14 operations on my feet, so they're quite scarred. I was born with fingers instead of toes, it still shows to some extent, my nails look a little odd and my toes are obviously long, despite having been shortened. They are also a little bent because they tend to snap like pencils if I drop things on them (a next directory, once) or if people tread on them. That may look a little bunion like. I'd always worn sandals thinking that nobody noticed once I'd left school. Seems they do.
Thanks for your kindness and consideration and rest assured, I'll not be showing them for a while.
Oh, and don't come back with you were going on about foot hygiene etc. You were stating you noticed peoples feet and were unhappy with them looking a 'hot mess'.

Have totally outed myself now, it's a rare condition.

I normally agree with good grooming. I shave everywhere, colour my hair, false tan etc.

I have inherited hideous feet, with barely any toenails. I spend a lot of time on trying to get my feet look human, they are still terrible, though.

I think that you need to realise that not everyone can have nice feet.

I have worked in adult disability teams and it has made me realise that not wearing or doing something, just because you don't look good, is ridiculous.

I agree that you need to stop looking at people so closely.

WHO THE ACTUAL FUCK CARES ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE'S FEET?

Jeezus

Btw I do not mean foot 'vanity' like having fancy sparkly painted toe nails or French manicured toe nails - which is ridiculous.

I mean basic foot hygiene. People with severely long yellowed toenails, what looks like fungal infections and issues, cracked heels so severe they look like they could bleed and a general complete lack of interest in addressing this issues. I shouldn't care but I think it's grim when people don't address these things.

Clean feet with cut nails and plain toes are fine. Feet that look like something out of medieval England are a step too far.

Honestly if I took everyone's 'it's not your business ill do what I want' thinking across other parts ofnmynlife I might as well come to work in dirty clothes, not bathe and not wash my hair etc. hey I've got a child at home, I'm busy and how dare you judge me!!!

'WHO THE ACTUAL FUCK CARES ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE'S FEET?'

People in S&B
Sellers of special lotions and potions and paints
Chiropodists
Not me.

I walk 40-50 miles a week, regularly ski at our local slope even in the summer, and have been known to go for a run or two. Even if I could be bothered making my feet look immaculate (not sure it's possible!) they would be messed up within a few days anyway. Worse, I'd be in a lot of pain because the hard skin has built up in various places for a reason - to protect my feet when I do all that activity.

Feet are functional things, and that's how I treat them. I don't let them smell, I keep them clean and the nails trimmed but occasionally I have the odd black toenail or lose one - par for the course especially with running.

Nobody has ever dared say anything but if they did I'd reply that I'd rather be fit and healthy than have immaculate toes.

Also I am not talking about disability nor am I talking about variations in for look/shape. I'm talking about feet that look untended and unwell. Fgs.

Salmotrutta. Not very wrong no. To be honest most people don't notice, because I paint my toenails and I just paint the empty bed - which I am aware sounds a wee bit gross but from a distance ie head height, it camoflages it. I only do that because it has grossed people out before which does make me a bit self conscious. Ingrowing toenail op that went wrong, instead of killing the bit down the side the whole nail was damaged, so no nail.

Dawn, my feet are also mis-shaped through not having fully formed tendons and toes, so i hope that you don't find my post offensive.

I didn't think before using the term "trying to get them to look human".

I am not suggesting that medical conditions mean that someone appears non-human. I have strange looking knees as well, i wore calipers as a toddler and medical shoes.

Poor OP. Here . I think that you struck a nerve with some MNetters.

If you had posted that some guy on the train had terrible BO or some co-worker has smelly/cigarette breath then I highly doubt that people would be posting that these people probably were too busy with babies such that they didn't have time to shower or brush their teeth.

YABU.

Should I make sure my arms are thin, toned and (fake) tanned before I wear a sleeveless top? Fuck that; if it's hot weather I'll take comfort over avoiding offending someone who sets so much store by appearance.

My toes are a bit hairy, my toenails are frankly a bit weird, and the skin on my heels is, for some reason, a bit yellow. I don't care at all, and neither should you.

you'd hate my friend OP. She hasnt worn shoes in 40 years. Her feet are rock hard.

YANBU I need some serious foot grooming before I get my hoofs out

So what did Medieval English people's feet look like then OP?

I'm dying to know!

Should people with eczema keep themselves covered? What about people with arthritic hands? Should they wear gloves? I'm no oil painting, should I wear a bag over my head? Those people who suffer with excessive sweat, should they stay in forever to avoid upsetting your sensibilities?

OP, there are many reasons as to why toe nails are yellow and they go with having to only have them cut by a Chiropodist.

I paint my toenails, as i have yellow ones, i have poor circulation and use oils to soak my feet in, to get them reasonable, but you would probably look at them and think that i don't bother.

I have looked after people's feet when i worked in healthcare and even though good quality cream was applied twice daily, the feet would still be cracked.

Feet, are like teeth, it can be a matter of luck, if you have good ones.

Its polite to have well groomed feet if one is to wear sandals??

I have visions of the OP going up to unsuspecting strangers with the mumsnet mantra "i say, did you mean to be so rude" whilst looking down tellingly at their feet!