CAVING IN TO SHOES OFF

I have always resented having to take my shoes off when visiting others' homes where the expectation is that I'll leave my footwear in a big jumbled pile at the door and pad around in stocking feet at a social gathering.  This was the norm, of course, when we lived at the beach in South Carolina, where "shoes" were merely flip flops and no one wore shoes indoors.  Social conventions differ based culture and geography.

But here, where there is no sand and it's mostly chilly, my thinking has been that these people care more about their precious floors than about their guests.  The pile of shoes at the door is unsightly and tends to migrate into the path of people just trying to walk around.  There is always a bottleneck coming and going as people struggle out of and back into their shoes, balancing on one foot then the other with various degrees of success.  And most importantly, to me, shoes are part of the outfit!  Maybe this holds true more for women than for men, but when I dress for a social outing my shoes are as much a conscious choice as is my dress or slacks or sweater.  Longer pants with higher heels.  Boots with certain skirts.

But now....  We just had 1300 square feet of hardwood floors refinished in our home to the tune of ... well, a lot of money.  We have a new lighter color area rug in our living room.  We live where leaves and grass and needles from fir trees are a constant source of aggravation as they get tracked everywhere, especially when they stick to the bottoms of shoes on frequent rainy days.  We have a granddaughter who picks everything up from the floor and sticks it in her mouth.  And I read this article:  This Is Why You Probably Shouldn't Wear Shoes in Your House . Ugh! I found it compelling, to say the least.

Plus, Hub became a Shoe Nazi as soon as the newly refinished floors were ready to be walked on, having just paid the refinishing bill.  I went along reluctantly but I admit it, there is far less dirt, grit, and debris tracked in.    There is still the problem of the accumulation of shoes at the doors, so I've devised a method -- at the front door I've placed a bench for sitting to remove shoes (no balancing act required!) with a shelf beneath to stow them.  At the back door I've installed a metal shoe rack, holding "house shoes" and providing a place to leave the outdoor shoes.  We do a switcheroo upon entrance and exit, having mostly "slip ons" at the ready for indoor use.   It's working for Hub and me and our casual visitors.

We haven't had a party or a more dress-up gathering yet.  Well, we really don't have dress-up gatherings ever, but my point is that at social gatherings, I still don't feel comfortable asking people to walk around in their stocking feet at my house.  They, like me, might need some arch support, or they, like me, might tend toward cold feet.  I'm willing to let anyone who would prefer to leave their shoes on to leave them on.

I am, however,  more forgiving of the "shoes off" rule when I visit others who prefer this convention.  I just take a pair of "indoor" shoes with me, now that I have some designated as such (never worn outdoors -- a pair of Oosfos sandals (the best!), a pair of moccasins, and a pair of soft-soled clogs.)   I just really don't like the feel of stocking feet and my back aches without arch support.  I'm not willing to be uncomfortable to visit you, but I'm willing to accommodate your rules with my own provisions.  I welcome you to do the same.  Live and learn.

At least, that's the view from here...©