Question for American's

LaraGaudess · February 2011

This is a silly question, I know, but I have always wondered. Do you keep your shoes on in the house, or have house shoes (not slippers)?

I'll explain my curiosity. I am attempting to become a minimalist/barefoot runner (basically how it sounds - either no shoes or the thinest and least obstructive footwear possible). I am reading all these blogs about how to get started on this, and they keep saying 'go barefoot at home as much as possible'. I keep thinking 'duh, my shoes and socks are the first things that come off when I get home!' But then I remembered as a kid watching American tv, and always wondering why they wore their shoes inside. I always though that my mom would kill me if I did that Smile

I told you it was a silly question, but I would really appreciate some insight nonetheless.

TIA!

noah-bear · February 2011

Get those new running shoes that have toes.

CashewsMommy · February 2011

In our house we don't take our shoes off before going inside. However at my SILs house we have to. It's mainly a rule in some houses only because it helps keep carpets and floors clean. But I really don't care.

However, I usually do not wear them for long in my house. In the winter I'll wear slippers, but if i'm hot or in the summer I go barefoot. However, at someone elses house who does not have the no shoes rule, I never take them off.

lauren.cus · February 2011

CashewsMommy:
In our house we don't take our shoes off before going inside. However at my SILs house we have to. It's mainly a rule in some houses only because it helps keep carpets and floors clean. But I really don't care.

However, I usually do not wear them for long in my house. In the winter I'll wear slippers, but if i'm hot or in the summer I go barefoot. However, at someone elses house who does not have the no shoes rule, I never take them off.

This exactly

shoefreak85 · February 2011

I'm usually barefoot, but when I walk into the bathroom that has COLD tile floor, I put on flip flops. That's not a dumb question. I can understand how people think Americans wear their shoes inside.

Jen98jib · February 2011

I would guess that most american's take their shoes off at the door. I always go barefoot in the house but my husband typically wears flip flops.

LaraGaudess · February 2011

Thanks for the insight ladies. So I guess my next question would be if the people in your lives feel the same about wearing shoes in the house.

I had a professor in university who was American. He invited all of us in the wind ensemble to his house for a year end party, and it was a blizzard-y day. He was curious as to why we would take his shoes off in his house. He looked at us like we had 3 heads, and vice versa. It's funny when you think about it.Cashews, I have been thinking about you a lot lately. I just wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you are starting to feel a little better (it's all relative I guess, eh?).

lisaNDmike08 · February 2011

DH and I don't wear shoes or slippers at home too often, but we live in a pretty warm climate. Slippers are an absolute must when we go to visit our Polish immigrant side of the family. I learned early in life to always bring slippers with me because it wasn't worth the chastising.

noah-bear · February 2011

The first thing we do is take off our shoes when we come in. I hate wearing shoes or slippers and I wear flip-flops out of the house whenever humanly possible. I hate shoes.

Muffinhb · February 2011

I take my shoes off as soon as i get back to the bedroom when i get home. DH keeps his on all most all long. When we to other peoples house (depending how well i know them and if they have the no shoes rule) I will normally take my shoes off I just hate shoes (must be a califoria thing).

h0b0girl · February 2011

I never wear my shoes inside my house.. although DH will wear shoes for a while when he gets home. No one wears shoes in my mom's house so that is where I get it from.

LaraGaudess · February 2011

You'd think that we'd be wearing shoes up here seeing as it's winter 8 months of the year, but you really just don't see it happen that much. In the summer, I live in flip flops. People are always saying how bad they are for me too, but I can walk 10k per day no problem in them, and that's when my knee's feel the best.

On a related note, I miss summer Sad

MrsMitty08 · February 2011

noah-bear:
Get those new running shoes that have toes.

Yes Like the Vibram Five Fingers!

Antigone1984 · February 2011

You need some FiveFingers! https://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm

I would go barefoot anywhere! I hate wearing shoes. When I go out, I almost always have some kind of slip-on shoe on. Then I can slip my shoes off at any moment.

MrsMitty08 · February 2011

I think you will find that in American households, it is much more a personal preference as opposed to a cultural custom regarding shoes on or off inside homes.

I grew up wearing shoes in our house. We take our shoes off when we visit my husband's family. When I lived on my own and then bought my own house, I wanted to keep the floors as clean as possible, so I have a no shoe rule. We still wear shoes at my family's house!

I know there are a lot of cultures who find it disrespectful to have shoes on in a home, etc. but I think many people do it for cleanliness. I mean, who wants dirt and grime all over your floors, especially if you like to walk around in socks or barefoot?

MrsMitty08 · February 2011

LaraGaudess:
I had a professor in university who was American. He invited all of us in the wind ensemble to his house for a year end party, and it was a blizzard-y day. He was curious as to why we would take his shoes off in his house. He looked at us like we had 3 heads, and vice versa. It's funny when you think about it.

I had a professor who insisted we take our shoes off to enter his office on campus. He was American but adhered to many Japanese customs and was also a neat-freak (not sure which drove the no-shoes rule).

I guess some people just have their "things"

Froggy76 · February 2011

I like wearing shoes and I usually have them on at home. I really dislike being asked to take off my shoes at someone else's house... shoes are part of my outfit!

LaraGaudess · February 2011

It's interesting to see all the different perspectives. I used to love shoes of all kinds (I still have quite the collection), but lately I just find that nothing is comfortable. I wish I was one of those people who could wear the sexy shoes all the time, but my body can't do it anymore. All those beautiful shoes gone to waste.

I'm considering some VFF, but I recently got a pair of Merrell pace glove shoes, and I'm really liking them so far for running. I would like to get the Vivo barefoot EVO II as well. I had a pair, but they were too big so I returned them and they didn't have my size. Hopefully next month!

Eris-Alexis · February 2011

I take my shoes off as soon as I get home, but DH doesn't. He wears boots, so it is harder for him to put them on and take them off quickly. I know a lot of people who wear their shoes inside and a lot that take them off. I never thought of it as a cultural thing though.

LaraGaudess · February 2011

Eris, I am so sorry for your loss! {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

laceyann2008 · February 2011

I take off my shoes at the end of the day just as a way to unwind. There is nothing like taking em off to lounge around barefoot if I've been walking around a lot. DH doesn't take off his shoes until he gets ready for a shower. Then again, I love the feeling of being barefoot

I did have a friend growing up that made us wear shoes inside the house, something about the oils of our skin or something getting on the carpet? I don't know. I never saw it as a cultural thing either.

All this from someone who LOVES shoes out in public but also adores being barefoot, even in the backyard at home.

ambs21 · February 2011

Froggy76:
I like wearing shoes and I usually have them on at home. I really dislike being asked to take off my shoes at someone else's house... shoes are part of my outfit!

This reminds me of the SATC episode where Carrie had to take off her shoes at someone else's house, and they were stolen. I don't really like having to take my shoes off either, especially if I haven't had a recent pedicure (which I pretty much never have!). I often go barefoot in the house, but I do wear shoes if I plan to leave again soon. No rules exist here! I think as PP said, it is a preference thing rather than a cultural norm.

shanna82 · February 2011

My DH always wears shoes around the house. Athletic shoes. I wear either socks or slippers, but that's mostly b/c we have tile floors in our living room, so my feet get cold

twistedmetal · February 2011

Not officially "American", but we usually wear sandals/slippers inside the house. We are barefoot when lounging, but both have high arches, so standing around for too long barefoot hurts. My husband is the only one that really wears shoes in the house, but thats during the day, when its a hassle to take off his work boots.

But we also live in the land of red dirt, and the Army was super smart in putting in beige carpet, so no dirty shoes allowed, AT ALL!

PrincessVB · February 2011

We have a mud room/breezeway that we remove our shoes in when we return from where ever. Most of our friends do the same when they come to visit but we don't make a big stink about it if they don't. I prefer to be barefoot or slippered in the house.

Several of my friends got the VFF for running and LOVE them. I'm thinking about getting myself a pair too.

Gummybear · February 2011

This is actually #2 on my top 3 (well, there are only 2 reasons for now) reasons of why we will get divorced. I HATE shoes. I never wear them, unless I have to. DH hates being w/o shoes at any time, except sleeping and bathing.

I tried to instill a no shoes in the house rule when we moved in together. He AND his mom explained to me you NEED to keep shoes on in the house so you don't get germs and dirt on your feet.

Um, HELLO??? If you aren't wearing shoes in the house, you won't track dirt in, Einsteins!!

Needless to say, I agree with you Canadians. But I lost the argument. Thanks MIL, thanks.

jinx75 · February 2011

We do not wear shoes in our house. They come off as soon as we get in the door and I am the only one that wears socks in the house. DH and DD go barefoot. I think my DD would go barefoot all the time if we let her, she hates shoes.

Mellimo83 · February 2011

Another Canadian chiming in- I never even gave it two thoughts, you take your shoes off in someones home. One of our first purchases in our new home was an entrance bench so you can sit on it and take them off. I never realised there were so many people who didn't. Embarrassed

interesting. But to be honest, I hate socks and shoes and they are the first thing to come off when I get home (and sometimes my pants, but that's another thread I think).

Kira98 · February 2011

We have special indoor-only flip-flops or slippers. They are not allowed to be worn outside so they stay clean. I get mad if DH wears shoes in the house.

lotus88 · February 2011

Shoes off as soon as I come in. Though my grandmother, in Italy, always changes to her house shoes. Which are just regular open toed sandals.

millejj1 · February 2011

Usually it's always shoes off when we come inside. Anytime the are dirty they come off outside. Most days DH will leave his on sometimes but that's just because he wears tactical boots and is to lazy to take them off and put them back on. I wear socks around the house because my feet get cold.

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