Clean feet verses Dirty feet?

I use to hate dirt feet, but lately I’ve found that they bring a definition to the artistic quality of feet in photographs. Furthermore, dirty feet are a vivid pronunciation that you’re a barefooter. What do my fellow barefooters think? Which is better?

 

Hi baregirl. I will have to agree that part of the visual appeal of dirty feet photos is the enhancement of the sole contour definition. In other words, the dirt reveals the foot's print as it makes contact with the ground, and thus brings out the true depth of the arch. Aside from the enhancement of visual depth, the dirty sole provides yet another dimension of affectation. From an experiential standpoint, the dirty sole is a document of the subject's tactile history- evidence of his or her day of enjoying the ground's textures, and this tactile sensation can also carry through to the viewer simply through observation. Then there are the special features that become highly contrasted on the dirty soles of a full-time barefooter, such as leathery pads, and thickened ball callouses- features that evidence a courageous, virile, natural, active lifestyle. So for all these reasons my vote goes to dirty feet. By the way, your pics are truly excellent.

 

Hi baregirl, I agree with sweet dream, completely. As a barefooter for the past 5-6 years dirty soles define the feet. I echo sweet dream's comments in their entirety.

 

I like when my feet are dirty. I also like comparing the different levels of dirty with the places I go. Suprisingly, wal-mart is very dirty, even moreso than its parking lot! strange.

 

I don't care when they get dirty, but I generally like the feeling of scrubbing them all nice and clean.

 

Oric, I prefer when my feet are dirty. Just like Kittymoose, I do like comparing the different levels of dirt at times. Kittymoose statement is so true, the King of Corporate American Retail does have incredibly dirty floors.

 

ive never really minded either way.
i like dirty feet, but mine never really get that unclean...

 

I like what Sweet Dream says about arch definition and that dirty feet show you're a true barefooter. If you are out and about barefoot you're bound to come home with dirty soles. At my house we always clean them off before we come in just as if we were shod we would remove our footwear. So for us at home its clean soles - if we're out dirty soles are unavoidable.

 

Either way is fine with me most of the time... there are situations and times when I like having clean feet (when going to a nice restaurant or something -any place nice where I like any part of me to be clean ). But at other times it can be fun to see how dirty they can get; it fits the 'feet are rough, tough and made to be used' image.

But it rarely is black dirt, even when I'm at a trainstation or bus station, the worst blackness wears off in a very, very short time to a dusty grey or brownish color. How people end up with those really *black* soles (as in the Wal Mart Iowa thread) even after coming home -presumably walking at least the parking lot & driveway- I don't understand. Maybe how much dirt 'sticks' depends on skin type or something...

 

Clean feet all the way for me!

 

I have to agree. Like with my hands when gardening; I like working with the soil, and I also like cleaning them off, outside. Same with my feet. But the black everyone speaks well of is I think mostly town and city dirt. I get some of that too but there are lots of places to get it off. One reason for this, I keep saying in these forums, is I'm trying to help gain us acceptance for our bf habits. Letting "them" see dirt seems to "prove" their idea that bf is dirty. I want to be allowed to do it everywhere.

 

I like my feet dirty (which they get by walking bf in a big city), and I don't clean them before entering my home.

 

I reside in NOLA, therefore I have the big city black soles. As Morning Mist stated, I do not clean my feet before entering my home, either. I do have friends and acquaintences who are uncomfortable with my dirty feet. They ask that I refrain from putting my feet on their furniture. Of course, I comply with their request. I am in their home.

However, in my home I would never tell an individual with dirty feet not to put their feet up if they choose. To me dirty feet are a normal and good thing. I cannot stand people who are so anal about such a trivial matter.

 

barefoot kid - i have a hose just outside the door - its not specifically for feet cleaning but it serves the purpose

 

I concur with Myranya about how tough feet don't seem to get or stay very dirty. In fact I actually find that my feet hardly ever get really black. The thick, padded parts default to a kind of greyish brown color no matter where I've been. I find they actually get dirtier if I wear flip flops since the dirt gets trapped, mixed with sweat, and distributed in places that don't normally get rubbed off. Ewww. Ironically, I'm one of those people who likes to hose my feet off when I get home. I spray the driveway, then rub my feet on the wet ground. Takes only a few seconds. Then I walk around a bit on the dry concrete to dry off. It's my little ritual. I do this because I like to sprawl naked on my carpeted floor when I watch movies.

 

i like my feet clean. but i prefer not to wear shoes on my days off, and i dont mind them dirty. its kinda hard to sleep good though after a day or two or a week of being barefoot without washin em.

 

a little bit of this, other times a little bit of that. tough feet are sometimes dirty

 

I don't know if it's the toughness of the foot or rather the skin type (oily/dry) or something like that... I've seen really black feet pics here from people who have quite tough feet too... I sure wouldn't want to imply people who get really black feet have less tough feet or less callouses!

 

I completely concur. I truly believe it relates to skin type and where you are barefooting.

 

Clean.