I'm so happy I found this site!

Hello all!

As the title of this thread says, I'm psyched to find this forum. I'm a 21 year-old woman who LOVES to be barefoot and, to be honest, I sometimes feel weird about it. When I found this site (especially this particular forum) I felt so much better. LOL! There have been times in the summer where I'm hanging out at home and have to go out and run errands or whatever and hate having to put on shoes. On a few occasions I've just said "Hell with it" and gone barefoot. The first few times were fine but last year I was in a grocery store and ran into someone I worked with and felt very self conscious. When I saw him at work the next day he made the comment that he didn't expect someone like me to be out and about barefoot...? He went onto say I didn't 'look like someone who went out like that' When I asked what he meant he said I had a Lisa Loeb vibe going on. So since then, I'm more self conscious... because am I the kind of person who shouldn't go out like that? There's nothing weird about loving to be barefoot... right? I know it's stupid to think this way, but I can't help it. I was out barefoot a few moths ago and noticed someone staring at my feet. When he noticed me looking at him he kind of smiled nervously and looked away. I was kind of flattered, but still self conscious and I felt like my experience from last year ruined it. After reading some of the threads here I was like "Phew!" I have to admit that there is also something a little... 'naughty' about being out barefoot that I kind of like (personally I think I have cute little feet!), but I really do it because it feels great. Even in the winter I'm barefoot, not outside, but as soon as I get home the first thing I do is take off my shoes and socks. It feels good to know I'm not alone!

 

Welcome To The Club...


Cheers Glen.

{Edit}....And Welcome To "Hip Forums"......Just Noticed This Is Your First Post..

 

Welcome BooBoo! Barefooting is a wonderful thing. Enjoy it when you can and don't let others' negativity get to ya. They don't know what they are missing.

 

Welcome to the forums, and he was probably not the only person looking at your feet.

 

Yes welcome, BooBoo. I'm sure if we're honest we all like the feeling of naughtiness it brings! Just keep going barefoot and it becomes easier with time. Certainly don't be put off by others. They are probably just jealous. It's your life and your feet. Being barefoot is not wrong in any way.

 

You know how it goes its always the people you least expect, Welcome to the forum and keep on Barefooting.

 

Thanks everyone! I can't tell you how comfortable this makes me feel.

 

It's most important that you feel comfortable with yourself and are unafraid to express who you are (within reason). If you feel comfortable going barefoot, as I and most others here do, go for it! If we all dressed the same, ate the same foods, watched the same TV shows, etc. it would be a boring world. I'm sure everyone felt apprehensive about the first time experience with different things, it's what makes us humans.

Enjoy the comfort and freedom of going barefoot! Don't overdo it at first. You'll get discouraged with sore feet, etc. They will get accustomed to the different surface you walk on and will develop natural protection to heat, rough surfaces, etc.

Welcome!

 

Thanks BG! Actually, the bottoms of my feet are pretty tough since I'm barefoot almost all the time (except at work). Even when I work out I jog on the treadmill barefoot. Normally when I go out barefoot it's just to the store or something simple like that. I haven't gone out and about town with no shoes yet, but like you said I think I'll work my way up to it. Even last summer I spent a weekend at a friend's house and his dog chowed on my sandals, so I went to the movies with a couple of friends barefoot and I don't think anyone noticed. I definitely got to feel how nasty the floors of a movie theater are though - LOL!

 

Then I hope you'll try the amazing and delicious range of outdoor surfaces that you must have nearby, in any walks and hikes: leaves, pine needles, lawns (of course!) moss, smooth rock ledges, wading through brooks, etc. I'm luckier than most in that I work outside. Even though it's a cold climate, I get just over half the year bare, and that's not bad!

OH. And welcome to the board, by the way. Glad you felt you could turn to us for guidance and support! Don't let people bother you. You'll probably enjoy the occasional sense of being checked out. I do my share of that, and believe it or not, it frequently happens to me. Good stuff---

 

I ditched the shoes a lot in college, but I've kind of gotten away from barefooting in public. In my area I hardly ever notice anyone doing it (Maybe once or twice per spring/summer). It seems people that don't like the idea tolerate it slightly more from women (nasty guy feet, ya know? lol). I have noticed a few ironies, though. Most flip-flops offer very little protection and nobody has a problem with them. It's also perfectly fine to kick your shoes off under the table, in front of your seat (a ton of people do at the movies!), etc. As for spreading disease, germs, and what not, how is the ground any different if you have shoes on? It's still the same gunk!

 

Hi BooBoo,

of course you are not alone! Going on bare paws is natural, healthy, inexpensive .. and sensual.

Just do as your feelings tell you. No need to have scruples.

 

Thanks Pixy. Thanks to everyone's encouragement I've been barefoot since last week (not at work though). I feel so much better about it now!