It's been my thought that people perceive other people as a total package. If "all the parts" look OK (relative to the setting), then the person is probbably OK. I find dressing conservatively, and being a tad older, allows me to be barefoot in most places. Hey, "shoe police" are everywhere. A younger male friend whose apparel is more "fashion-forward" is often criticized for also being barefoot. I'm not talking about how to dress for going barefoot (jeans, shorts, cut-offs, tank tops, blah blah); rather, how to "dress for barefoot success": minimizing the bare feet part of the package and letting that work into the total package for sake of acceptance.
Some of the girls here have mentioned that they wear long dresses/pants that cover most of their feet so it's hard for the shoe police to see them, yet they still are barefoot.
I've made a habit of pulling my pants/skirts lower (I usually wear very long shirts, so it's not a problem) to cover my feet when I'm in places where being barefoot matters (ie food establishments).
You're right in that being barefoot in food establishments matters. That's the best place to have people see you going barefoot! Aside from helping dissuade the misconception that there are health laws forbidding it, it also helps people become more comfortable with it, which is just helpful in general.
I meant where I'd be kicked out without shoes. There's one grocery store around here that I go to very regularly with a bunch of friends and usually several of us have no shoes on. They're really uptight about it, though, and we never make it past the entrance if they can see we're not wearing shoes.
I often wear three-quarter length trousers, which make bare feet stand out more than anything else, i think.
Since I'm a hard-core diehard shorts wearer, there's no way my feets be hidden. I won't put on longs just so I can be bare footed. The freedom around my legs is much more important and non-negotiable, and has become far more accepted here in recent years. As I love getting away with bare feet anywhere I can, my only strategy is keeping them clean, to avoid the gross-out factor. I've posted about this many times before, and I know I'm in the minority in this large group of black soled souls!
As a barefoot newbie, and one who is still a little self-conscious about being barefoot in public, I actually find it more comfortable to wear clothes that show off my feet rather than trying to hide the fact I'm barefoot. That way, it's immediately obvious that I'm not wearing shoes and anyone who wants to refuse entry can do so straight away. Happily I've not had any problems so far
I'm with you on that. I'm not much into the bare feet with jeans look. No, there's nothing wrong with it, just my personal preference. So when I'm barefoot in public, I'm wearing shorts and my feet are fully exposed. FYI- the self-conscious thing will subside with time. Personally, I'm only barefoot when it's warm - I don't like frozen toes. As a result, every spring I go through the same self-conscious reacquaintance with going barefoot.
After a surprise snowstorm last Winter, I walked two and a half blocks home in my bare feet. It was either that, or have soggy shoes. I was surprised at how un-uncomfortable it felt. It actually felt really good! It was quite exhilarating.
"Coldfooting" is quite exhiliarating---it is quite a wake-up call! Warm asphalt, cold asphalt---I dunno. Different results---calming, exhilirating. Both good!
It's rarely ever cold in florida but when it is i LOVE to walk barefoot outside on the cold ground. feels amazing.
I discovered a practical bonus of having bare feet and bare legs today. It's been raining quite heavily all day and it's been quite funny watching folks dodge the puddles where I've been able to just go wading through! It actually felt good - and just a little bit naughty and the good thing was when I got home, no soggy shoes or damp jeans. I just let my legs and feet dry off on their own which took no time at all!
This wasn't cold asphalt. This was dirt road covered with six inches of fresh snow. There's just something surreal about bare footprints in snow...
Barefooting in the rain is awesome. I don't get why people don't get it (well, of course I do; I'm always surprised that they're surprised). Everything feels different (better, cooler, smoother)---hey, watch me walk on those acorns! And the mud.....
