Comments when going barefoot

I was barefoot at the shopping centre with my girlfriend last weekend and someone pointed at my feet and said, look he's got no shoes on.
I felt a bit embarassed and pretended I didn't hear.
What do you do when someone draws attention to your bare feet?
I was mainly embarassed because I was with my girlfriend and she heard it!

 

Well, first, how does your girlfriend feel about you going barefoot like that? If it doesn't bother her, then the comments from those who don't understand shouldn't bother her either. And really, one of the first (but one of the toughest) things to learn is how to not let other people's inane comments bother you.

There are circumstances (like with shop owners) where you do at least have to acknowledge a person's comments, but in general, ignoring them is perfectly valid - you don't have to justify yourself to other people. Especially when all they are doing is pointing out the obvious. I mean, you could always be a smart-aleck and retort with "Wow, someone graduated from kindergarten", but that sort of sarcasm tends to bite some people the wrong way. A softer but no less clever response would simply be to demonstrate that their remark is completely pointless by commenting back "Look, he has eyes, and they work."

Anyway, I think the issue here is less about what they said but more that it embarrassed you. But as I said that can be the toughest thing to learn to get over (I still feel a twinge sometimes if a person's comment is unexpected, or unexpectedly harsh). And when that happens, like you I will sometimes just completely ignore the comment and go about my business. So pretending you didn't hear, if that works for you, can absolutely be the best thing to do.

 

Pretending not to hear is certainly a valid option, but why not use the comment as an opportunity to be an ambassador for the barefoot lifestyle?

In response to "look he's got no shoes on", some example replies follow:

For a child:

• "That's right, I don't. It's very comfortable"
• "You're correct! Isn't it great?"

For an adult:

• "Good (morning, afternoon). I'm surprised you find that so unusual. Did you know that more and more people are going without shoes due to the tremendous health benefits..."
• "Yes, I'm not. It allows me to experience all of the great textures around me. Have you ever run barefoot through the grass?..."

Above all else, never answer in a way that demeans or belittles the person making the comment. We have an uphill battle to reduce the ignorance of the general populace regarding barefooting and each and every one of us is a representative of the larger community. Let's give everyone a positive impression, regardless of their initial opinions.

 

It's not often that people comment on my bare feet, but when they do, it's either positive or neutral. I remember the first comment, many years ago, when a hiker on a country footpath said to another, "i wish i could do that!" Very encouraging! The last comment, just a couple of weeks ago, was " does'nt the ground hurt your feet?" I was able to explain at length why it actually feels good. I always carry pen and paper to give people the SBL web address when they show sufficient interest. The worst comment was "get some shoes on!" by a passenger in a passing car.

 

I usually just make eye contact, roll my eyes, say nothing and move on.

I did get a "aren't your feet cold" the other day. I said "NO, not at all" .. it was 70 degrees and sunny ! ! LOL amazing

 

If I see another barefooter I'll say something like "We like the same shoes!" or if her feet are also dirty "I see we're wearing the same color shoes!". It's a great way to make friends. I started dating a girl I met that way once in the Village (NYC). It was so nice to have a true barefooter for a girlfriend.

 

Good replies, everyone. I've done ALL the suggested things. I do love the idea of being an ambassador of the lifestyle, when I am ready with one of the responses. Most encounters are so brief that there's little time to get very far, but sometimes I end up in a brief conversation. And even in those brief encounters, the world seems to be split between folks who take delight in my freedom, and those who are not so wild about it. But the really rude, grossed out comments are rare. That's something.

More often than not, silence is the way for me, because few really want to hear the story. Even if they are friendly, they usually keep talking over me, so my message goes undelivered. I already wear shorts year round, even when barefooting is unsafe in the cold, so I have lots of opportunity to notice what works with people who notice me.

One thing that flabbergasts me is the very few times I see another barefooter and greet them as Barefoot Guy does. Damn! They seem so uncomfortable with themselves that they scoot on my with hardly a word. Can't even connect with fellow bfers, usually. I really don't think I come on very strong. At least I sometimes get a happy response from a fellow shorts wearer in the winter. Summer doesn't count. Almost everyone is in shorts then.

 

A smile goes a long way in making the other person acepting of your barefootedness. I sometimes explain that it's more fun for me to be barefoot everywhere. Or I'll say "this is much better for me, it's quite healthy" when others ask questions I try to answer quickly and then change the subject. If they are curious enough to follow up I'll explain more. Once in awhile you'll run into folks who are stubborn and won't listen to reason. Being an ambasadore of barefooting has led me to meet some very nice folks.

 

I get kicked out of places for being barefoot.
I give those idiots a thing or two to think about before I walk away, barefoot, and happy.

 

If someone were to say something - and that's almost always out of curiosity - I rarely go into some long explanation. I have no reason to try to justify or explain to anyone that what I'm doing is a good and natural thing. For example, I've gotten, on a few occasions, such as maybe when walking into a doctor's office or something like that, "Where are your shoes?" To such a question, I usually reply (in a friendly way), "Oh, I don't wear shoes." Or "I never wear shoes." That's usually as far as it goes. A few times, I've been asked why, and then I will try to explain my reasons. But generally, I figure I'm doing nothing wrong, so no need to make a big deal out of it unless somebody is really curious and wants to know more about it.

Also, if I were to see another barefooter, which is very rare, I'd never say anything or make some kind of issue about someone else being barefoot. Personally, it makes me feel good to actually see someone else barefoot, but at the same time being barefoot should be no big deal, and I'm not going to make a big deal out of it by making some kind of remark to another barefooter. I think the other barefooter just seeing me barefoot is positive reimforcement enough.

 

so far i have only had one comment from someone. while entering Brookshires in Crowley, a clerk asked me "did you forget something?" I said "no." then they pointed out me not wearing shoes and i just said "i dont like wearing shoes, its uncomfortable." they left it at that and i proceeded to shop.

 

The only comments i've gotten are from friends. Mostly "you're crazy..."
Little do they know, they are the crazy ones. ahaha

 

I've received nothing but negativity from others: "ewwww that's so gross!" "you're going to get foot fungus!" "i can't believe you do that!"......and never get a chance to teach others the benefits, so I just go about doing my own thing; however I did teach my best friend the benefits of my barefoot lifestyle. I'm mainly a spring, summer, & fall barefooter, I wear flip flops in the winter (VA weather is so chilly ). When I go to my classes during the week I take my shoes off (I have to wear shoes when entering the building)...I have noticed my teachers and classmates giving me the STRANGEST looks! Especially my Psychology teacher...she just couldn't keep her eyes off my bare feet during the lecture!!!

 

i usta go everywere barefoot, but then clumsy me started bashing my feet into everything, so i decided on some keens with a toe protection :] ...but shoes do suck...

you might also like this... http://www.natureskills.com/fox_walking.html

and i would just recomend staying away from places with people that wear shoes, thats not your world...thats for people with shoes, and if you do go into their land, sandals are so easy to tie onto a backpack, and slip on and off....

 

I also respond to remarks in a positive manner. I usually say something like yep I am barefoot and comfortable. If it is a negative remark I tend to ingnore it and move on.

I do the same thing as Cool Spruce and Barefoot Guy on the rare occasion that I see another barefooter. It's true fellow barefooters do not seem to want to connect with other barefooters and it truly sucks.

 

A few years ago, I had a sumer job clerking for a law firm in Philadelphia. I'd ride the train to the city and then a subway to the office. Dress code required polished leather shoes, at least khaki trousers, a white or pastel shirt, sport jacket, and tie. I usually left the shoes at work under my desk and came to work barefoot. The socks, tie, and sport coat were in my backpack. One afternoon on teh way home, an older woman on the train asked if I knew I wasn't wearing shoes. (duh!!!) So I said, OMG, someone must have stolen them when I wasn't watching. She actually said something like harumph. I thought that word was only used in comich strips.

Hugz
Bobby

 

I was biking barefoot today through a housing compound of pretty poor people in the countryside... one of those cigarette-smoking tatooed pre-teen girls with too much makeup, piercings, and a really nasty attitude walked passed me and started screaming with laughter. I thought she was weirder than I was.

 

Most of the comments I get are positive.

 

I was in the supermarket check-out queue this afternoon when the lady in front of me dropped her purse. As she bent down to pick it up, she did a double take and said "you must be brave to go barefoot!" as she stood up again. I replied with "Yes, or just stupid!" which she laughed at! She then quizzed me by asking how long I had been going barefoot, if I went barefoot often and said it must be nice once your feet have hardened and it's not painful! Other than that, most people do glance, but don't say anything.

 

Some crazy lady that seemed to be following me on the greenway the other day said something like "look at you, barefooter!" Stuff like that, I don't know if it's meant as good or bad.