Wearing Shoes Inside - The Fuck?

[eternal-chaplain]

Truth be told, I am wearing shoes right now, as I type this on my sitting room couch.
In fact this is something that occurs many times in a week, though it isn't because I don't care to remove my shoes; often times I walk in the door, sit down, and work.
And I usually don't stop until I am too tired to work any more, at which point I take off my shoes and go to bed.
So for me, it is just because I don't have time to take off shoes.
Though now that sit here, typing this post, I wonder why they're still on my feet...
Ah the enigmas of life.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Because that's how US culture is. We wear shoes all the time. If you think it's dumb, so is a shit ton of things we do because of our culture. Your culture isn't perfect, nobody's is.

 

[SteewpidZombie]

I live in Canada and the ONLY times you wear shoes past the entrance, is if we're doing work on the house, or in a rush to go somewhere. Otherwise you leave them at the door on a placemat. Cause I don't wanna be washing mud, dirt, dogcrap, and WHATEVER else you have on your shoes out of my rug, or off the floors.

 

[Lyri]

Also, I find it dirtier to have my shoes off - Dust and indoor muck'll stick to my socks or bare feet. Nasty! Don't even get me started on stepping in a wet spot in the bathroom.

Then get some slippers man!
Outdoor shoes just bring in the filth from outside and trample it into your carpet, washing your feet is easy than washing your carpet.

 

[Jason Rayes]

Shoes are so restrictive, the first thing I do when I get home is take my shoes off and heave a big sigh of relief, especially after a day at work. The whole tracking mud through the house does come into it, but at the end of the day, it's about comfort. Fuck shoes.

Edit: Not literally of course, I don't have a shoe fetish.

 

[iLazy]

I grew up taking my shoes off because no one wants to clean up all the dirt and mud you drag in.

Seriously, do you know the nagging I would get if I tracked dirt/ mud into the house. Asian mothers...

Actually, until about 12 I thought everyone took their shoes off when entering a home. I was quite disturbed when I discovered otherwise.

But yeah, it's basically, get inside the house, take shoes off, place them to the side, and carry on.

 

[Liham]

I'm Australian, and shoes indoors is just practicality, because if you leave all your shoes outside you have to check for spiders and it's a pain in the arse. so it's just easier to do most of your shoe changing indoors.
that said, my work boots stay outside.

 

[afroebob]

What baffles me the most is why this is somehow a big deal. Maybe you should bring this up at the next UN meeting as a reason to go to war with the US, lets see how they feel about it.

 

[Jfswift]

I think it just "looks" more normal that way, as opposed to swing actors walk around in their socks.

 

[Jason Rayes]

On the question of actors wearing them in shows, Its probably an occupational health and safety thing. I know in Australia you aren't allowed in the workplace without shoes and a tv set is a workplace. With society increasingly fixated on litigation employers tend to be over the top about safety so their arses are covered if you injure yourself at work.

 

[Sidmen]

I have to wonder about some of the posts here. Do you people live in swamps?

How often are you walking around with mud caked on the bottom of your shoes? And don't you have a floor mat at the front door to wipe off any detritus?

I can see it being a concern if, yes - you live in a swampland, and no - you don't have a mat.

Actually, I might be on to something. Everyone who seems surprised at shoes being worn indoors seems to be from the far north - Canada, Britain, Scandinavia, etc. - all of which have really wet climates. Whereas everyone who thinks its weird to be picky about it live in drier climates - Australia, The USA, etc...

Myself, I don't notice shoes unless the person's house seems fastidiously clean, like they're anal about it or something (good give aways are thick white carpet and polished floors), in which case I remove my shoes. Or if the house seems particularly dirty - usually people who have pets, in which case I'll make sure my shoes are kept on.

 

[xyrafhoan]

In pretty much any home I've been to, unless it's a quick drop-in and I'm not really treading into the house, it seems more polite to take your shoes off so you don't track water and dirt onto the floor. My house has a designated shoe area and my mom throws a fit if any commonly worn shoes are worn on the carpets around the house. Honestly my feet get really gross and sweaty inside shoes anyway, so as soon as I get home, off they go. They're typically wet, too, since the climate here is so rainy. Quite a few homes have indoor slippers for walking around, but relaxing on the couch or something, it's pretty much always socks/bare feet. My boyfriend notes I have a remarkable tendency to shed my socks as soon as I'm able to.

Shoes are worn inside everywhere else. Japan is the only place I've been where shoes are taken off fairly frequently, so any time I go on vacation there, I make sure to wear shoes that are easy to put on and off. You always have a pair of slippers to change into as soon as you get home. Barefoot isn't acceptable either.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Also, I find it dirtier to have my shoes off - Dust and indoor muck'll stick to my socks or bare feet. Nasty! Don't even get me started on stepping in a wet spot in the bathroom.

Then get some slippers man!
Outdoor shoes just bring in the filth from outside and trample it into your carpet, washing your feet is easy than washing your carpet.

Ain't no carpet in my house - You ever try and vacuum that? It's a friggin nightmare.

Plus, I have a dog.

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

If you wear shoes in my house I will cut off your feet.

^^ This

I work hard to keep my house clean (mix of carpet and wooden floor), no jackass is bringing their shoes beyond my front door unless it's some kind of emergency.

It baffles me how westerners are fine with it. Maybe they clean their floors 3x more often to make up (doubt it)? Or are they fine with their floors being dirty?

 

[BroJing]

Yeah I wear my boots inside because its a bit of a hassle to take them off everytime I'm in and also I like to feel ready to do stuff while I'm up, not have to stop and put on my shoes again everytime I go outside. My wife asks I take them off when I go upstairs (where we have carpet instead of floorboards) which is fair enough but thats about it.

 

[Cain_Zeros]

I'll wear my shoes in my house if I'm just grabbing something quickly, or if I just got home and am sorting some things out (putting away groceries, etc) before taking my shoes off and relaxing. Other than that, I just find it more comfortable to go with just my socks. Plus when I'm sitting on the couch I sometimes cross my legs (no reason for it, just one of those weird things I do) and putting my shoes on the couch wouldn't be cool.

 

[Karhukonna]

I remove my shoes when I enter a home. If I'm just dropping by to pick up an item before heading back out, and I happen to be in a rush, I'll keep my shoes on.

But it's just customary 'round these parts to take your shoes off when entering a home, own or otherwise.

 

[GonvilleBromhead]

I'm rather surprised (and I think it's a tad pathetic) that people get so indignant about something that other people do; generally speaking, I wear slippers until I leave the house, then if I come in again I'll usually keep the shoes on (unless I am not planning on leaving again). If they are covered in muck, I take them off. But changing into slippers and back into shoes would be at best a waste of time, at worst counterproductive (as I'd have to walk into the living room to find a chair...)

 

[ishist]

I've had another thought. Do those of you who are neurotic about shoes inside not have door mats by the doors? I believe that would be the equivalent to shoe removal in most of the US. You wipe your feet before you come in the house. That's why we can wear our shoes in the house without getting our floors dirty. The way many of the people from other nations are talking, they've never heard of them.

Opposed to popular belief, Americans are not tracking mud all over each others houses. We knock/wipe our shoes off before we ever leave the doorway.

So show me some logic that's says it's rude to wear clean shoes in someone's house.

 

[UberNoodle]

I have lived in Japan for 10 years now and I am heading home next year. I will certainly not allow shoes in my home back in Australia. Thing is though, many Aussies don't wear shoes anyway. That's the other extreme. I have gotten in trouble for going outside without shoes in Japan.