The Oxford-Shoe-Worn-Casually Appreciation Thread

[Keith Taylor]

Wear loafers. Everyone will think you're wearing house slippers. Problem solved.

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine dropped by my place to pick something up before we headed out together. I was wearing a new pair of suede Belgian loafers, and as we walked out my front door he stopped me and asked if I knew I was wearing slippers to the pub.

Bloody heathen.

 

[acapaca]

Even in cultures where no wears shoes in a residence, they are usually still worn inside most public places. Every so often I'll walk into a small shop and be met with someone frantically waving their arms trying to stop me before I get a few paces in. It's so embarrassing, like you just *********** right in the middle of their floor.

 

[UrbanComposition]

I grew up leaving my shoes on in the house, but my wife has higher standards of what is considered clean, so I try and remember to take my shoes off when I come home. Jobsites are full of all sorts of chemical-laden dust, and streets of SF are not much better.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Honestly, this is the thing that gets me. I don't know how anyone can step inside a public men's restroom and not have a "shoes off policy" in the home.

I've found that this is a very white American practice, and only among some white Americans. When I lived in Russia, people there are insanely clean and everyone takes off their shoes. I have noticed the same when stepping into homes of immigrants from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Been a while since I listened to that Judge John Hodgeman episode, but I remember when I listened to it many years ago, I kept thinking "how can anyone not take their shoes off inside the home!?" But again, someone's abode is their own private business.

It’s interesting how regional this practice can be.

Growing up in the south west it was limited to if your shoes were visibly dirty and you’d only remove them going to someone’s home for practical purposes.

Living in the upper midwest now though there’s a combination of a heavy Scandinavian influence/tradition and practicality of having four seasons - shoes easily get muddy or covered with snow/salt/slush depending on the season and it’s really common for people to ask “would you like me to take off my shoes” or “are you a shoes off inside familyhenever they enter your home and it’s so automatic that you have to tell people “it’s ok - you can keep your shoes on.”

Even at the party example above - caterers will throw on those bootie covers and I’ve absolutely been to events in peoples homes where they’ve asked everyone to remove their shoes unless the event is in the summer and you’re expected to be bouncing back and forth between the patio and lawn and the inside of the house.

I’ve been to fundraisers with a couple hundred guests and seen everyone’s shoes get left at the door - I’ve never been the first one there though so I don’t know if its usually a request or if someone just takes their shoes off out of habit and everyone else reads that as a cue but you can always tell if there’s a pile of shoes by the door or not whenever you walk in.

 

[mak1277]

I totally understand why people would want guests to remove their shoes, but I really don't enjoy being at a party in stocking feet. I mean, the example of the urinal issue cuts both ways....has nobody ever stepped in unidentifiable liquid in their socks while at a party? I suppose I could bring slippers, but I never have the foresight.

 

[dieworkwear]

I mean, the example of the urinal issue cuts both ways....has nobody ever stepped in unidentifiable liquid in their socks while at a party?

Are you partying at frat houses?

 

[mak1277]

Are you partying at frat houses?

Not anymore.

Do people never spill drinks where you party?

And are you telling me that a stray microscopic piece of lint has never caused your stream to be diverted? I'll call any man a liar if he says he's 100% accurate all the time.

 

[dieworkwear]

Not anymore.

Do people never spill drinks where you party?

And are you telling me that a stray microscopic piece of lint has never caused your stream to be diverted? I'll call any man a liar if he says he's 100% accurate all the time.

I have no idea if other people have spilled drinks at a party but I haven't spilled a drink and I ... don't pee on my host's bathroom floor??

Y'all nasty.

 

[dieworkwear]

Golden Age of Classic Men's Style

 

[mak1277]

I have no idea if other people have spilled drinks at a party but I haven't spilled a drink and I ... don't pee on my host's bathroom floor??

Y'all nasty.

I'm not saying you do it on purpose.

And you've never in your life spilled a drink at a party? You, sir, are truly impressive.

 

[dieworkwear]

I'm not saying you do it on purpose.

And you've never in your life spilled a drink at a party? You, sir, are truly impressive.

I only spill the tea

 

[Keith Taylor]

I have no idea if other people have spilled drinks at a party but I haven't spilled a drink and I ... don't pee on my host's bathroom floor??

Y'all nasty.

This isn't the reason I prefer to keep my shoes on indoors, but... yeah. When you have a dozen people over for drinks aim tends to become less accurate as the night progresses. I'd wager even more so out here in the more commonly uncircumcised world, where a lazy standing pee can have an additional obstruction to divert the stream

Anyhoo, my reason for preferring to remain shoed is that my shoes are part of my outfit. It tends to look better when complete, and my socks are nothing to write home about.

 

[dieworkwear]

It's customary in East Asian homes to provide guests with house slippers, although not everyone does this. I don't really care if someone doesn't offer me slippers. I offer them to family members who visit, but not non-family members. Only because offering house slippers seems like a very "Asian thing," and I'm not sure if non-Asians might find is strange or feel uncomfortable if they were offered someone else's slippers.

 

[mak1277]

It's customary in East Asian homes to provide guests with house slippers, although not everyone does this. I don't really care if someone doesn't offer me slippers. I offer them to family members who visit, but not non-family members. Only because offering house slippers seems like a very "Asian thing," and I'm not sure if non-Asians might find is strange or feel uncomfortable if they were offered someone else's slippers.

I'd greatly prefer being offered house slippers to being forced to walk around someone's house in socks.

 

[acapaca]

The odd oxford-sneaker-ballet-shoe-worn-casually: