Bare Feet?

I didn't quite know where this should go...okay, bit random, but:

Do you keep your socks on at client's houses? Do you ever go bare foot? I wear skirts to gigs, not pants, so in the winter I wear ankle boots with socks, but with summer rolling around again (eventually), I was going to trade the boots in for flats, and I don't wear socks with those...is it weird if the face painter comes into your home and doesn't wear socks?

Is this a weird question altogether? Haha forgive me; it's after 3am.

Or is this just my reasoning to keep getting pedicures, guilt-free?

I wouldn't know... I would never take off my clown shoes.

I know when I was selling Pampered Chef, they told us at a conference that wearing shoes makes you seem more professional... maybe bring some "indoor shoes" or slippers with you?

I have never been asked to take my shoes off, I would not want to pint without shoes unless I am at the beach :O)

I have honestly never worked a party that was inside a house. All of mine have been on back porches or in community clubhouses, where no one cared about the shoes.
I would have to say that it depended on what I was wearing and what the client wanted. If I am in costume, then I am probably not going to take off my shoes. If I am not in costume, and they request that I take off my shoes to come inside, then I guess they would be treated to the sight of my ghostly feet.

I like Perry's idea of having a little pair of slippers with you if you must take off your shoes. But personally I wouldn't take off my shoes unless the host specifically asked me to because of the carpet or something? However, I have ugly feet, so I rarely show them!

As someone living in winter conditions 8 months of the year we are expected to take off our boots when entering some businesses even!!!

I carry slippers for when I go to people's home for gigs - the sock kind that are animals - I have a pair of ducks and a pair of dogs. Take off the snow boots at the door, put on the slippers and carry on.

LOL! Shannon!
I love in FL & wear flip flops most the year(some are more high end than other(yes in FL we call Flip Flops high end ).
I've never gone bare foot in a customer's home. Maybe having a pair of ballerina type slippers or flip flops for inside homes...

A pair of slippers just in case is a great idea!
Linda, I totally envy you, i want to wear flippie floppies all year round

LOL, Linda, I used to wear flip flops to every gig, but my feet kept getting stepped on. Now I wear flats. I am also looking into some extra high top chuck taylors for my clown costume. I have been looking for an excuse to buy a pair for years, and now that I finally have one, I am going to get them. I will probably end up wearing them to every gig. Maybe even under my princess dress...

This must be a northern thing! I've ever heard of any worker or professional around here taking off their shoes to go in a house, unless the shoes were really muddy or something. Even house guests almost always keep their shoes on when visiting.

But as to your question, I don't think it would be weird to go in your bare feet. I wouldn't worry about socks unless your feet are cold or something. But I'm not familiar with this custom so I could be off-base about this.

I only take off my shoes if the client asks (and no one has ever asked me to). But then, I always have some kind of sock on because I hate the feeling of shoes against my bare feet. In my personal opinion, bare feet look unprofessional. I would be sooooo flippin' uncomfortable in someone else's house with bare feet (except my best friend's house, I practically live there!). I have only recently gotten into wearing flip flps in the summer, but then I don't take them off when going into people's homes. Idk, I think that may just be a weird quirk of mine.

I was just at walmart and Dr. Scholl's has made a flat slipper sock thing that was meant to keep in your purse so that you can take off the high heals and walk around in the flats. Might be an option for you.

Chances are if they are willing to pay for face painting and are having a birthday party or what ever event, their place is clean. But I would hate to be in the situation to where I had no option but to walk on someone's nasty floor bare foot!

It may be a Northern thing, but it's also a cultural thing. I know many if not all Asian cultures (as a custom) always remove their shoes before entering anyone's home, even their own. I found out last summer from my Finnish exchange student that they do that in Finland as well (maybe because of the cold and snow.) Some families I know do that too.

Interesting topic.
Here in New Zealand I wouldn't hesitate to take my shoes off when going in to someone's house.
I feel more uncomfortable wearing shoes inside than going barefoot/socks because were were raised to not wear shoes indoors - the idea being that you leave your shoes & the dirt they carry at the front door, so it's respectful to your host to take your shoes off.

I guess part of it may be cultural too, the NZ maori culture is to take your shoes off before entering a marae (traditional community building).

Whatever, I think it's a great excuse to keep up the pedicured

Haha, I'd never keep my shoes ON unless they said it was okay! Foyers here are littered with shoes when guests come over, and a lot of the time, even if they're going straight to the yard through the house, people will take them off and carry them to the back entrance - unless their host/ess says not to worry.

(Except the delivery guys with my brother's new bed, who said they didn't have any booties left and trekked dirt inside...my mother was not impressed and ranted for DAYS!)

(It also rains here for the majority of the year...)

I love parties in halls/at the park/etc because I don't have to worry about taking off my footwear! But I do a fair amount of birthdays in homes. The inside shoes thing seems like a good idea (I do have those Dr Scholl's purse shoes!), but a bit fussy if you're standing in the teensy foyer of a townhouse amidst dozens of shoes with the host waiting to show you up...

Also, I've only ever been in one home that was absolutely filthy - and I definitely kept my shoes on - their carpet had seen much worse!

I also have feet that hurt if I go barefoot. I can't even go barefoot in my own home. I love the tone-up flip flops because they have a lot of support & cushioning.
I also have converse high top sneakers that are pink & a pair of converse look alikes that are covered in blue sequence!

I don't wear socks (year round) - in the summer I wear sandals outside but am happy to remove them and be in bare feet if they'd rather shoes off, in the winter I wear boots (yes, with no socks), but take sandals to wear all day at an indoor gig. Only one place I go requires "socks/indoor shoes" so they provide them.

I think you could play it by ear on a client by client basis - if they want shoes off and you (and they) are happy in bare feet, why not..... if you have a slipper you could put on you'd be super prepared if they'd rather you not in bare feet or shoes.

Mostly I wear thongs.... Yes "thongs" is what we aussies call flipflops.
Cause it's always hot here.... most of the year anyway.
I always worry that they won't look professional but in the end I go for comfort over professionalism.
I have never had to take them off - but would very happily if asked. A couple of times I have noticed the shoes in the doorway and asked if I should and they always say no.
They sell these little twisty thongs here that fit in your handbag for when you can't stand those heels anymore. They are great to have around when you didn't think it was going to get that hot.

Psalmbook wrote:I also have feet that hurt if I go barefoot. I can't even go barefoot in my own home. I love the tone-up flip flops because they have a lot of support & cushioning.
I also have converse high top sneakers that are pink & a pair of converse look alikes that are covered in blue sequence!

I have the same thing -- can't go barefoot so I have "indoor" slides that I wear at home. What are "tone-up" flip flops?

Up here in the Northern Territory we take shoes off at the door, but outdoors I wear a pair of leather slide/thong type footwear.

memoryfairy wrote:Interesting topic.
Here in New Zealand I wouldn't hesitate to take my shoes off when going in to someone's house.
I feel more uncomfortable wearing shoes inside than going barefoot/socks because were were raised to not wear shoes indoors - the idea being that you leave your shoes & the dirt they carry at the front door, so it's respectful to your host to take your shoes off.

I guess part of it may be cultural too, the NZ maori culture is to take your shoes off before entering a marae (traditional community building).

Whatever, I think it's a great excuse to keep up the pedicured

I was trying to work out what the norm was here in NZ.
I usually take my shoes off when going into someones house, especially if there is a huge pile of shoes by the door. If I know they are going to take me out the back I make sure I wipe my shoes thoroughly at the door and gently walk through.
I think with what I wear... more of a fairy type outfit, going barefoot kind of looks ok. I just make sure I have pretty toes and maybe even something around my ankle.

EVERYONE removes their shoes when entering a home up here... I'd kill anyone who didn't!!!! My bamboo floor cost more than their cars!

Seriously, I don't think anyone up here would leave their shoes on when entering someone's home... that's rude, tracks in dirt, etc.

And I wouldn't go barefoot either - I don't consider it to be "proper" and you never know what you might step on.

We have special "house socks" that we wear in our house - fuzzy fluffy socks (they aren't comfortable inside shoes).

So funny that we don't wear shoes in my house, everyone takes their shoes off when they come over, we had our floors redone and they cost a lot of money plus don't want to track dirt and sand in.
Every time I go to a new home either to visit or work I always ask if they want me to remove my shoes, just because I know I don't like shoes in my house.
I have never had anyone say yes or ask me to take my shoes off, it would feel weird to paint without shoes, just because I am working but if they prefer it that way I would take them off.
I think I am doing to get a pair of indoor flip flops just in case, oh and a pedicure too

I'll tell ya you'd only go barefoot till you walked on a super disgusting floor, (I have) It had cat feces and urine on it, GROSS! I love going barefoot, I hate socks and I have winter sandals for when it snows....lol I used to go barefoot into homes all the time, but not any longer, (cuz of the super gross house.) Now I pack either a pair of flip flops, in the top of my fat max for easy access, or a pair of slippers. Haven't had an issue since.

Oh No Criss, that is disgusting, eww eww eww!
I don't see why some one who has a pet and specially has a hard time keeping up with their accidents would ask you to take your shoes off.
None of my dog/cat owner friends have ever asked me to remove my shoes. Thanks to your comment I am definitely going to get some indoor flip flops/ slippers and put them in my fat max.