The image of a person that is barefoot varies depending on who is viewing/judging .
In the book "The Barefoot Hiker" a description of people's different perceptions of bare feet was given, it follows after the info on the book I'm posting here:
Published in the Spring of 1993 by Ten Speed Press of Berkelley CA., the $7.95 paperback edition of this work (ISBN 0-89815-525-8) has since gone out of print.
The entire book can be read here and the author has generously allowed for this:
Bare feet are seen, in various situations as being:
carefree dangerous
clean disgraceful
comfortable disrespectful
considerate embarrassing
expressive impolite
fun improper
graceful inconsiderate
healthy irresponsible
human shameful
impulsive slovenly
natural uncivilised
practical uncomfortable
sensitive unconventional
sensuous unsanitary
respectful vulnerable
uninhibited
Bare feet are seen, in various situations as shewing:
confidence backwardness
freedom carelessness
independence hopelessness
innocence humility
simplicity poverty
youth unpreparedness
that one feels at ease
that one feels at home
that one feels at peace
Arbitrary judgements of garment/footwear combinations is what's wrong, just like the rest of that article. Socks with sandals is a very functional combination. I'd rather wear that than to wear shoes at all. That British fashion blog deserves an appropriate British colloquialism: bollox!