Question for "Full Time Barefooters"

hmduey

Barefooters
Sep 1, 2010
139
1
16
Hey guys, I've noticed a few of us are full-time barefooters, and I was wondering about something. It seems that many full-timers choose flip-flops as their go-to shoes when they need them. Why is that? Is it the ease of getting them on/off, or the fact that they are flat/no heel? Or, is it because they are old and worn-out, and are perfectly molded to your feet? ;)

Seriously, I'm just curious. I've found that since I've been going barefoot more and more (trying to stretch my Achilles back out), I am starting to hate shoes. I have worn VFFs and sandals all summer when not barefoot, and the only time I wear real shoes is when I ride my bike. Walking in them actually kinda hurts my calves now.

I would like to become a full-time barefooter but unfortunately my job in state government will most likely not allow that (although my VFFs are fine). It seems that despite the fact that I am a software developer and sit at a desk all day, I need to wear "appropriate clothing" at all times. LOL

Anyway, I was just curious about the flip-flop thing and if you carry something else, what are they?
 
 I do have a pair of flops in

I do have a pair of flops in the car...but don't use them...I did have them with me in my back pack while air-traveling....and did have to slip them on at one airport before they would let me get on a plane...but no issues at the other airports...now, really, if a store won't serve me, I walk out....so they pretty much stay in the car. I have a pair of "duct tape" flops I made (look in the gear thread under "a way around convention") which I made more as an experiment, and a way to "show people's hypocrisies" when they let me walk through with them on, as opposed to bare feet....so, right now, I carry nothing with me, preferring to kindly educating my "confronter" and if they insist, I choose to leave.
 
All of the above.  I only

All of the above. I only wear flip-flops anymore, since my feet are so messed up from failed cryo for Morton's Neuroma, Morton's Neuroma developed due to bad choice of shoes in the past. Even some of my flip-flops I avoid because they cause the nerves in my feet to "fire."
 
H,You might be surprised to

H,

You might be surprised to find that working for the government you may have much more barefoot freedom than you would in private industry.

I recommend that you apply for membership in the Society for Barefoot Living

barefooters.org

and then have the members help you sort through the reality of your work situation.

Your boss is not free to make those dress code decisions, and instead must follow a complicated

protocal for change which he/she will probably fail at.

If there is no OFFICIAL rule governing your workplace, there won't be one until long after you're retired!
 
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  I keep a pair of flip flops

I keep a pair of flip flops in my truck in case I have to go where I need them for situations where I am in a hurry. Other than that I only shop at places that don't have a problem with bare feet. My flops are worn out from using them in the past 15 yrs barely using them that is lol. Barefoot is just so much better with the feel of it plus the convienience and freedom of the feet. I always get that line you are going to get cut doing that, all I can say is I been barefooting it for almost 20yrs and have yet to get cut on any glass. People that don't ever go barefoot don't realize that the Earth isn't littered with glass lol! If a person actually took the time to look where they walk they would be amazingly enlightened ;)



As far as workplace, I have to have composite toe shoes there. I work with 200lb dies and alot of other heavy 350 degrees plus materials that could be a problem with barefeet. It's company rules ya know. When I get my education complete that may even change as well.
 
Longboard, that's so true!

Longboard, that's so true! There is actually a dress code here, listing all kinds of shoes you can wear (only on Fridays are we "allowed" to wear jeans or athletic shoes - but since I'm in IT they are fairly lax about it). I made a joke last year when the revised it and said, "It says what kinds of shoes I can wear, but it doesn't say I have to wear shoes!" I actually slip my shoes off and walk around barefooted quite a lot, and as long as I'm wearing pants nobody really notices. I'm afraid to go in the bathroom that way though, ha-ha.

I'm known for being a non-conformist so perhaps I'll try going BF around for a few days just to see if anyone notices or says anything to me...
 
hmduey wrote:  I'm afraid to

hmduey said:
I'm afraid to go in the bathroom that way though, ha-ha.



Urine is sterile, and poop residue has more potential to do harm pressed into the sole of any shoe than it does stepped on by a bare sole.

Bathrooms are sometimes germy places, all the more reason to always enter them barefoot!
 
Longboard wrote:hmduey

Longboard said:
hmduey said:
I'm afraid to go in the bathroom that way though, ha-ha.



Urine is sterile, and poop residue has more potential to do harm pressed into the sole of any shoe than it does stepped on by a bare sole.

Bathrooms are sometimes germy places, all the more reason to always enter them barefoot!



Interesting, I hadn't thought of it that way - I'm more like "I don't want somebody else's stuff on me".
 
hmduey

hmduey said:
Interesting, I hadn't thought of it that way - I'm more like "I don't want somebody else's stuff on me"



Better on your self cleansing soles than incubating in the perfect medium.....a shoe sole.
 
I know what you mean about

I know what you mean about government dress code hmduey. I work in a prosecutor's office. Many people go around without shoes, although the dress code lists appropriate shoes. I am a full-time barefooter when not at work. But I actually choose to wear dress shoes while working. As an attorney it's more of an image thing than anything. Even though I don't have any clients other than the state, I certainly don't want to prejudice my cases by being the weird barefoot lawyer.

I think it's an important issue to consider at work. The saying that you should "dress for the job you want, not the one you have" is pretty true in most offices. And unfortunately, that often means a nice pair of really uncomfortable shoes.

I would wear some more minimalist options, but they just aren't dressy enough for my purposes. Most minimalist dress shoes look like penny loafers.
 
Ah, yes...  regarding poop on

Ah, yes... regarding poop on your feet...



So long as you don't have open wounds or eat with your feet, it shouldn't make you sick. There are some very rare parasites one can pick up, but they are extremely uncommon in the US. You also can't catch diseases from the toilet seat, either.



Wash your hands after using the restroom, though. Very important.
 
What about SillyC,

What about SillyC, SillyC?

Where does IT like to live?

Does SillyC have to worry about SillyC when out and about barefoot?
 
  Longboard, I appreciate all

Longboard, I appreciate all the insight you give out to people here on barefoot living. Up until this year I never heard of SBL. I am glad you suggested it to me.
 
 SBL has lots of great info,

SBL has lots of great info, and a pretty awesome community...ALMOST as cool as the BRS :-D
 
NakedSoleNate wrote: SBL has

NakedSoleNate said:
SBL has lots of great info, and a pretty awesome community...ALMOST as cool as the BRS :-D



I agree its already showed me things that I didn't know about laws and such that busineeses say exist and really don't just because they are prejudice against bare feet!
 
Hey Longboard, I never

Hey Longboard, I never thought of it that way! (the poo thing)

I work for a state agency as well, and nobody here has said anything to me yet. Of coarse, I work in a depressing dungeon of a room, so I don't see a lot of my co-workers either. I do wear hi-heels (I know it's a dirty word here) for no reason other than vanity. I have this theory that the higher my butt is off of the ground, the small it will appear. :)



I got a little off track there. This thread has inspired me to be BF more. This weekend I spent my first full day BF. I ran, went to Walgreens, a dance studio, and most importantly, the liquor store. No one said anything to me, so I'll be BF mostly from now on unless I want my butt to look smaller. :D
 
At the liquor store they were

At the liquor store they were all like, "Look. She's got money to buy booze but no shoes." Hey, that rhymes. ;-)
 
I wear all type of sandals,

I wear all type of sandals, flat sandals that is, flip flops not so much. At work I wear some Feelmax shoes and they are awesome!
 
I've done sandals and VFFs

I've done sandals and VFFs all summer, and I'm hoping to continue in the VFFs this winter. I will probably invest in some moccasins of some sort as well. I was just curious as to why the "go-to" shoe seemed to be flip flops.

In the last few days, I think I've figured it out - it's the "open-toedness" of them. :) I've been going BF more and more lately and I've noticed that the more I'm BF, the less I like shoes. I mostly only wear regular tennis shoes to ride my bike, and our family went roller skating the other night and I thought it was going to kill me having the skates on!
 
I can't wear anything with a

I can't wear anything with a toebox, so I prefer the openness of flip-flops and some sandals.