Flip Flops

The last week has been incredibly hot. An awful lot of people are wearing flip flops.

As I have said before, the popularity of sandals and flip flops these days show that very few people are embarassed about their feet. So don't be afraid to ask your guests to remove their shoes.

Its no coincidence that flip flops are the first choice of footwear in shoe-removing South-East Asia. Flip flops are the perfect choice of shoe for us Offalists, easy to remove at the door and still leaving our feet comfy when we put them on.

Worldly World: The offense of a "no-shoes" house

Worldly World: The offense of a "no-shoes" house

"...if a guest just doesn't like the insinuation that his or her shoes are nasty on the bottoms then they are welcome to not visit. Ever. Because the bottoms of their shoes ARE nasty and I don't care to have that tracked all through my home and over my expensive and expensive-to-clean oriental rugs."

Shoe Covers

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Occasionally some people suggest shoe covers as an alternative to shoe-removal.

I have expressed scepticism before that shoe covers can be worn with high heeled shoes. I find it impossible to imagine what an high-heeled shoe with a cover on would look like. Shirley Saunders supports my suspicion. She points out in her book that shoe covers can be damaged by high heeled shoes.

From an aesthetic point of view, I would not want people walking about my home in covered shoes. I want it to be a place of relaxation not a crime scene. In any case, I think most people would feel sillier and more self-conscious in shoe covers than in socks or bare feet.

Budget Savings

The chancellor of the exchequer will be unveiling his emergency budget today. The government plans on making up 80 % of the budget deficit with spending cuts. As much as I am a loyal Conservative, I am a bit sceptical about the feasibility of that figure.

Still, if we have to make cuts, a simple measure would be cleaning of carpets and floors in public sector buildings. I therefore propose that all public sector offices should immediately institute a shoes-off policy. All public sector office workers should be expected to work either shoeless or in slippers to reduce cleaning costs.

Furthermore, all public buildings that are state funded, such as museums, libraries, schools and colleges should carry out an health and safety assesment as to the feasibility of requiring removal of shoes on entrance.

It might not save much money, but it is worth considering.

Daily Mail: School head orders children to remove their shoes so the new carpets don't get dirty

Daily Mail: School head orders children to remove their shoes so the new carpets don't get dirty

"A school has ordered pupils to wear slippers 'or plastic bags' in class... to save spoiling their new carpets.
Some 200 primary school pupils are having to put on shoes and take them off up to eight times a day.
And angry parents, who have had to buy extra pairs of shoes to conform with the new rules, say valuable education and play time is being lost. They have also expressed safety concerns in the event of a fire.
A Facebook group has now been set up in protest by parents who have also written to headteacher Sue Ryall calling for her to scrap the policy."

Those of you who live in Finland will think it absolutely bizarre that this made it into a national newspaper. In the enlightened land of a thousand lakes, school pupils normally wear just socks in the classroom.

As it happens, it surprises me that it made the newspapers. It has become quite common for a lot of primary schools to require pupils to change into pumps when indoors. I went to one when I was very small. So far most of the comments on this article support the head's decision.

I find it interesting that a registered childminder is quoted as objecting to this; Ofsted encourages registered childminders to make their homes shoe-free.

This article was pointed out to me by a kind reader. I can't read every newspaper. If you ever see anything relevant, please let me know.

Fancy a Picnic?

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It is good weather for picnics right now.

You should always remove your shoes before putting your feet on a picnic blanket. Not only do people sit on picnic blankets, but they put food on them. Resting shoes on a picnic blanket is like putting your shoes on the dinner table or even a dinner plate.

Many people who wear shoes at home will remove their shoes before sitting on a picnic blanket, but it is amazing that some people will keep their dirty shoes on.

Influence?

My parents do seem to be removing their shoes at the door of their home very consistently.