In a bid to tackle the big issues today, I have a shocking confession: I can’t stand taking off my shoes to go inside someone else’s house. I loathe it. Hate it even.

Do I have to?

Obviously when met with a ‘no shoes inside’ dictatorship rule I don’t traipse my Converse up and down their hallways in flagrant disregard for The Man. I dutifully remove my shoes and die a little on the inside.

I suppose this all started when I went on an ill-fated student exchange to Germany, aged 16. My east German family, whilst wishing the Berlin wall was still firmly in tact and lamenting that everything since 1989 had been far too expensive and you know, foreign, had a no shoes inside policy. I get it, it’s Europe, there’s snow and mud and whatever. What really scarred me was that they decided the Roxy slippers I bought from the Rye surf shop for $19.95 the summer before made for inappropriate ‘hausschuhe’ (house shoes) and made me throw them out in favour of a felt green pair they supplied for visitors. Those jerks.

Living back in Australia, where a lot of people have floorboards instead of carpet, it makes no sense to me not to wear shoes indoors. Because:

1 I literally get cold feet

2 A pile of shoes by the front doors is an ugly greeting

3 I’m often wearing mismatched socks or have chipped toenail polish and thus am ill-prepared to bare my feet at a moment’s notice

4 An outfit very much includes shoes

5 It’s just plain awkward (I’m meant to use someone else’s toilet barefoot? Disgusting.)

Don’t blame me, I grew up in a household where shoes were a prerequisite at the breakfast table and footwear by the front door was grounds for a lecture. Also, doesn’t taking off your shoes to go inside make doormats redundant?

Do you wear shoes inside your house? Why not?

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