shoe etiquette

As a kid, we never took off our shoes when we came into the house unless they were wet.

Only when I moved to Europe and was invited to dinner at the home of a professor and his wife, did I run into the convention. They lived on the third floor and all the shoes were left in the communal hall. The rabbit his wife cooked was delicious.

My housemate had a no shoe policy with slippers offered, but she wasn't fanatic with guests or residents. It was preferred.

Curious about who and where people routinely removed their shoes in a house, I took an unofficial survey on Facebook

Anything close to a scientific study of human habits and cultural foot-covering habits is purely coincidental.

Here are some of the answers by country.

Note: I am writing this in socks.

CANADA

From a friend I knew when she lived in Switzerland: " Off, nationality...well, both US & Canadian... With many years of European living.... Guests can do as they please but in Canada most guests remove them automatically."

CROATIA

From my former exchange student and friend: She grew up in Croatian when it was Yugoslavia but has lived most of her adult life in The Netherlands, so she weighed in twice. "Off, and slippers on. Croatian," and  "The whole day ON. Dutch!"

Note: some people who responded are dual nationals or have their interests in more than one country.

ECUADOR

From a former colleague. I have a wonderful memory of us releasing helium balloons and making wishes as each balloon disappeared. "I always have taken my shoes off. Just wear socks in the house. I go through socks like crazy."

FRANCE

From a new friend: "Birkenstocks stay on; other shoes usually come off. It's a matter of comfort. Guests keep their shoes on, or not, whatever they are comfortable with. At my kids' (in the UK and France), shoes come off."

From a friend who is also placed in the UK section: "I prefer to go bare footed. I would like house guests to do the same but would never dream of asking them to."
  
From friend in France but American: "I wear my slippers, my guests wear their shoes - cold tiled floors! Prefer being labeled as Me." 

From a French friend and writing mate: "I take my shoes off. My guests keep theirs on. I would feel rude asking them to take them off. Maybe also because I have slippery stairs. And cat paw prints everywhere!" Note. And they are beautiful cats who are bare-pawed.

IRELAND

From a new friend: "I take my shoes off at every opportunity I hate wearing them ... as soon as I walk in the door at home... sometimes at work 😱 love being barefoot 👣"
  

THE NETHERLANDS

From my former exchange student and friend: "The whole day ON. Dutch!" 
 But she grew up in Croatian so she weighed in twice. "Off, and slippers on. Croatian."

ROMANIA

From a writer friend: "People walk in their stockinged feet."

SPAIN

From a schoolmate friend of my daughter's: "Shoes stay on. We're in and out constantly."

SWEDEN

From another FB friend: "Sweden ...always off inside. No slippers for guests but they usually bring their own."

SWITZERLAND

From a writing friend:  "We take our shoes off. Swiss."

From another writing friend of Scottish origin; "Off, Scottish (not the norm there), no slippers for guests but I don't expect them when I visit."
 

UK

 

An ASM friend wonders if maybe this is research for a mystery. It isn't: "mm a new book based on one shoe found at the scene?? Where there Are carpets shoes off cold tiles shoes on !👠👟👡 x" Note: Now that is practical.

A FB friend whom I met at a 90.year old's birthday party said: "Off. English. Yes, we have some slippers for guests, but not the full range of sizes. We have wooden floors throughout, so the floor is warm underfoot."

From an Argelès friend but she is talking about her UK home: "We have slippers but we don't expect guests to take their shoes off.

This friend who could also be placed in the French section: "I prefer to go bare footed. I would like house guests to do the same but would never dream of asking them to."
 

US

From a relative in CA: "Yes, American with clean carpets!"

A FB friend: "Off"

From a friend of a friend: " I wish. Always need my orthotics-even on the beach. 😔 I'd like my guest to be comfortable-they can do what they'd like."

An on-line writing friend said: "My Swedish relatives took their shoes off and an American friend always takes his off."

The daughter of friends from another lifetime and pleased we are in touch said:  "(with German influence). No street shoes inside; house shoes only and they don't go outside. Guests don't have slippers though. We honor that not all guests practice the shoe removal as we do."

From a friend in France but American: "I wear my slippers, my guests wear their shoes - cold tiled 
floors! Prefer being labeled as Me."

And lastly, a classmate of my husband's reported: "No shoe house. People walk in their stockinged feet-- or bare feet in summer."