Remember that episode of “Sex and the City” where Carrie went to that party and had to leave her fabulous shoes at the door? And they were stolen and she was forced to wear some ratty old borrowed shoes home.
Man, that pissed me off! Now, I’ve had nothing anywhere near a Manolo, but for years, I would be PISSED if anyone asked me to remove my shoes in their home. They were wrecking my ensemble! Also, because I’m short, if I had on heels, there went my faux statuesque, fabulous party self. Bummer.
But I’m older and/or wiser and more content with being short. Or something like that. Now, I totally get why people want you to remove your shoes. Cleaning carpets can get pricey and time-consuming. You wake up early, walk and scrub every square foot of your home, and leave the house for a whole day while the floors dry. It’s exhausting to think about.
If you are invited to someone’s home and they have a pile of shoes by the front door, chances are, they want you to remove yours. Some people will say it and others, you’ll just have to be observant. This is why you should always have on decent socks.
Because I have a kid now who is down on the floor at times, I think much more about what’s on my floor; what my shoes track in. I have a shoe rack by the door in order to try to keep my carpet a little cleaner. It’s working.
If you have a shoe-free home, you better make damn sure your floors are clean. I once knew someone that insisted I remove my shoes to enter her home. Fine. Except, her carpets were visibly nasty, with fresh food stains on them. And since I don’t have the power to levitate, I chose to not go in. I waited for her outside.
Those who make the request for you to remove your shoes need to have socks or slippers on hand for guests that are caught off guard. It’s only fair. I’m not always walking around with a fresh pedicure, so this is much-appreciated.
Put