# Shoeless at the Office **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495 "2009-09-17T20:42:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/41 "2009-09-19T06:27:34Z")
There are two people where I work who I routinely see walking around in socks. Of course, our company is only 5 people, one of whom is the VP, and we’re very laid back since 99% of our client interaction is done over the phone. (i.e, no dress code of any kind, no barriers on what you can talk about, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/42 "2009-09-20T00:53:40Z")
I’d kick off my shoes while at my desk but put them back on if I had to walk outside of, say, a 5 foot circle of space around my desk, that is I’d go to the file cabinet or put something on my boss’ desk. It was considered extremely unprofessional to walk around in stocking feet. Might I say, though, while I and other women took off our sometimes painful shoes to rest our barking dogs under the desk, I have NEVER seen or heard of any MEN who took their shoes off at work. Ever. Why would you do such a thing, OP? Do you wear shoes that are easily removed? I’m really kind of curious. I asked my husband and he never heard of or saw men taking their shoes off in the office. You aren’t wearing backless pumps, are you? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/43 "2009-09-20T01:27:36Z")
I often kick off my shoes while at my desk, so if I need to walk out into the common area to fill my cup from the water cooler I won’t bother to put my shoes back on. But that’s as far as I’ll go. I won’t visit anyone’s cube in my socks or walk much father than the water cooler. Kinda like making a dash to the mailbox in your boxer shorts. There aren’t any clients and nobody on my floor outranks me. Plus I wear snazzy looking argyle socks. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/44 "2009-09-20T09:42:42Z")
I did it around my desk or the 15 feet to my bosses desk. He knew I was having problems with swelling. Never at meetings or if any important muckety mucks were around. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/45 "2009-09-20T09:56:33Z")
> [@fubbleskag](#): > > someone once complained when i used the public washroom barefoot, though. before you reply saying this is disgusting or unsanitary, consider this: whatever it is you think is going to get on my bare feet, is also going to get on my shoes. the difference is that i wash my feet every day - when was the last time you washed your shoes? Consider that: - your feet can support life such as bacteria (heat, moisture etc) - things can enter your body through your skin (especially through cuts) - anything sharp on the floor can cut your feet - treading in smelly stuff is unpleasant until you wash it ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/46 "2009-10-01T13:24:59Z")
Hi. I bumped this thread because it’s raining cats and dogs today, and I’m sitting in the office shoeless as the day I was born. As a rule, I remain shoesed at the work, and my take on workplace shoelessness is that it’s a little creepy. Occasionally, I’ll slide a shoe off while I’m at my desk, or I’ll sit cross legged Indian style (is that still the proper term for it?) in my chair, and will remove my shoes so that they don’t get in the way, but I don’t ever walk about barefoot. But then about five minutes ago, I was very tempted to do so. My shoes are wet so I’m barefoot, and when I put them back on to go to the scanner, they squished around and it was rather uncomfortable. I have now placed my desk fan on the floor, and my shoes before them, hoping they will dry off. They should really amend our office dress code to: Business casual. Okay to be shoeless if your shoes are wet. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/47 "2009-10-01T13:33:29Z")
You don’t keep an extra pair of shoes at work? Maybe you don’t have a desk - I had the kind of desk with a big empty space where I kept an umbrella, shoes, boots, my purse, carrier bags, library books, and sneakers for walking on my lunch hour. And I still wonder why a man would take off his shoes at work. A woman, yes, women’s shoes can be uncomfortable. But a man? Unless he was wearing clogs or a cute pair of backless pumps. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/48 "2009-10-01T13:43:09Z")
In the winter, I keep several pairs in my desk. I walk to work, and during the winter time, I do so in these god-awful snow boots that I change out of when I arrive. Maybe I should always keep a pair of standard black flats here. Hell, I keep tampons (tmi), Midol (more tmi) and an umbrella (probably not tmi) here. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/49 "2009-10-01T15:10:54Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > And I still wonder why a man would take off his shoes at work. It’s really no great mystery – when you’re sitting at your desk, even comfortable shoes aren’t as comfortable as no shoes at all. If they slip on and off easily, then there is no reason at all not to remove them (barring stinky socks, of course). ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495/50 "2009-10-01T15:32:32Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > And I still wonder why a man would take off his shoes at work. A woman, yes, women’s shoes can be uncomfortable. But a man? Unless he was wearing clogs or a cute pair of backless pumps. Men’s dress shoes can be very uncomfortable. Especially when they’re new. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoeless-at-the-office/510495.md?page=2)