Barefoot in Britain (THAT'S Why it's Great)

From the Daily Telegraph:
Throwing out the shoes and going barefoot is being taken more and more seriously. Originally seen as a short term fad, going around with no shoes on is becoming quite a popular tendency, especially amongst women. The stiletto is a notoriously uncomfortable and even damaging type of shoe to wear, but as it is at the center of women’s fashion, it can be very difficult to renounce.
To help people overcome their apprehension about going barefoot, blogs and websites have been set up. One called ‘Society for Barefoot Living’ state that it is both liberating to go barefoot and is also a cure for herniated discs and bursitis.
Sales of the Masai Barefoot Technology 'shoe' and the Vibram FiveFingers, both of which are like rubber gloves for the feet have been doubling every year.
The Royal Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists (RCP) conducted a survey from which they discovered that 80% of British women have at some time suffered from foot problems like, cracked heals, bunions and corns. They also learned that 37% of women had purchased shoes that they knew wouldn’t fit them.
Despite the barefoot trend, high street retailer, Debenhams have launched what they say is the '”highest heel on the high street,” a stiletto 6 inches high!
RCP podiatrist, Lorraine Jones said “Many of us find it hard to resist the latest fashion must-have,” adding that “But it's important to remember that by buying ill-fitting shoes, you're not only going to end up in discomfort, but you are also putting your health at risk.”
The potential damage from choosing the wrong shoe can be torn ligaments, knee pain, sprained ankles and even deformity. A heal over 3 inches high magnifies the pressure placed on the ball of the foot seven times. Jones said that the wrong footwear could lead to “long-term damage and even disability.”
Barefoot supporters said in response to concerns that going barefoot may lead to foot damage: “When you take off your shoes your feet grow stronger and tougher, you learn to move your whole body more efficiently and to ''read'' the ground beneath your feet.”

 

Yes, Britain is a great place to go barefoot (apart from Winter), i've never had any problems, and any comments are nearly always positive.

 

I had a friend a couple of years ago who was into the punk look - we went to the city of Bath for the day (which is very conservative) he got lots of negative comments while I barefoot had no problems. Britain can be a real 'head scratcher' sometimes.

 

I've been bf in Bath, but only for a few minutes while passing through on the way to Glastonbury.
I was with the UK bf hikers, and we had a walk up to the Tor.
I remember seeing several other barefooters in the town and surrounding countryside, and we received no comments at all.

 

when I was stationed in England in the mid 80's (east Anglia) I never had any problems going barefoot

there was a segment on CBS (USA) morning show last week that showed the latest fad shoes and one was the 6" high heels. it looked like it would put the feet at more than a 45 degree down angle, there just isn't any way that could be good for ones foot. not just the anlge but the height, if your foot slipped off you could easily do damage to the ankle.

 

I'd never go far without shoes, but it's cool to see barefooters out and about, I've never been opinionated on it. That is until the other day when I saw a young girl with dirty bare feet rubbing them up against a beautiful pair of Alexander McQueen jeans in a shop. I should have slapped her.

 

Never thought of jeans as beautiful - sunsets, morning frost and untouched woodland more my kind of beauty; but that is kinda disrespectful wouldn't dream of that kind of thing with or without shoes.

 

Pretty/nice/attractive. In the way that you wear nice clothes! It's my industry, I'm more passionate about fabrics and fashion than some might be. It's an art, after all. Regardless, you just don't rub dirty feet on £600 anything.

 

£600.00 jeans I could live on that for a month or so! I can't imagine why anyone would rub feet on jeans let alone a pair worth more than my car.

 

Crazy expensive, I know!

But you live in England and you can live on £600 a month I need money lessons