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| City-feet members' message board > Barefoot memories&impressions > Great weather too many shoes |
| Posted by: Mike123 Jul 24 2013, 12:26 PM |
| Unusually, the UK has shared the great summer weather this year with temperatures into the 80s day after day. Perfect for barefoot girls you might think. BUT I've not spotted one - not a single one - day or night town or country. In and around London, the Underground, the mainline stations, Waterloo and Paddington and further beyond in the suburbs and countryside - still not a sausage. has anyone in the UK been luckier than me? And, more to the point do you have any pictures? People, this CAN'T go on. Mike123 |
| Posted by: Anchor Fan Jul 24 2013, 09:43 PM |
| In Doncaster I've seen two women barefoot in the last week or so, both had their shoes with them. Sorry no photos. Overall not much happening. |
| Posted by: icebluejay Jul 24 2013, 11:30 PM |
| Not much happening in the US either ... |
| Posted by: jwdf88 Jul 25 2013, 02:30 AM |
| I also hate that the summer will be ending sooner rather than later. You know that feeling when it is almost August and you know the nice days are numbered. It is not like May when there is so much promise. |
| Posted by: doobie4416 Jul 25 2013, 10:26 AM |
| I can't speak for elsewhere but one theory I have in the U.S. is the rise in pedicure obsession has stopped women from going barefoot. They spend so much time/money a week at the nail salon, they don't want to risk messing up their beloved pedicure (there must be at least 1000 in my state alone - maybe more. Every shopping center, large and small, has a nail salon, sometimes two). I really wish nail salons would just vanish. |
| Posted by: Mike123 Jul 25 2013, 12:13 PM |
| Some interesting points here, guys, thanks. jwdf88: agree totally, August is the fag end of summer isn't it but often the time for the best barefoot sightings as girls have become used to wearing little on their feet and find it easy to make the last step. Also Notting Hill Carnival can bring out some good barefoot sightings (IWISH Paul would do a Barefoot Travel feature to the Carnival) Personally, I blame the comfy sandal for the lack of barefoot girls. Years ago in the 80s when girls routinely wore heels they'd remove them at some stage and go barefoot. Also I seem to remember that some would just go barefoot anyway in favour of uncomfortable heels which was wonderful. Now there's no need. So maybe the nail salon thing is in some way to blame and it's an interesting thought but I don't think it's the whole answer. Anyway, for those in the UK old enough to remember Shaw Taylor I'd just say, 'Keep 'em peeled'. Mike 123 |
| Posted by: traction_engine Jul 25 2013, 06:58 PM |
| Have to agree with Mike I'm afraid. Been round several of what used to be UK barefoot hotspots (Camden Market, various seaside resorts) in some of the hottest weather and not spotted one this year so far |
| Posted by: dude Jul 26 2013, 03:47 AM | ||
I think the explanation for the lack of barefoot women in the US is twofold: 1, more conservative, uptight culture, particularly down south, where the weather might be better for it. Plus, there's probably lingering poverty associations with it down there. Compare the US to Germany, and there simply aren't as many people willing to be outwardly eccentric. 2, bad climate for it. Take New York City, a more liberal and tolerant town than many in the US. It's too cold for much of the year, and too hot for much of the rest. Again, in comparison to Germany, summers are too hot to go barefoot, lest you burn your feet. There are a few places, particularly on the west coast, where it's both liberal culturally, and the climate is mild, and thus, you see more barefooters out there. |
| Posted by: TheFloyd Jul 26 2013, 06:26 PM |
| The last time I saw any females barefoot in London was somewhere near the end of June and the beginning of July. I remember it was pretty warm that day (although it started off rather overcast). I first saw a lady who was probably in her thirties padding along the street barefoot in the Wandsworth/Putney area. Her feet were beautifully French-pedicured, and her soles were black as night. She was carrying a pair of ethnic sandals. Then in the early evening I spotted a girl in Clapham who looked to be between 19 and 23, carrying a pair of high heels, and strutting confidently along the pavement in her bare feet. Unfortunately, despite the continuing heatwave, I haven't seen any more since :-( |
| Posted by: barefootgirls Jul 28 2013, 05:15 PM |
| YOU ARE RIGHT i live in uk i have not seen as meny barefoot girls as in years gone by and in an heat wave this year was hopeing for a lot ......very strainge .....as some of you may now i had sight on..... flikcr barefootgirls1 ....and lots of pics on ther where from uk ....some days i did not now where to look in uk there was that many barefooters ....but this year not good hardly a barefooter in sight |
| Posted by: Maverick Jul 29 2013, 05:24 PM |
| After reading this post I thought they was no hope of seeing barefoot girls. However, today I had my first proper sighting. It was a girl with her boyfriend walking along the main road. She was in her 30s and was wearing sunglasses, a white top, a long pink dress and, of course, no shoes! She was carrying a denim jacket and I could not see for sure but she looked as though she had no shoes with her at all! Her feet were fairly clean which suggests she had left the house with them although the ground was damp in places. It was an unusual sighting as the weather was not as warm today and there were a few showers. A very brave girl indeed for going barefoot! So son't worry everyone, there is still hope!  |
| Posted by: Mike123 Jul 29 2013, 05:50 PM |
| Great news, Maverick: in fact it's often the case that the slightly cooler and sometime even wetter weather brings out the barefoot girls, especially after a hot spell as if there's some sort of delayed action effect. Still no sightings for me but hugely encouraging news. Even better that she had no shoes with her at all (though as you say this can't be verified). Looks like the weather is about to turn hot again here in the South East come the end of the week so maybe some luck then. Incidentally Maverick, where in the UK are you? Thanks, Mike123. |
| Posted by: Maverick Jul 29 2013, 07:38 PM |
| I'm also from the south east. I spotted this girl near Bromley. Hopefully it's a regular thing for her and I will see her again! |
| Posted by: Maverick Aug 1 2013, 09:43 PM |
| Had another sighting tonight. I was at the local pub and a girl wearing a black top and black shorts came walking past in bare feet. Once again she had no shoes with her at all. She seemed to be having some sort of argument with her boyfriend so she may have taken her shoes off in the pub and ran out without them. Either way it was a nice surprise! |
| Posted by: shifter Aug 2 2013, 07:51 PM |
| i havnt seen many barefoot girls this year as usual here in austria. only about 20 in the last couple of months.. but really interesting, since 3 weeks i always see the same barefoot girl in the supermarket every friday afternoon afterwork when i buy some food for the weekend! too bad i just have an old crappy cellphone with no camera, here soles where pretty nice and dirty what i´m also concerned as a toering lover, that i have only seen ONE!!! female this year wearing a toering, out of more than thousands feets i have seen on the street and pedestrian area i still remember the golden years when every 5th female wore one or even more toerings |
| Posted by: pheet Aug 3 2013, 11:33 PM |
big coincidence.on my way from the gym today to my truck.a wedding lets out.everyone there is walking from the church to the hotel down the street.one of the women is in "barefeet". cant believe my luck.  i have and phone with a video.but its not as nice as some of you guys have. of all places here in NY!!  |
| Posted by: Mike123 Aug 4 2013, 10:56 AM |
| Well, Mr Shifter, 20 in the last couple of months sounds like a feast compared to what we're getting here in the UK but thanks for the contribution and yes, I share your lament over the lack of toe rings too. Maverick seems to have had a couple of lucky hits recently but I remain becalmed on 0 sightings: crazy. Interesting that thanks to our friend's contributions from overseas - Austria, the US - we seem to identified a worrying global trend. I think what we need is for some celebrity to be snapped going out barefoot (like Kiera Knightly did a few years ago) for women to start taking up the trend. Keep us all posted fellas. Germany always seems a good barefoot girl country; I wonder what the story is there this year? And Holland and of course Russia...... Mike 123. |
| Posted by: pheet Aug 5 2013, 04:14 PM | ||
yes you are right in your country Europe seem to be more open minded about that.also canada..Yes there to. Montreal and toronto |
| Posted by: Mike123 Aug 7 2013, 11:20 AM |
| Result! Spotted two barefoot girls in the last two days, neither carrying shoes with them. First one was at Southwark Tube station yesterday (sadly didn't have time to linger and take it all in) and one earlier today in West London where I live. My favourite, a barefoot traveller girl with others who were wearing sandals. It's perfect when one is barefoot and the others are shod. Barefoot Traveller girls are the best - can't see why they don't have a higher profile on the web (maybe 'cos it's a UK thing??) Anyway we're off the mark. I feel like a batsman who's just scored his first couple of runs in deciding Test match at Lords. Mike123. |
| Posted by: doobie4416 Aug 8 2013, 10:41 AM | ||
Dude, those are good explanations for the U.S. to go along with my pedicure theory, particularly the comments about the south and the west coast. I really miss the late 80s and early 90s, before the uptight stronghold took effect in the U.S., an attempt to bring the country back to conservative post World War II era "Pleasantville" from the leftover Woodstock vibes that permeated our country up until 1992 or so. Apparently they succeeded - I could write an essay about that but this is not the forum.  |
| Posted by: barefootgirls Aug 8 2013, 06:54 PM |
| ......yaaaaa......today got pic of mother and 2 daughters barefoot very dirty soles at fok week where i live .......sorry for bad spelling diclexic ......looking to post pics some where ......as new flikcr not good .....I had barefootgirls1 on flickr .............please help ......thankyou |
| Posted by: Barefoot Guy Aug 8 2013, 10:34 PM |
| Why not post your two pics here? First you need to upload the files to a free site like http://postimage.org/ When you go to that page go to "Browse" next to "Select files to upload". Find the file you wish to share. Then click "Open" when you highlight the correct file. Now click "Upload It!" Your file will then be uploaded to the Postimage site. Now click on the second box "Direct Link" "Copy To Clipboard". Now on City feet (here) you "Add Reply", type your text then click on the "IMG" button. Paste in the URL which you copied to the clipboard in the box. This is how I added these two web images of street chalk artists with dirty feet. Very simple!   |
| Posted by: DBF Aug 8 2013, 10:37 PM | ||
I would definitely love to know where I can find some photos of traveler girls and what other tags they go by. Travelers seem to be one of the last tribes of this world that live a barefoot life. Even though many people may give them a hard time, travelers are much more free than their critics who are probably jealous of them. There is really nothing exact like them in the US or Europe, they seem to be only in the UK, a mix of old school tinkers mixed with bits of punk and hippie. This also reminds me of a website l have to look for again called hippiegoddess (l think) , though not focusing on feet it can have women who go barefoot as a result of who they are and they often have dirty feet. |
| Posted by: barefootgirls Aug 10 2013, 06:49 AM |
| Thankyou .....barefoot guy .....i will look in to it ihave about 4 thousand topost now so may not be good to post that mainy here |
| Posted by: barefootgirls Aug 10 2013, 06:54 AM |
| D.B.F ....traveler girls.....you are right ......ihave lots of pics of ....traveler girls.....that ihave takon on my travels .....i am looking to post .....pics soon....need to find some where to post as have about 4 housand now .....just not flickr as it is so bad now .....my old sight on there was barefootgirls1 |
| Posted by: Barefoot Guy Aug 11 2013, 12:32 AM |
| Google "Picasa Web". There you can create a free account and upload and share all your pictures. |
| Posted by: dirtyfeet99 Aug 11 2013, 05:14 AM | ||
Would love to see your new pics. I remember your flickr site and it was outstanding |
| Posted by: barefootgirls Aug 11 2013, 08:22 AM |
| Thankyou Barefoot Guy ....i will take a look..... |
| Posted by: barefootgirls Aug 11 2013, 08:25 AM |
| DirtyFeet99....THANKYOU for very nice words i will post again soon some where ..........when i do i will put link on......here.. |