<p>I am used to thinking that you don’t wear boots when visiting people at home. I am wondering it is an outdated practice.</p>
<p>Why not? I do not think they are that much harder to take off than shoes.</p>
<p>I hadn’t heard of this rule. I wear my dress boots everywhere all winter. Most of the young professional women in my cold city do the same. We’d all be barefoot at Christmas parties without them. Of course, if someone asks you to go shoeless in their home, you comply, even if you are wearing dorky warm socks that don’t match your outfit. :)</p>
<p>I don’t ask anybody to take their shoes off when they come into my house. The young kids do it automatically and I’m grateful for that, but I never ask anyone to do that so I wouldn’t care if they were wearing boots or any other kind of shoes.</p>
<p>Many males and some females in Texas never heard of that rule.</p>
<p>I have never heard of the “rule” about not wearing boots when visiting others. I grew up in an area where winters were LONG and snowy. We wore boots all the time…everywhere…never gave it a second thought.</p>
<p>If you think you might be asked to take your shoes off…wear socks without holes:)</p>
<p>For me, it would depend on the weather. If I had trudged through snow or sleet or rain to get to the house, I would remove the boots and I would expect my guests to do so. However, if that is not the case, I see no difference between shoes and boots.</p>
<p>Did you grow up in horse country? If you have just come from mucking stalls or trudging through rain or snow, I agree you would either change your shoes or take them off. As a fashion choice, and a very popular one, they are just like any other pair of shoes, casual or dressy.</p>
<p>For those who really would rather people take off their shoes when visiting, I think a family I know handles it discretely - their own shoes are by the door, so visitors automatically take the hint.</p>
<p>I don’t get “dress boots”- if I need warm boots for snow and cold none of the fashionable ones seem to be worthwhile. I shudder at people wearing high heeled winter boots (or any high heels for that matter, one custom all women should abandon). In our house I used to know when kids came over, and which door was used (if they came in with son it was via the garage, if they rang the doorbell- the front), by the shoes at the door. We keep all of our shoes in a closet near the back door, a front door guest wouldn’t see them. Friends would think about removing shoes, aquaintances and strangers would not know. Removing shoes in the house is common for Indians and we also never wore shoes in the house growing up in Wisconsin so it was easy to merge this custom with H- and easy when visiting others.</p>
<p>I don’t see any difference between boots and shoes. I would never wear shoes in someone’s house. Our shoes are by the back door and I hope people take the hint. If they don’t and H is around, he’s fairly obnoxious about it. That is one good thing about living in farm country, 95% of people are pre-trained to open a door and pull off shoes. It certainly saves the carpet.</p>
<p>Is this a serious question? Which part of the country are you from?</p>
<p>If a friend came to me door wearing the Manolo slouchy suede high heel boots…damn straight I would have her take them off…if she were my size. Otherwise I would have boot envy.</p>
<p>The only people who take off shoes in my house is kids. I would never think of taking off my shoes in someone else’s house, and I would never ask another adult to take off their shoes in mine. We live in the suburbs - no one is mucking out stalls. There’s a reason we have beige carpets, and runners on the hardwood floor - because I value my friends more than my floors.</p>
<p>(Only exception - wet, slushy snow boots or muddy work boots should definitely be removed. But shoes, sneakers or dry dress boots? No.)</p>
<p>We visited several friends in California last year and they all insisted we remove our shoes at the door. My 83yo mother was not happy about it, as she needs her shoes for balance. (I wasn’t happy either, as I wear orthotics and don’t walk well barefoot on hard floor - at home I either have slippers or flipflops on). Here in NJ, all kids kick off their shoes at the door, but I’ve never had anyone ask me to remove my shoes.</p>
<p>wis, my dress boots do not have a heel any higher than my regular shoes…and NO I do not wear high heal shoes all the time.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean taking them off. Just not wear them if expecting to go in the house. Wear regular shoes instead.</p>
<p>I live in “dress boots” from October through March. I own 4 pair, some with high heels and some with low heels. My feet are narrow (at least my heels are) and trying to find a pair of regular shoes that are at least somewhat stylish and affordable is like a needle in the haystack for me. And yes, I am familiar with Zappos, I am currently looking at a pair of black flats actually offered in my size, they are $148, more than I care to spend but I might have to do it.</p>
<p>So I wear boots and I keep them on.</p>
<p>wis- I don’t understand your comment about dress boots. Many of us live in climates that are not necessarily snowy all the time, but still get cold. I love my nice leather boots and wear several pairs all winter. They are stylish, professional and comfortable. I wouldn’t want to ruin them in salt and snow, although they are fine for a light dusting of snow. And, yes, I wear them to people’s homes.</p>
<p>Shoes off in my house, unless I am having a “dress up” party, then they could keep their dress shoes on, but my house gets scrubbed down next day.</p>