A summer, open toed shoe question.

[sbj405]

Is it really a major faux pas for a woman to wear open toed shoes without having your toenails painted? Several ladies at work have made comments to that effect. Personally, I lead a busy, active life and don't have the time to devote to the maintenance. Instead I opt for clean, healthy unpolished toes. Am I creating a major eyesore by exposing those around me to my naked toes? :blush:

[KitchenWitch]

1. No, you are fine

It is okay not to be high maintenance

[BarenakedLady]

2. Pffft

I must have been faux pas'ing all over the place lately.

:eyes:

...well more than usual.

[fizzgig]

3. i normally don't paint my toe nails

and i wear open-toed sandals most of the summer. they're clean and, to me, that's all that matters. if my coworkers don't like it, they don't have to look at my toes

[Danger Mouse]

13. i like it when you paint your nails, but that's just my preference

;)
:P
:evilgrin:

[fizzgig]

15. i know, darling

i'll do it when it matters ;)

[Patsy Stone]

4. No

No.

[pitohui]

5. okay how naked?

i think you already know that your toes don't have to be painted, but yeah, the toenails need to be trimmed, any "flakes" need to be buffed off the feet, and so on

if you just hop out of the tub and into your sandals then the odds are high that your toes/feets are not attractive, i'm just saying

well maintained feet take time amd pumice stone, if your coworkers are bitching, there's probably a reason i.e. your feet offend

[sbj405]

7. Cleaned, trimmed, buffed, heels are pumiced and moisturized

No weird nail fungi or deformations.

[pitohui]

9. then you're cool and the other chicas are just pickin on ya EOM

m

[AlCzervik]

6. no, wearing them with nylons--yes.

[SeattleGirl]

8. Heck no.

You said they are clean and healthy. To me, that would be the most important thing. Sounds like they are being picky.

[Shine]

10. Oh, puhleaze

those ladies at work are rude. :eyes: You're totally fine. The "natural look" is great! :hi:

[otherlander]

11. When it's too hot for sneakers

I usually wear these, and I have't painted my toe nails in a few years.

[S n o w b a l l]

12. No you're not...

As long as they're maintained. I think a clear, shiny coat can make a natural look go a long way though and only takes a minute to apply.

[grasswire]

14. what's worse is chipped polish

Gawd, I hate that. Usually it's a garish color, too, and growing out to boot!

[Flaxbee]

17. argh! major pet peeve of mine! If you're going to do your nails,

toes or fingers, PLEASE take the time to remove the polish once it starts to chip. It looks horrible and tacky.

Another pet peeve, is I freaking HATE french-pedicures. I think it looks incredibly stupid on the toes. French manicures are lovely on the hands, idiotic on the toes.

As to the OP, as long as the nails are trimmed and the calluses/etc. are pumiced away and your heels don't look like elephant feet, you're good to go.

[supernova]

19. I use that semi-permanent polish on my toes

Colorstay by Revlon is one. You put the polish on then put on a clear top coat. That stuff is impervious to chips.

I'm usually good to go for about 3 weeks, if not an entire month.

edit: While I enjoy the look, I don't always paint my toes and I quite often go out with.... gasp! .... naked toes. I sometimes go out without makeup too! :P

[Connonym]

28. I've never heard of that

Guess who's going to make a run to Target this afternoon? I abhor chipped polish. Ick.

PS to the OP, no, your toenails do not need to be polished!

[supernova]

29. Get Acetone Nail Polish Remover!!

:hi:

That Colorstay Polish only comes off only with Acetone NPR and a little elbow grease. Just FYI. :D

[Bjornsdotter]

16. I never paint my nails

...nothing looks worse than a bad pedicure or chipped nails.

Cheers

[MissMillie]

18. toenails need not be painted

[supernova]

20. No, it's not necessary

Women who go to the trouble to point out all this fluffy appearances shit are willing to engage in a host of other mean-spirited Jr High shitty behaviour as well.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. ugh! why are people judging your toes. honestly, people need to get a life.

[supernova]

22. I think it's an alpha-female display

the female equivalent of when guys try to one up each other through sports.

*Affected girlie voice*

Ooohh, You didn't paint your nails! You're not a real girl.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. i dont shave my underarms and often have to hear it from girls.

:eyes: bite me! is all i have to say about it.

[supernova]

26. It amazes me how often

I am reminded of a conversation I had with a female colleague ugh, more than 10 years ago now. At the time it was nothing more to me than office chit chat, but I can't believe how often this subject comes up. Is this the female GroundHog Day?

She was, like me, a short curvy, woman. Cute. She was talking about whether or not to wear summer pants (like CAPRIS!) to some sort of outdoor garden to-do, IIRC. I said "why not?" It's gonna be hot. You won't have to worry about sitting down and showing anything you don't want the entire group to see. And I went on to talk about how sexy you can make that look... beaded blouse, high heels, etc...

Her response?

"Well, I don't want to lose my femininity!" What?!? Rewind that tape, please. "I don't want people to think I'm not feminine." :

:wtf:

This was someone who regularly wore pants to work. :eyes:

As we ended the convo, I got the distinct impression she thought the quality of femininity was something other people ascribe to you. Not something you naturally are.

While I realize there are varying degrees of feminine among us and that it has nothing to do with sexual oreintation either, I was just floored that she was so consumed with other people withholding something I consider part of the indivdiual, not a group title bestowed upon you.

I felt sad for her and was so flabbergasted I didn't know what to make of her after that.

And it keeps showing up in stupid shit like this painted toenails discussion.

:frustrated: :nuke:

[Gormy Cuss]

38. But it's just not natural to let that hair grow!

Oh wait.:dunce:

The makeup police are the ones who drive me crazy.

[Oeditpus Rex]

46. Y'know...

That's kinda hawt. :evilgrin:

[Deep13]

24. You're kidding right?

It is offensive to obsessive-compulsive people who have pedantic rules for everything. Who cares!

[crim son]

25. Oh my god.

I certainly hope not. I have very nice feet and toes and I don't use polish.

[Kajsa]

27. The women at work who are the polish Nazis

need to back the hell off!

a.- It's done of their damn business- HELLO

b. -Unpolished, clean, trimmed nails look great.

I have no time for

-polishing nails

-ironing anything.
( I hang things up right after drying them, instead)

Like KW said, it's OK not to be high maintenance.

;-)

[otherlander]

41. Polish Nazis?

I bet they don't forget Poland... :dunce:

[Kajsa]

43. NOT Polish- but 'polish'

nailpolish Nazis.

Hardy-har-har-

I got it right - lowercase 'p' for polish-
NOT 'P' for Polish.

:P

[reyd reid reed]

30. I think that naked toes are sexy as hell...

and if they don't like it, tough shit. If I polish my toenails at all, it's always a very light, neutral color. Naked is good. Hell, I think it's preferable. As long as they're clean and healthy, you're fine. If they don't like it, it's their problem, don't let them make it yours.

[skygazer]

31. Oh, brother

Sounds like your co-workers need more work assigned to them if they have so much time to ogle your toes. :eyes:

[triguy46]

32. Don't just paint toenails, paint your toes to make a real statement. n/t

[reyd reid reed]

35. Heh...I like it!

Get a green El Marko and color your whole big toe!!!

[lost-in-nj]

33. My dilemma

is
I dropped a suitcase on my big toe and I think I am going to lose the nail
so I have a bandaid on it......
BUT in the meantime I can't wear closed toe shoes because it hurts so I have to wear sandels.....

My nails are polished though


lost

[Connonym]

40. Used to work with a lady who had to have both her big toenails surgically removed

she just polished the skin where the nail should have been. I'd have never been the wise if she hadn't told me about it.

You know, mostly I think we tend to focus on little things on ourselves that nobody else notices. But then something like this comes up and I wonder if maybe everyone HAS noticed that one of my eyebrows is higher than the other. Makes me glad I work at home.

[SacredCow]

34. I don't buy into any of those types of "rules"....

The ladies playing fashion police with your toes (a) obviously don't have enough to do and/or (b) are gossipy biotches....

[AngryOldDem]

36. Why are they looking at your feet?

Who, really, cares? As long as you don't have a disgusting nail fungus or something equally gross, why should anyone care what you do with your toes?

[tigereye]

39. in all the years that I have worn sandals in the summer

to work and elsewhere - I have never heard one complaint. I would hope people have better things to do.

But then again, I don't do nail polish or make-up or any of that stuff. :shrug:

[Sanity Claws]

37. Eyesore, no; however, you are not conforming to present social

dictates.
Yep, there are societal dictates and that includes wearing open-toed sandals only if you have a nice pedicure. I have felt the pressure you're talking about and simply do not wear sandals unless I have a nice pedicure, including polish.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

42. No, your coworkers are being silly. As long as toes are clean, that's what matters.

Would they rather you let your toenails grow out? I think you should test 'em. Or paint your toes a really garish orange or somethin'. "Like my toenails, guys?"

:evilgrin:

[WinkyDink]

44. Those "ladies" are dopes.

[CTyankee]

45. As I've aged my toenails have become a bit yellowish so I cover

themwith polish. A manicure once a month is my little luxury, altho I go to salon that doesn't charge much. I love the way my toes look with polish on them, winter or summer. In the winter when I swim at the indoor pool I love to look at them cuz it reminds me of summer.

But I've never heard of people objecting tolooking at bare nails. Must have been made up by the nail care industry!

[Brigid]

47. No.

I wear sandals sometimes in the summer, and I have never owned a bottle of nail polish in my life. the "fashin police" need to get lives.

[Oeditpus Rex]

48. I suppose next

they'll blast you for not rouging your cleavage. :eyes:

[Nikia]

49. I don't

I'm not much of a shoe person though, really. I only tend to notice feet and shoes much if they are really flashy or inappropriate. I tend to not notice women's feet with sandals without polish. I notice women's feet with polish and it feels weird to be have my eyes drawn to their feet because I generally talk to people looking at their face.