Horrible attire

[calanta]

I thought of this the other day when giving a friend of mine a tour to our work. I had not noticed until mid way that she was not even wearing shoes - flip flops. I could fully see this person in the woods on a hike doing the same thing. How do you break the news gentle to a friend that has no idea what proper foot attire is?

 

[LittleLady]

I'd have to just be blunt. Tell her it's not safe, and it won't work out there, then offer specific examples of what you suggest them wearing. That shouldn't be an offensive subject, hopefully not anyway.

 

[oldsarge]

Can't blame her if she's never had the experience. You could not say anything and let her experience the downfalls of inproper footwear after an incident...but that wouldn't be cool. Pass it on to her in a FYI approach, if she takes offence to it, leave her home...who need the headaches.

 

[woodsman]

You tell them straight what the situation is, I myself usually prefer to be told in advance if I'm about to make a mistake. It could happen with you to, there will probably always be something that somebody else will be better at than you.

 

[dinosaur]

Take her out in the woods then hide her flip flops. After she goes barefoot for a while she'll pay more attention.

 

[ChadTower]

Or take her on a long hike and let her discover the hard way that she ate the skin between her first two toes straight down to the bone.

 

[Michael]

"Dude, your footwear sucks for this. Your feet are going to hate you if you don't change into something more appropriate."

 

[outwest]

Some people can not even manage to dress themselves for a job interview so I am not really all that surprised by this. I would simply explain that proper attire is needed and give some ideas like why. Sandles are great for the beach but not always for a long hike trip.

 

[GROUNDpounder]

"Dude, your footwear sucks for this. Your feet are going to hate you if you don't change into something more appropriate."

Done that and have gotten the "no ill be fine" response, so I let them go and start crying and complaining, eventually telling them they should have listened and shouldn't have been so stubborn.


Now that I'm older I try to be a little nicer. :tinysmile_fatgrin_t

 

[WalkingMan]

Start offhandedly talking a bout hookworm transmission via the skin coming in contact with the ground where it lives. Also talk about the various things that can be picked up while walking on the bare ground. She may get the point after that.

 

[Michael]

Done that and have gotten the "no ill be fine" response, so I let them go and start crying and complaining, eventually telling them they should have listened and shouldn't have been so stubborn.


Now that I'm older I try to be a little nicer. :tinysmile_fatgrin_t

In circumstances like this, I generally repeat the message but with a little more content. Something like, "Well, if you're sure that you don't need the ankle support or protection from sharp rocks, broken glass, and pointy sticks, you don't get to complain to me when your feet are killing you. Let's go."

If they choose at this point to change their shoes, I give them the time they need. If not, I'll remind them that it was their choice every time they complain.

 

[Judy Ann]

Gotta agree with LittleLady and outwest. There are certain expectations for dress while on job interviews and not all women know what to wear. While flip flops are the tendy shoe these days in most urban areas, it is not the most professional footwear to sport while touring a perspective employment site if over 1/4 mile from a beach.

There is this "girl thing" where if one woman seeks advice from another woman about outfits or footwear, the other woman is obliged to give appropriate advice: ie, "I have a pair of those same Keen hybrid sandles in red, they are great for the beach, but I wouldn't be caught dead trying to hike a mountain in them." The other woman hears: "OMG, I own the same ultra cool shoes in a different color! Girl you are soooo...! Don't even think that they will be comfortable for anything other than walking on the beach"...code for wear anything but.

 

[oldsarge]

There is this "girl thing" where if one woman seeks advice from another woman about outfits or footwear, the other woman is obliged to give appropriate advice: ie, "I have a pair of those same Keen hybrid sandles in red, they are great for the beach, but I wouldn't be caught dead trying to hike a mountain in them." The other woman hears: "OMG, I own the same ultra cool shoes in a different color! Girl you are soooo...! Don't even think that they will be comfortable for anything other than walking on the beach"...code for wear anything but.

Oh...Us guy have the same "thing" kinda, If one of us ask another about clothing or shoes, the other is obliged to gives us a boot to the skull to get us back in line...OMG, what was I thinking? Like wow man!

 

[dinosaur]

Good point, Sarge! Funny but true.

 

[Grizzly]

I would be very candid with the person and explain to them what proper attire is.

I personally had a friend that I had to do this with. In his case fadded wranglers were not acceptable when he got promoted to be a manager of an engineering group.

 

[southerngal]

I would just be straighforward about it myself. If I ever wear flip flops or sandals out of the house I have a pair of socks and tennis shoes in my bag or car. You just never know what might happen and I'd hate for my car to break down and have to walk in flip flops even if it was in civilization!

 

[Camoguy]

I've had flip flops "blow out" before on me when I was out and about. Southerngal's strategy of extra tennis shoes and socks available is very sensible and one I wish I had remembered on that trip.

 

[oldsarge]

I've had flip flops "blow out" before

When a semi truck has a blow out, it sometimes leaves a piece of rubber behind. I've heard guys call these Alligators because they look like that laying in the road. So I guess a flip flop would leave behind........ a Gecko? All depends how fast you where going when the blow out occurred.

 

[Judy Ann]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!10 characters yet?