Going barefoot is the gentlest way of walking and can symbolise a way of living – being authentic, vulnerable, sensitive to our surroundings. It’s the feeling of enjoying warm sand beneath our toes, or carefully making our way over sharp rocks in the darkness. It’s a way of living that has the lightest impact, removing the barrier between us and nature.
— Adele Coombs, “Barefoot Dreaming”
Summer usually means many bare feet around, and light shoes. Here in Scandinavia we have had a lovely summer, sunny and filled with water time, rolls in the grass and much laughter. This year we had a first-time-ever-dipping-feet-in-the-sea at our summer house – with a new little girl in this world. So I thought – why not celebrate summer fun with some Feet and Shoes? Even science tells us about the importance of letting our feet be free…
To start with, some fancy shoes, many decades ago in Holland – wedding clogs. Surely there are many hours of work behind these. But how comfortable are they?
Now, more fancy shoes – from today. Still not very comfortable…? A poster from a Lars Wallin exhibition.
Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world. – Marilyn Monroe
Comfortable shoes and the freedom to leave are the two most important things in life. – Shel Silverstein
As for me, soft leather boots and shoes are comfortable favourites. (Maybe most young people would say sneakers or trainers?) I have always wanted a pair of green ones…but never got to buy them. But someday I will!
I always judge a man by his shoes and his watch. – Tamer Hassan
I know people still do, or at least did, judge you by your shoes (and your whole appearance of course). But shoes. When my mother was young, boots should be impeccably shining, and so should any pair of shoes. She was very particular about her dancing shoes.
But there are still places in the world where not everbody has got a pair of their own.
A fun example of the importance of shoes is Crakows, they had extremely long toes and were very popular in15th century Europe. The style was thought to have originated in Kraków, Poland, but were used much earlier in Asia. To stay in shape, they were stuffed with moss or horsehair in the front. The richer and more important you were, the longer your shoes … sometimes their tip had to be chained to the wearer’s calves to let him walk at all.
Have you ever tried wearing such shoes? I have. Stumbling headlong on your face is a highly possible result…
Finally back on the beach again. First a rainy blue day…shoes abandoned, and then our new little family sweetie, barefoot, grandfather carrying her shoes. She did not wear them for the rest of that day…left them waiting all alone on a stone. I bet they were missing her tiny, soft toes…
If we were to actually walk a mile in the other person’s shoes, there’s a good chance that we’d end up opting to live the rest of our lives walking barefoot.
― Craig D. Lounsbrough
I admit I would live without shoes – if it were possible. How about you? And now it´s your turn to share any feet and shoes – we’re looking forward to your treats!
Thank you Patti, for letting us indulge in so many inspirational posts last week! On August 21 Tina will be our host for Challenge #162- hope to see you then as well. Until then… stay calm and be nice.
Leya 
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What a fun challenge, A-C! Those curly toed shoes look amazing, so pretty. I never knew that they had been stuffed with horsehair. I am not a shoe girl though. I like comfort over looks. More smart casual, I think you could say. But comfort overrides everything for me. One of my girlfriends loves stillettos, but she can have them all, as far as I am concerned. Nice to see the little family addition!
Thank you – yes, no stillettos for me either. But my dancing shoes had heels in those days. But that was loooong ago. Comfort is it – but I prefer if they look nice as well…
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Here it is, as promised, the second part of my feet. These are bare and happy. All well to you!
Happy they look – every one of them! Soon summer will be over, so I really enjoyed your summer offerings, Manja!
Thank youuu! Six beach photos are from October and sister’s is from November! 🙂
😊
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Hi Ann-Christine
I still like the ironic juxtaposition of the Lars Wallin killer stiletto heels with the soft-looking red shoes in the adjacent photo. And yojr Marilyn Monroe quote is fun “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world”
Here’s my submission – one final Great Blue Heron for this great challenge:
https://babsjeheron.wordpress.com/2021/08/21/beautiful-great-blue-heron-gone-fishing/
Best, Babsje
Thank you!
😊 ❤
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Well, here’s my feeble attempt, I really couldn’t find anything for this prompt: https://suejudd.com/2021/08/20/lens-artists-photo-challenge-161-feet-and-shoes/
I know you could!
😊😊😊🤣
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I love the variety of shoes you share, A-C, and I got back just in time to participate on the last day of the challenge. Thanks for hostessing again.
janet
Thank you for participating!
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Bare feet in sand and water – love it – as you will see in my post!
Yes, who doesn’t!
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Those wedding clogs are cute! Much more practical than the wedding heels we were at traditional weddings which end up being painful by midday. HA!
😀 Maybe a new fashion then!
Absolutely 💯. Looks a little more fashionable than flip-flops at a wedding. 🤣
;-D
Here is a link to mine —–not sure the Pingback worked.
It worked, thank you!
😀😀
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An interesting choice of theme for this week’s challenge, Ann-Christine. And your pictures illustrate the subject perfectly. It was all about the shoes with our three girls. They always bought fashionable footwear, the higher and more uncomfortable the better, but I think they’ve come to appreciate more comfortable shoes as they’ve become older and wiser. As for me, I’d rather go barefoot.
Sounds great! Both the wiser girls and the barefoot wish!
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Great images Ann-Christine and a fun idea. Pretty fashionable high heels. Thanks for this idea. Anita
Thank you, Anita! It seems quite popular! They find things they didn’t know they had in their archives…
I’m looking at your photos and they make me think about how I don’t think about shoes and feet all that much in terms of design and form.
That said, I find myself gravitating toward the beetle and the glass. There’s something rather appealing about it that I can’t put my finger on.
Here’s mine for this one:
I am glad you mention the beetle and the glass- they are different!
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You set the bar pretty high (as ever), Ann-Christine, and my offering is more homely than yours, but full of good memories for me at least: https://margaret21.com/2021/08/18/toes-and-trainers-boots-and-shoes/
Sounds great, Margaret!
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A great post, I love the challenge and the images you have shown. I will try to prepare something these days.
Looking forward to it!
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Ooo, congratulations on new feet in your family! So sweet!
At first I thought that I had nothing that fits this challenge and then came up with a surprising amount of feet. Today the feet with shoes, or just shoes, bare feet will come in another post one day soon. Also, in today’s post there is one photo that I took only after I saw your theme – something that I almost never do. I went to a concert!
Happy you went to that concert, Manja! Thanks for the extra for me! And the little feet – they belong to my husband’s sister’s grandchild. Not sure what I become to her? Aunt’s wife???
Hahha! Uncle’s wife, you mean. 😀 But she will call you aunt, no worries. 😉
Yes, haha, could never go for a man… then I am an aunt! New title!
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This challenge was so unique. Loved it!
I am very happy it was a real challenge! To more than one, I have understood. That is the true purpose, isn’t it?
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Hi Leya
I adore this topic. May I play again, this time with bona fide feet photos? Including my own foot!
Here’s my latest offering:
https://babsjeheron.wordpress.com/2021/08/17/great-blue-herons-how-can-you-tell-them-apart/
Best, Babsje
😀
Thank you ❤
Oh Ann Christine, I go in phases of taking photos of feet and shoes. I so like your topic and presentation of them.
Here is mine. I kept it super simple.
Simple is often the best! Thank you, Cee!
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Marilyn Monroe had it right!
She had!
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Liz – it is impossible to write on your site! Loved those feet – I love photographing my own dog too!
I commented on your site, but don’t know if it ‘took’. ”Paws for reflection!” Well done.
John, I could not write on her site. Let’s hope yours worked!
It did 🙂 thanks John!
::thumbsup::
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The wedding clogs are lovely but 5 minutes in them and I’d be done!!
Me too! But as a kid i always wore clogs – countrygirls did.
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Hi thesis a fun theme and I like how you added in the one pass foot and the insect – so clever –
and my post is mostly shoes (not the feet part) and partly because when I first saw the theme – the ”crocs” that are still worn so much came to mind – and I have some ”yellow crocs” t share – oh and that closing shot with the crocs on the river is such a cool shot – seems like it could be an advertisement
linking my post shortly – take care
Looking forward to seeing your take on!
Hi – just posted it – and fun how it unfolded – thought I was going to share more about story ideas from a lost shoe photo but then the Rubik’s cube theme unfolded – guess we never know until we draft the post!
https://wp.me/p1VBv6-6mt
Now you got me curious!
Hahaha
And for some reason your comment was in spam??
I rescued it and replied
😊
Lovely!!!
♥ Thank you!
Wonderful stuff you have in this post. I didn’t realize that formal wear, like in a wedding, would involve clogs. That’s fancy! Here the traditional male footwear for a wedding would be what you called Crakows. And also, it was love at first sight with that beetle.
I am glad you liked the challenge, and oh – for your traditional wedding footwear! I am glad you liked my green beetle – I was afraid people would think it terrible…
I’m all for beetles (and the Beatles)
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A perfect choice for the summer, AC! Who doesn’t love to go barefoot? I especially loved the little feet in your collection. So adorable. The elegant shoes are for someone else. Not me! I focused on big and small feet and some sad ones, too. I hope you’re enjoying a wonderful sunny day in Sweden! Take care and thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you, Patti! Yes, my husband’s sister has become a grandmother – and the little girl is a sweetie. We had the great joy of meeting them all this summer.
Oh…wonderful! Another niece. A sweetie.
♥
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this is absolutely wonderful post Ann-Christine!
https://lessywannagohome.blogspot.com/2021/08/one-step-at-time.html
♥
What a fun topic…lots of directions to go with this one!
Thank you – yes, I thought there would be lots of directions, so I am eagerly waiting for more!
Interesting idea for a challenge! I’ve ‘done’ feet not so long ago so I’m concentrating on the shoes element: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/gallery-shoes-slippers-trainers-boots-and-clogs/
Those wedding clogs look beautiful but I don’t think I’d want to wear anything that uncomfortable to get married in. I remember how my feet ached by the end of my own wedding even though it was 40 years ago, and that was in shoes I thought would be comfortable!
I must agree – feet ache is there anyway…but clogs on your wedding…nah…
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Your header is my favorite!
Ah, the little one and her mother!
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I love this theme and your post, AC! A fun mix of shoes and feet, I love it. Some creative designs here!
Here is my entry: https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2021/08/15/78617/
Thank you, Amy!
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A great and unusual collection of images. I like to be barefoot at home, but would not last long barefoot outside, especially not in the winter!
Thank you, Susan, and I must agree, winter is not for barefoot walking outdoors. I still do at home, on the warmed floors.
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I really like the story told in your opening image, and you won’t find me wearing those shoes with the curled up toes. I’ll leave them for the genie in the bottle.
Wow, you’ve surely given me a challenge. Right now, I can only even think of one image in my gallery that would meet the terms. Good thing I have until my post on Thursday to come up with something else (it will be hard not to make anything I do look ”contrived” for the challenge. >grin<
Well, I’m grinning too, John! Why not taking animal feet or furniture …? I haven’t seen that yet!
I’m sure I will find something either in my gallery or while going about my life in the next couple of days. As always, the challenges are interesting and fun.
😀 Looking forward to seeing the solution…
Such lovely footwear and toes in your photos, Ann-Christine. I did have a lovely pair of clogs once but they were slightly too large so I gave them away! They were so comfortable and, I think, made in your part of the world. I also lusted after a pair of green boots too, but bought sensible blue boots instead. I think I would have worn the green more.
Finally, I was completely enchanted by the colours in the goblet. I can see why it was such an attraction for that bug. 🙂
I’ve sent a pingback through. It is more of a love story with a foot connection rather than photos. I’m hoping you will appreciate it.
😀 Loved your story, Tracy. I hope pan is well and having a good day too. I smiled at you bying a ”sensible” blue pair though. And the clogs – comfortable when I was a child, now impossible to my feet. They were a must for every child growing up in the countryside – my children still wear clogs in the garden. I am sure someone else got happy getting your clogs. 🙂
Wow Ann-Christine, if I didn’t know you better I”d say you have a foot fetish!! Your shoes and feet images are all marvelous but I especially loved those very uncomfortable-looking high heels (those days are thankfully long behind me!) the red shoes and the ”Crakows”. Can you imagine having to tie your shoes to your ankles?!?!? Who in heaven’s name invents such a thing?! Terrific challenge this week and a wonderful post.
Thank you, Tina! It is very interesting to see what drops in on this challenge! And i think…surely it must have been a man inventing those Crakows…as they seem to be all about showing off your wealth…;-D
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wow, taff topic this week again (for me). It reminds me, that it is (and should be) a challenge. https://solaner.wordpress.com/2021/08/15/lens-artists-photo-challange-161-feet-shoes/
😀
This is a great and fun post A-C, but I am moving to a different direction. Here is my entry for this week.
https://mywanderings.travel.blog/2021/08/15/shoes-on-the-danube-bank/
And I love it, Teresa. Well chosen.
Thanks Ann- Christine ❤️
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Unusual post and subject. I love it, especially the red boots.
Here is mine:
Thank you, Sofia – and those red boots were the most comfortable ones in the gallery.
😀
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What a fabulous post. And a great idea for a challenge. At first I thought – no chance! But then I started looking… I’ll be along in a day or two …
Well Margaret, I am looking forward to seeing your go at this!
Coming soon, to a challenge provider called
Leya ..
♥
Barefoot whenever I can. Impossible chunky glass shoes with square heels yesterday in Leeds. Wish I’d caught the image for you. Love the little sweetheart 🤗💕
Glass shoes….? Cinderella you are! Yes, she is very sweet, the granddaughter of my husband’s sister.
🤗💕
Fun challenge. Bare feet in the sand is my idea of fun. agree with Marilyn Monroe ‘ Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world’ –
Of course I agree too! With both of your thoughts. Love walking in sand barefoot.
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I go barefoot as often as possible. Even in winter time and have thought ‘oops! Did I just frostbite my feet?” I’m told that means I’m a country girl at heart, that I connect with Mother Nature, that I’ve learned to walk gently on my Mother Earth, etc., etc., etc. For me? It’s when I feel most free, connected to and aware of the heartbeats that surround me in so many big and small ways – My ankles are stronger, I move more carefully, but more gracefully and have better balance when I practice stepping softly and making small adjustments to rest on smooth, avoid the bite of sharp stones/stickers – etc. But, I came from a family that did their best right after putting food on the table, to making sure everyone had a pair of shoes that fit and were good quality, even if children outgrew them quickly, before they were even scuffed – why? Because ‘your feet can carry you where you want to go – but if you don’t take care of them sooner or later, your knees hurt, your back hurts, your soul starts dying’ – LOL. thus, no fancy, ‘look at me shoes’ until I was an adult and I never adjusted to them well and cursed myself for ‘trying on what so many others feel is ‘normal’ ” – and go right back to work boots, moccasins, or barefeet with joyful glee. 😀
. . . your soul starts dying . . . ‘ hope you do not mind my visit and . . .
More people should take better care of their feet. I should, too. Foot baths are such a joy…but why don’t I do them more often?
Nice post. I prefer to wear slippers around the house and try not walk around too much bare foot. 🙂 Great challenge!
https://tblsite.me/2021/08/14/lens-artists-challenge-161-feet-and-shoes/ opps here’s mine.
Slippers is a good choice – thank you!
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I believe one very young lady surely did enjoy her first ‘feel’ of warm sand . . . if I try very hard methinks I remember mine ! Oh, and way back, I was absolutely crazy about the latest French and Italian shoe styles landing on Australian shores . . . now that I virtually live in trainers and ugg boots I do shake my head at the skyscraper heels still found at the back of the cupboard !!! Love the beetle inside the wine glass = wonder whether they get headaches the morning after . . . ?
Ha – headaches? I wonder too…And yes, gone are the days of fancy shoes here as well. But I still enjoy looking at them…
Thanks for sharing all those amazing images, amazing quotes, and the history behind the shoes of Crakow. My father was from Crakow (Krakow). Though I am sure those were not in his wardrobe.
Thank you! And I do hope they were not in his wardrobe!
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Hi Leya, Glad you are all back from vacation, though your friends did a great job. I remember years ago a website for pictures of feet. I thought I had tons of feet pictures, but this is what came up when I started searching. It was a life-changing experience using feet. Hope you enjoy. https://alwayswrite.blog/2021/08/14/lapc-161-feet-and-shoes-walking-60-miles-in-3-days/
Lovely to be back too – and they really did a wonderful job, didn’t they! A website for feet? That sounds just…special. Let’s see what you found!
I was a brando new blogger then. I think they quit eventually.
Maybe, they might have run out of work.
Or they got to the end of their yardstick.
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What a fun and unique challenge! The photos are great but most of these are very uncomfortable looking shoes! I’ll take the pink Crocs!
Haha, yes, I am waiting for you and others to send me some comfortable ones!
Thank you for joining in! I cannot write on your site? It seems not to take comments.
I’ve kept working on that. I’m so sorry!
OK – I wrote here anyway! Hope you will get it fixed.
Hi Leya
What a GREAT topic you have chosen for this week’s LAPC. Very fun and creative, too. Your photos are beautiful, and the juxtaposition of those killer stilettos and the things is almost ironic. The shoes or clogs with the upturned toes are so fanciful. What a neat challenge.
Did you know that Great Blue Herons have webbed feet?
https://babsjeheron.wordpress.com/2021/08/14/mute-swans-saturday-night-bath-time/
Best, Babsje
Thank you – and I did not know of the webbed feet!
Oh little people’s feet (and hands) are sooo sweet and how lovely to enjoy your granddaughters company.
Yes I think shoes are overrated. In our house I never wear shoes, occasionally soft slippers if it is cold. As children we spent most of the summer without shoes. A lovely post.
Another lover of barefoot life! And the little sweetie is the granddaughter of my husband’s sister.
What a great collection of feet and shoes. I thoroughly enjoyed this post, Ann-Christine. I’m going to have fun with this as I love using a low point of view.
Well, Thank you, Debbie, I am greatly looking forward to seeing your low point of view feet and shoes!
What a fun post and great idea for this week’s challenge. Walking barefoot in the sand is one of the luxuries of summer, but your post has alerted me to a number of great shoes that are perfect for your post. I’ll start looking around to see what I can share.
Looking forward to it!
I walk about my place barefoot….Great post
You are a free woman!
😊😊😊
I have never liked walking barefoot but I also have never liked wearing uncomfortable shoes.
Ah, then you must have some really comfortable ones in your closet! I remember as a child I never wanted to go to birthday parties and such, because I had to wear very uncomfortable ”fine” shoes then.
Yes although I have hard time finding shoes that fit me well.
I understand. I must go to a big city for the possibilities to increase.
I was referring to the fact my feet are in between sizes so not always easy to find the right fit even in a big city.
Ah, I see. That can be tricky.
We loved your post about shoes, dear Ann-Christine. Text and pictures are excellent 👍👍
We always make fun of Dina. She has 9 long boards full of shoes. By the way, some green one as well.
Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy the weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ooooh, she has got green ones! Dear Dina – now I am envious again… Thank you for liking my examples of shoes too.
Hmmm. Unique topic. Great presentation on your part. To be continued…
Hi John, somehow I remember you have said something about feet a while ago…but I hope this is ok with you anyway!
Hmm. Slips my mind! (Not surprising.) Perfectly OK!
;-D I know about that too…
The link to the show
Just WOW for those shoes! The purple ones are mine!!!! When I was young I loved new shoes, and had some high heels as well. But here is everything in this show …even glass shoes! Thank you!
Thanks for looking. Some of them are pretty wild. It was a terrific show. Your post made me think of those killer heels.
My mother would have loved your post/that show. She wore heels her whole life, loved high heels too, but not so many parties when she was 85.
Awwww that is good to know. Very fashionable mother❤️. There was a film they showed with the making of the high heels. She would have loved it.
She would!
I love your post. I like going barefoot or squishy moccasins in the winter house as the floors are too cold. You might get a kick out of this post I made on a show, Killer Heels you would have enjoyed seeing.
We too have cold floors…I guess I wear grandmother’s knitted woolen socks often.
That’s the key to toast feet. Grandmothers knitted socks. I’ve always got some on my needles
You have! Good, I had to stop knitting and such because my hands and arms did not like it when I knitted too much. I can only do for an hour or two, then I have to rest.