There are some widely accepted German customs I've refused to accept:
- wearing a scarf around your neck when you have a sore throat (and the general overuse of scarves)
- waiting at the crosswalk for the light to turn green when there's not a car in sight
- being extremely straightforward
- wearing house shoes
That is, until now.
The Freund purchased me some house shoes (Hausschuhe) for my birthday.
Question: Do we say house shoes in English? I can't remember. I know there's the term slippers, but I cannot remember if both are used in daily speech.
I will use the term house shoes throughout this post because slippers does not seem appropriate. Slippers are soft, cushy, colorful. House shoes are sturdy and neutral.
When you walk into any German household, you're sure to see piles of shoes by the door. In fact, it's never a matter of taking off your shoes when you get home in this country, but rather switching shoes. When you come home from work, you take off your work shoes and put on your house shoes. Then, if you want to go enjoy the garden, you put on your garden shoes. Then, when you go back inside, you slip back on your house shoes. There's truly a pair of shoes for every thing and any good German has a solid pair of house shoes, along with some hiking boots and your other standard pairs.
This affinity for house shoes probably stems from the extreme concern I've realized many Germans possess about cold feet. I think I could even call it a fear? My au pair family's home had had heated floors throughout, yet the parents, grandparents, and children alike were equally disturbed by my willingness to walk throughout the house barefoot. "Aren't your feet cold?" "No..." This was a weekly exchange. It was not until I made German friends, moved out of my au pair home and into my own flat, and lived a more independent German life that I realized it was not just my host family who was bothered by my bare feet. It's everyone!
When people inquire about my cold feet, my mind retorts, "I am not a child. If my feet are cold, I will put on socks."
Then I started dating the Freund, and I was finally comfortable enough to voice this thought. He insisted that I not only wear socks, but shoes. "The floor is too cold!"
Stubborn Sally officially couldn't take it anymore. I am an adult who moved overseas on my own. I can take care of myself. Surely, I can decide when my feet are at the appropriate temperature to go barefoot, wear only socks, etc. My insistence on not wearing house shoes became a running joke. The Freund particularly enjoys watching me steam up when others' ask if my feet are cold.
The Anatomy of German House Shoes
- firm sole
- closed toes
- open back
- sturdy and shaped, not flimsy
Funny enough, a very common German house shoe is one that was très-"fashionable" in my high school days: the Birkenstock Boston Clog. We wore these with jeans and socks to school during winter time in Texas. Man, I really do love Texas winters (and the usual lack there of).
My Freund's disturbance by my refusal to cover up my feet caused him to buy me my own house shoes photographed above. Since it was a gift, I feel obligated to use them (at least when he's around). It is now day three in my house shoes. I may be a convert. It's not even cold outside and I'm wearing the damn things. So maybe I don't feel so obliged, maybe, just maybe I like my house shoes. Damnit.
55 comments
Slippers!! Hehe!
ReplyDeleteI have some house shoes just like that, but mine are grey and made of felt. I will never, ever get the "sore throat so must wear scarf" thing. Also sage in tea. Nope.
I have house shoes too and I miss my walking barefoot in Texas days sometimes. Our house is old and the floors are very cold (other than in summer of course) but I agree, you should be the one to decide whether or not you need house shoes! I actually like scarves but that whole sore throat thing is one of those cultural differences that my husband and I often discuss. I don't think wrapping up my neck will help my throat :) but that's just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteYou won't wear a scarf but you'll wear the house shoes? Haha! I have several pairs of slippers (actual slippers.. the soft, fluffy kind), but I usually only wear them after getting up. As long as my shoes aren't actually muddy I keep them on in the flat.
ReplyDeleteI know people who actually take Hausschuhe when they visit other people in case there aren't any spare ones for them! The very idea hurts my brain...
I don't believe in the scarves for sore throats thing, but I do wear scarfs all the time just because there are so many pretty ones and at some point I couldn't resist. Now I have so many scarves I HAVE to wear one almost every day just to justify their existence :-P
Oh, and I guess if you're talking about shoes to be worn in the house only you could say "indoor shoes". I don't *think* house shoes is a thing in English...
The taking off of the shoes before entering houses is something I am still getting use to. Of course back at home we take them off if they are dirty or the house rules but here it is every time no matter what. I think I need a pair of house shoes for this!
ReplyDeleteha ha, I call them slippers regarless and get a pair similar from target every year! They are like knock-off uggs. I live for slippers. slippers and kimonos.
ReplyDeletewhat a very generous Freund you have there! since I reside in an american bubble, i wasn't aware of this practice. I come from the school of socks, lots and lots of socks. perhaps these house shoes are a novel idea...
ReplyDeleteI'm only half German and I wear a scarf pretty much all day every day - haha - never even noticed that before!
ReplyDeleteLol my neighbor is German and I see her shoes outside all the time. I always want to ask her if she is scared if bugs will crawl into her shoes or what if it rains??? I get that you don't want to bring dirt in the house but I'd be scared of critters in my shoes.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in SoCal so like you, I am barefoot when I am home. Hell, if it were warm enough I'd be barefoot outside all the time! My new host family isn't into Hausschuhe, but my old one had like 2-3 pairs. EACH. I can't get on board.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I guess I am very German. I never move around the house without my Hausschuhe. I guess mine are more house boots, I always have really cold feet. David always makes fun of me because I wear them all the time. But I also wear a scarf when I get sick. And I guess I am pretty straightforward. I don't wait for a green light though.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to do the german type of Hausschuhe... but I will gladly wear my super american fluffy slippers when I'm at home and it's freezing out.
ReplyDeletehaha those customs crack me up! especially the scarf and waiting at the light. i don't know if I could wear a shoe around the house, but I guess I would give it a try!
ReplyDeleteYup, my husband (not German, but from the EU) always wears house shoes! His family is so worried about being cold that my father-in-law wears a hat after showering, so as to not catch cold.... And you are dead on with the scarves - in addition to never showing toes, why would you ever show your neck? :)
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend's Oma had a fit when she saw me walking around barefoot. She even went so far as to knit me temporary house shoes, they're more like ankle socks. I had the hardest time trying to explain to her that I enjoy being barefoot, cold feet or not. She refused to take no for an answer so I try my best to wear them for her.
ReplyDeleteI do all the above except own house shoes. I go barefoot all the time since I think wearing socks wastes energy. Never mind that. Girls find me trendy that I wear scarves. Seems like I stand out more. And I sometimes find myself waiting at lights for no reason now when I could have just gone.
ReplyDeleteWe all wear house shoes(slippers) These are the soft type and for indoor use only. My wife is Eastern European and its the norm to take shoes off at the door. I grew up in shoes off house and always changed into slippers at the door so its second nature for me. We don't usually have socks on either but if we do go barefoot, my other half quickly fetches our slippers. When we visit we take our slippers to wear. Maybe that's an English thing, as many people here seem to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the last few years I have too often been asked about my shoe wear. It's so shocking to people when I slip on flats during winter and forget to put on tights first. It's not even that cold in Madrid! In Korea we had to change shoes at work!! When I got to the school I had to put on school shoes. Can you believe that?!
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend wears house shoes, and so does his whole family in England. He also thinks my feet are kinda gross. I think it's just all those years in CA where I just walked around barefoot. Inside, outside, whatever! Also, sandals were basically acceptable all year and we didn't need 15 different types of shoes.
Until age 12 at school(we changed schools at that age)We weren't allowed to wear outdoor shoes. They had to come off when we got to school. Then we wore slippers. There weren't house slippers but black plimsoles. We carried them in a "slipper bag" If we forgot our slippers then we had to go bare foot, That's a very strict rule but it did concentrate our minds not to forget them.
ReplyDeleteHouse slippers worked into my common vocabulary after life in Russia. Tapochki forever (or you'll catch a cold and die immediately)!
ReplyDeleteI was stubborn for so long! Dang gifts... ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha that does take it to the next level not even bringing them inside. I feel like most German households just have piles by the door, but I always make the trek to my room.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the great thing about being at home... going barefoot? I totally agree. That is so sweet of her to knit for you though!
ReplyDeleteA hat after showering?!! Now that's a new one!
ReplyDeleteIt's so interesting how many cultural aspects come with footwear (and lack there of)! I'm so surprised about changing shoes at school though!! I guess it does keep things cleaner, but the only time I remember taking off shoes in school in the USA was when it was specifically muddy.
ReplyDeleteWhat on earth could one do with 2-3 pairs each? Too funny.
ReplyDeleteHaha I love how German you are Katrin!
ReplyDeleteGah, Target! I dream about that place...
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Heidelberg and American bubbles... please tell me you'll be at the #hbergmeetup on Saturday! Are you in town?
ReplyDeleteI neverrrr take off shoes entering houses in Germany and then realize everyone else does and feel terrible. Luckily there's usually another expat doofus doing the same as me. One day we'll learn!
ReplyDeleteAnd you know how we say to wait an hour after eating to go in the water at the pool or beach? Italian mums say you should wait an hour after eating before getting in the shower! My husband still can't explain the logic of that to me!
ReplyDeleteHa I do wear scarves, but I feel like they are worn for every damn occasion here. Actually, I wore one after writing this realizing I never touch my poor scarves.
ReplyDeleteI need to meet these people that bring spare house shoes along...
Gah! This is all the fun of hanging out with different cultures in a nutshell.
ReplyDeleteThere's noooo wayyy wrapping your neck up helps and it cracks me up every time I see people do it. And by crack up I mean actually LOL and address the person's "sickness". I'm very accepting of cultural difference but that one just gets me.
ReplyDeleteMany schools in the UK have a no outdoor shoes policy, especially in the younger age range. I think this is actually a good idea as it fosters an attitude with the pupils about respect and care for your surroundings. It's pretty much the norm here to take off shoes at the door. Much of this is determined my the nature of our climate. It never stops raining here and it's cold for most of the year. Hence the need for slippers. It's not possible to survive here without a decent pair. The alternative is frozen feet( and broken toes for kids who run around the house)
ReplyDeleteHow interesting - I thought this was a Swedish thing! Hell hath no fury as a Swede whose house you've just walked into wearing outdoor shoes! I've grown up with a 'no outdoor shoes inside the house' policy, but what's different here is that it extends to offices too. I used to be so startled to arrive for a meeting (I'm a freelancer so don't work in an office), and everyone wanders in with their slippers on. Makes sense when you consider how much of the year everyone is wearing massive snow boots, but still odd until you are used to it!
ReplyDelete[…] Denglish discusses Germans and their house shoes. Very, very […]
ReplyDeleteThe house shoes thing is so funny... I was just the same, running around my whole life barefoot, until now. The winter and cold floor combination eventually got me to buy house shoes, and now I find them so much more comfy than normal shoes. That said, it's also made me lazier with cleaning the floor because my feet aren't affected ;) What I love though, is how in our building we can visit each other in our slippers and act like they're normal shoes ;)
ReplyDelete[…] Denglish discusses Germans and their house shoes. Very, very […]
ReplyDeleteThose are some damn sexy shoes! :P
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of going barefoot most of the time, but I do run around in socks. I could get behind 'take your shoes off at the door' not so much house shoes.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I love going barefoot in summer (or flip flops at home), but I always have terribly cold feet, so as autumn comes, I'm all for a closed house shoe, ideally boot style, so the ankle's kept cosy. I've been in this country way too long.
ReplyDeleteHahaha this is great. Spanish people also INSIST on wearing scarves if you have a sore throat.
ReplyDeletehaha, this post is perfect. The wording of "Aren't your feet cold?" is so true in so many instances. I will say though, I gave into this one and it became a habit. I brought my house shoes home and Ill bring them back when I return in a month. haha and the reference to clogs, PERFECT!!
ReplyDeleteI living in Germany to and always but my horseshoe on when I get home. I even take my husband to work in my house shoe in the morning.
ReplyDeletehaha I was wondering about these slippers and how they can be properly warm with no backs on them!
ReplyDeleteSocks! Or long pants! That is essential but I love the backless for easy slip-on
ReplyDeleteyou'll be pleased to know i went looking for some today :)
ReplyDeleteI am pleased! Did you find any good ones?
ReplyDeletei did (strictly for indoors I hasten to add as I have seen women in Leipzig wearing these in public)
ReplyDeletehttp://instagram.com/p/vsumJmKB0N/?modal=true
Nice and subtle red sequins ;)
I'm a German in America and yes, starting in October I wear house shoes until March/April. After that it gets too hot in PA. I also have shoes I wear to go to the garage, flip flops only to be used to go swimming indoors, another pair for the outdoor pool, of course rain boots, hiking boots, winter boots and about 20 other pairs. What I really dislike is the fact that the preschool for my 3 year old does not require house shoes or at least some sort of change of foot wear. Doesn't matter if it rains, snows or any other precipitation. I hate it. Funny sine Americans are so annoying with their constant use if hand sanitizer!
ReplyDeleteYep, I caved and got a pair of slippers too... Everyone caves eventually.
ReplyDeleteI am from UK and I also love wearing my slippers. House Shoes is what I will now call them from here on.
ReplyDeleteActually, growing up in the Deep Southern US, we called our slippers "house shoes."
ReplyDeleteHaha,, in Indonesia, we take off their shoes when we enter the house. it is not polite to wear your shoes into the house. but we don't wear house shoes inside. some people does, but it's more of the matter that their feet get cold.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can totally relate with you regarding the sentiment on not crossing the street before the light turns when there's no car seen around!
I'm a contrary expat who happily walks around my apartment in my socks or, shock horror, barfuß! Germans seem convinced this will lead to pneumonia or something. I remind them I'm from the north of England and we're made of stronger stuff.
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