Shoes are a pretty important part of dressing, most of us would argue.
The right trainers can complete an outfit, while a pair of Crocs can cause some people to shout 'what are those?' even if only with the inner voice in their heads.
But one woman has decided to swap out one element in the race for fashion, as she has refused to buy shoes for two years.
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El Robertson, from Bristol, England, now lives life permanently barefoot and says her feet have never been in such good condition.
The 25-year-old said: “Going barefoot was an awakening of how I should be and how well it works for me.
“I feel like it is quite misunderstood as people always tell me how it’s dangerous and irresponsible.”
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El now dubs normal shoes as ‘foot prisons’ and has vowed never to buy another pair again, although she understands that there are some venues which will turn her away should she turn up barefoot.
She said: “When I go supermarket shopping I have to wear shoes though, as shops don’t like me in there barefoot.
El added: “I think the bottom of my feet are probably cleaner than what’s on the bottom of some people’s shoes. I don’t feel embarrassed but I think other people don’t like it, maybe some don’t like seeing my toes when food shopping.”
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She even believes that going without footwear allows her to feel more ‘secure’ than wearing trainers - even on uneven and rocky territory.
“Although, I feel more secure and confident without shoes on, I’m also able to get proper feedback from the ground. My feet are a lot more grippy than shoes on the rocky ground,” she said, having recently climbed Mount Snowdon in Wales barefoot.
“I always almost go barefoot. I have a few pairs of trainers if wanted to look nice or fashionable but for every day I will be barefoot or wear barefoot shoes.”
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However, the newly ‘grounded’ woman has seen changes in her feet, although believes the shift in their appearance is for the better.
“I’ve not had one blister since going barefoot and I never get hotspots on my feet, only when I put shoes on now, I get hotspots. Blisters, arch support, and ankle support are things of the past.
“When you look at most people’s feet, their little toes are so curled in and it’s not natural, it’s what shoes have done to people’s feet.
“When I stopped wearing shoes, my feet widened and my toes now have gaps in between each of them…There is also a big pad of muscle in the arch and mine is now a thick, strong muscle.”
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Well, each to their own.
Gabriella Ferlita