Ich poste einen interessanten Artikel aus "The Observer" über das Barfußlaufen als Mode.
Temistocle

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1001554,00.html

Well done, Kate... now we can all bare our soles in public

Sarah Ivens
Sunday July 20, 2003
The Observer

I was delighted to see Kate Moss going barefoot earlier this week. Locked out of her friend Sadie Frost's flat, the beauteous Moss was snapped sans footwear. Admittedly, she was only out shopping in Chelsea, but surely it can only be a matter of minutes until the rest of the country joins her.

If La Moss has taken to roaming the capital in an organically shoe-free state, soon all women will be freed from the painful restrictions of footwear. Cerys Matthews (the new Sandie Shaw) won't perform any other way, while hippyish A-listers like Helena Christensen and Jade Jagger have always been part of the barefoot brigade. Hoorah: for once comfort is ruling the world of fashion.

Nicole Kidman and Posh Spice, whose bunions quite spoil the look of her D&G bodice dresses, are celebs whose feet could certainly do with a rest. After all, shoes are the most dangerous items in our wardrobe.

So why is bare the trend for fashionistas? It's because Birkenstocks are so over. The first nail in the coffin came with the news that they're now available at knockdown prices in Costco, the hypermarket for cheapseekers. The second: not-so-super model Heidi Klum is customising them with diamanté.

My personal rejection occurred during a recent holiday to Ayia Napa. Every Essex girl worth her tongue piercing had donned a pair so startlingly new I had to reach for my (Givenchy) shades. The next step - hurling those well-worn white flip-flops into the nearest bin. Why was I ever excited about Birkenstocks' emperor's new orthopaedic shoes, anyway?

But, sadly, the barefoot look is one for the wealthy. A chauffeur or, at least, a cab account, is a must. Stepping elegantly from warm car to gallery opening is one thing; stumbling eastbound on the Central Line during the rush hour is quite another. And feet aren't naturally pretty. Don't think that avoiding the Gina sale in your bid to be cool will help your bank balance. A fortnightly pedicure is a must. Personally, I rely on a morning rubdown with good old L'Occitane foot balm, J-Lo swears by Barielle total foot care cream, while Amanda Holden polishes her pieds with the Bio Sculpture Pedicure (from £35) .

Feet are the most underrated erogenous zone. You can play safe in peep-toes, or flaunt them in all their glory. Sex experts have proved men love to look at a woman's feet, which they normally only get to see in the bedroom.

High-heel wearers insist their favoured shoe is the sexiest of all, of course, giving a preview of the exact arch of the sole a woman apparently achieves at the peak of orgasm. But, come on, if you're wearing Manolo Blahniks or Jimmy Choos, who's going to notice your arch?

With Sixties fashion ruling the catwalk (check out Missoni, Marc Jacobs, Celine) why not make like a Sixties icon and go barefoot? Think Sandie, Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin. Think - God forbid - that our mothers may have been on to something. As a child of the Seventies, I cringed every time my mother turned up at the school gates, hair flowing to her waist, tie-dye kaftan ballooning to her ankles, stopping short at her bare feet. She wasn't quite Yoko Ono, but she was getting there. 'You feel closer to nature,' she'd say, 'and you're less likely to get blisters, corns or misshapen toes.'

Personally, I preferred my Dunlop Green flash. In those, I could play knock down ginger without worrying about dog mess. I went barefoot in public for the first time in 1992 at a James concert at the Brixton Academy - by mistake. During a particularly rousing rendition of the student classic 'Sit Down', I was lifted above the crowd. I was on my way to the bar and my slip-on Shelly's specials headed towards the stage. I broke a toe, but I had the honour of retrieving my slip-ons from the backstage area after hours.

Going barefoot deliberately is another matter. Before you take the plunge, barefoot etiquette should be observed at all times:

1. Keep them clean and fragrant. (for those still keen on Birkenstocks, they whiff after six months). Travel with wet wipes in your handbag in case of emergencies.

2. Invest in a pedicure. French manicures are the paint job du jour. If yours aren't up to scratch, buy the new plastic falsies from Kiss at £8.99.

3. Make a statement. Tell people you're barefoot for a reason (fashion, schweedie, fashion) or they may think you're drunk, delirious or on the verge of nervous breakdown.

4. Only go barefoot while the sun shines (after dark, you're more likely to be trampled on)

5. Think location, location, location. Picnic at Kenwood - yes. Gig at the Astoria - no.

· Sarah Ivens is the author of A Modern Girl's Guide to Etiquette , published on 14 August, by Piatkus at £6.99

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