List of barefooters

This is a list of notable barefooters, real and fictional; notable people who are known for going barefoot as a part of their public image, and whose barefoot appearance was consistently reported by media or other reliable sources, or depicted in works of fiction dedicated to them.

A barefoot appearance can be a notable characteristic for an individual, as it has been associated with various cultural contexts throughout human history. Since the Middle Ages, it was seen as a sign of religious ascetism: in particular, discalceation, the practice of going constantly barefoot or clad only in sandals, is a common feature of Christian mendicant orders, practiced by the Discalced Carmelites (1568), the Feuillant Cistercians (1575), the Trinitarians (1594), the Mercedarians (1604), the Passionists, the Poor Clares and Colettine Poor Clares, and the Descalzas Reales. This is untaken as part of vows of poverty and humility,^[1] as well as a remembrance of Moses on Mount Sinai. Hindu gurus go barefoot to allow their followers to demonstrate their love and respect by pranam, the ceremonial touching of a bare foot. It is also customary in Judaism and some Christian denominations to go barefoot while mourning.^[1]

The early 20th century saw the emergence of the barefoot dance movement, pioneered by Isadora Duncan, that anticipated women's liberation movement and challenged the then prevalent perception of bare foot as obscene.^[2] In the latter half of the 20th century, many singers, primarily women, have performed barefoot, a trend that continues in the early 21st century. Since the 1960s, barefooting has also been associated with counterculture, in particular with the hippie and New Age movements.^[3][4]

Nowadays people who have a preference for not wearing shoes in public are striving for the recognition of barefoot lifestyle, against the social stigma associated with barefooting, and for the abolition of laws and regulations that prohibit going barefoot in certain places.^[5][6]

• Socrates (470—399 BC) — Ancient Greek philosopher credited as the founder of Western philosophy. In Symposium, Plato mentioned that Socrates went barefoot all year round, even on ice; Aristophanes also made a reference to Socrates going barefoot in his comedy The Clouds.^[7] He is frequently alluded to as "the barefoot philosopher" in academic works,^[8][9] and a television film dedicated to his last days was called Barefoot in Athens.
• Kevin of Glendalough (498–618) – Irish saint, known as the founder and first abbot of Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland. He was known for living the life of a hermit among the animals and birds, wearing only animal skins and going barefoot.^[10]
• Bishr the Barefoot (767–841) — Muslim saint who earned the name Bishr al-Ḥāfī (Bishr the Barefoot). When asked why he did not wear shoes, he would reply "My master Allah guided me when I was barefooted, and I will remain in this condition till death".^[11]
• Hedwig of Silesia (1174–1243) — Bavarian/Polish saint. According to legend, she went barefoot even in winter.^[12]
• Margaret the Barefooted (1325–1395) — Italian saint who earned her name because she walked barefooted as a beggar to better associate herself with the poor.^[13][14]
• Johnny Appleseed (1774–1845) — American pioneer nurseryman and missionary for The New Church, known for his barefoot appearance. According to his obituary in Fort Wayne Sentinel, "in the most inclement weather he might be seen barefooted and almost naked except when he chanced to pick up articles of old clothing".^[15]
• John of Shanghai and San Francisco (1896–1966) — prominent ascetic, prelate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, and reputed wonderworker with purported powers of prophecy, clairvoyance and healing. In France, he became known as "Saint Jean Nus Pieds" (Saint John the Barefoot) because he was known to go barefoot all year round.^[16]

• Isadora Duncan (1878–1927) — American-born dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance and, in particular, revolutionized dance by performing barefoot.^[2] She divorced the bare foot from perceptions of obscenity and made a conscious effort to link barefoot dancing to ideals such as "nudity, childhood, the idyllic past, flowing lines, health, nobility, ease, freedom, simplicity, order, and harmony".^[17]
• Carmen Tórtola Valencia (1882–1955) — Spanish early modern dancer, choreographer, costume designer and painter, who generally performed barefoot. Tórtola Valencia is said to have been the inspiration for Rubén Darío's poem, La bailarina de los pies desnudos ("The Barefoot Dancer").^[18]
• Thamara de Swirsky (1888–1961) — Russian-born dancer who "created a sensation" in the United States with her barefoot dancing.^[19]
• Voldemārs Irbe (1893–1944) — Latvian pastel painter renowned for his eccentricity, disheveled appearance, and going barefoot all year round. This penchant earned him the nickname "Barefoot Irbite"; a monument in Riga dedicated to Irbe also depicts him barefooted.^[20][21]
• Ava Gardner (1922–1990) — American actress who was a part of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Her lifelong habit of going barefoot became a part of her public image after the release of her movie The Barefoot Contessa (1954); her decision to accept the role was also influenced by this habit.^[22]
• Cesária Évora (1941–2011) — Cape Verdean morna singer who became known as the Barefoot Diva because she often performed without shoes, which was sometimes described as a way for Évora to honor the poor.^[23][24]
• Sharon Tate (1943–1969) — American actress and model known for frequently appearing barefoot in public. When she went to restaurants with a "No Shoes, No Service" rule, she would frequently put rubber bands around her ankles to pretend that she was wearing sandals. This trait of hers was depicted in the 2019 movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.^[25]
• Jimmy Buffett (1946–2023) — American singer-songwriter known for his tropical rock sound and persona, and, in particular, for singing barefoot onstage to promote an island/beach bum lifestyle.^[26]
• Sandie Shaw (b. 1947) — English pop singer renowned as one of the first singers to perform barefoot. This earned her the nickname "Barefoot Pop Princess of the 1960s".^[27][28][29] After she started another career as a psychotherapist, she opened a clinic known as Barefoot Therapy: The Arts Clinic.^[30]
• Amy Grant (b. 1960) — American singer-songwriter and musician who performs barefoot as one of her concert trademarks. To date, Grant continues to take off her shoes midway through performances, as she has said, "it is just more comfortable."^[31][32]
• Michael Franti (b. 1966) — American singer/songwriter who performs barefoot on stage and prefers being barefoot during his daily life and travels.^[33]
• Julia Roberts (b. 1967) — American actress known for frequently appearing barefoot, including at public events like film festivals, talk shows, and her wedding to Lyle Lovett. Her barefoot habit was incorporated into a number of her roles, including Tinker Bell in Hook and Susie Moss in Friends.^[34][35]
• Steven Wilson (b. 1967) — English musician; founder, guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Porcupine Tree. For live shows, Wilson plays barefoot, a habit that goes back to his early childhood. He said, "I always had a problem wearing shoes and I've always gone around with bare feet."^[36]
• Thomas Jane (b. 1969) — American actor known for his preference for going barefoot, including at film premieres and while on set.^[37][38]
• Genevieve Gorder (b. 1974) — American television host and interior designer widely known for her habit of working barefoot.^[39] She parodied her lack of footwear in a series of Swiffer sweeper commercials that started running on television and in periodicals in 2003.
• Shakira (b. 1977) — Colombian singer and songwriter known for frequently performing barefoot, a form of dance she learned as a young teen to overcome her shyness, and which gave name to a charity founded by her, Barefoot Foundation.^[40][41]
• Patricia Kopatchinskaja (b. 1977) — violinist of classical and contemporary music, born in Moldova, now living in Switzerland, playing barefoot on stage.^[42]
• Barbara Weldens (1982–2017) — French singer-songwriter whose habit of performing barefoot resulted in her death by electrocution: her foot made contact with a defective piece of electrical equipment.^[43]
• Rebecca Ferguson (b. 1983) — Swedish actress best known for her portrayal of the MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in three of the Mission: Impossible films. In an interview, she said, "Selfishly, I love being barefoot and wearing comfy clothes".^[44] Her preference for going barefoot was incorporated into some of her movie roles, including Ilsa Faust, Rose the Hat in Doctor Sleep, Riza Stavros in Men in Black: International, Morgana in The Kid Who Would Be King, and Lady Jessica in Dune.^[44][45]
• Stelth Ulvang (b. 1986) — American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as a touring member of the folk rock band The Lumineers. He has acquired the nickname "Barefoot Wanderer" due to his habit of performing barefoot on stage.^[46][47]
• Joss Stone (b. 1987) — English singer, songwriter and actress who was referred to as a "barefoot diva" by The Guardian in 2004 for her performances without footwear.^[48][49][50]
• Taimane Gardner (b. 1989) — Hawaiian ukulele player who consistently plays barefoot.^[51]
• Angelina Jordan (b. 2006) — Norwegian singer. After meeting a shoeless child in Asia and giving her her shoes, Jordan pledged to always perform barefoot onstage until "all children in the world have shoes of their own".^[52]

• Steve Jobs (1955–2011) — American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc. Jobs was known to frequently appear barefooted in his office, and was depicted this way in a feature dedicated to him in Time magazine.^[53] His barefoot habit had to do with his background in counterculture and spirituality (Jobs' appearance was often compared to that of a hippie),^[54] and was depicted in the movies Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999)^[55] and Jobs (2013).^[56] It also had an impact on American corporate culture,^[57] and was adopted by some other entrepreneurs, most notably Adam Neumann.^[58]

• Dot Butler (1911–2008) – Australian bushwalker, mountaineer and conservationist who became known as "the barefoot bushwalker" because she rarely wore boots or any other footwear when walking.^[59][60][61] In 1991, she published an autobiography called "The Barefoot Bush Walker - A Remarkable Story Of Adventure, Courage & Romance".

Bare feet are a consistent element in the depiction of some fictional characters.

• Coriakin and Ramandu from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis — magicians and stars in human form who are both described as old men with a long beard and bare feet. It has been suggested that their lack of footwear has to do with religious connotations and with the "holy hermit" archetype.^[62][63]
• Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo — French Roma girl and a street dancer. Although she does wear shoes in the original novel, Gina Lollobrigida portrayed her barefoot in the 1956 movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and it became a tradition since then to depict her with bare feet.^[64] In particular, she is depicted this way in the 1996 Disney animated movie.

• Mantis — Marvel Comics character who first appeared in The Avengers in 1973. She is usually depicted barefoot to signify her connection to nature and her background in Asian martial arts.^[65]

• Pocahontas — main character in the Disney animated movies Pocahontas (1995) and Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998). As a Native American, Pocahontas was depicted barefoot, presumably to signify her connection to nature.^[66]
• Rapunzel — main character in the Disney animated movies Tangled (2010), Tangled Ever After (2012), and Tangled: Before Ever After (2017), and in the animated series Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (2017–2020). Rapunzel is depicted as a barefooter,^[67] and her voice actor Mandy Moore was barefoot herself while recording her lines.^[68] Moore said: "I like to think of her as the bohemian Disney princess. She's barefoot and living in a tower. She paints and reads… She’s a Renaissance woman".^[69]

• List of bow tie wearers