Nepalese still retain many traditional habits, as if the passage of time has left no trace on them, which is clearly evident from their clothing.
One of the most prominent aspects of the dress of Nepalese people is that few men, women and children wear socks, and most people like to wear sandals or slippers barefoot. With the exception of public servants in formal attire, uniformed military and police personnel, and young urban people in suits, many are barefoot all year round. This is especially true for girls in national costumes. They often like to apply bright red or purple to their toenails, wear golden anklets or rings, and then wear sandals or slippers to fully display the beauty of their feet in front of people.
In winter, It is common to see Nepalese men wearing bloated down jackets or leather jackets on their upper bodies, and then wearing a thick large shawl, wrapping their heads and shoulders tightly, and wearing a pair of slippers barefoot underneath.
The woman wears a brightly colored cashmere shawl on the outside and a pair of clip-toe slippers that resemble Japanese clogs barefoot. People who pay attention to it wear leather products, and the average person wears plastic or straw slippers. It is said that among the small goods exported by China to Nepal, only socks are not so popular.
To explore the reasons why Nepalese people like to go barefoot, there are only the following. One is traditional habits. Historically, Nepalese were mostly engaged in farming, working in the fields all year round and developing the habit of barefoot. To this day, Nepalese farmers still maintain the habit of barefoot labor, only wearing straw slippers when they enter the city. Journalists have participated in religious celebrations organized by local Nepalese, and they must also be barefoot when singing and dancing.
The second is the climate issue. Nepal has a mild climate, most of the winter is not cold, the summer is not hot, Kathmandu annual minimum temperature is not less than 2 degrees Celsius. The pleasant climate allows Nepalese to worry about keeping the warmth under their feet, and socks are not a necessity.
The third is economic reasons. Not wearing socks can save Nepalis with low incomes. In Nepal, slippers and sandals are very cheap commodities that can be bought everywhere, and each pair of shoes is only 20-30 rupees, which is equivalent to three or four yuan.
Almost no one who does manual labor in Nepal wears socks.
The fourth is the custom of Hinduism. The vast majority of Nepalese are Hindus and need to often go to Hindu temples to worship, and they must take off their shoes to show their reverence for the gods, while barefoot can show the piety of believers. Of course, aesthetics are also an important reason. Girls are willing to show their beauty by decorating their feet, slim jade feet, wearing gold and silver, dancing, and shadowy.
Nepalese are often reluctant to wear socks to keep warm, but they like to wear gold and silver jewelry on their feet to show off, which can not but be said to be an interesting custom.