How To Dad comedian weighs in on barefoot shopping, saying it's part of our culture

How To Dad Jordan Watson with his two daughters says you can go anywhere barefoot in summer, except food places out of respect for those trying to eat. Photo / Supplied

The Kiwi comedian behind the How to Dad social media craze has thrown his support behind a woman angry at being kicked out of Sylvia Park shopping centre for being barefoot, agreeing that walking footloose is part of our culture.

Rachelle McDonald, from Panmure, earlier told Stuff a security guard asked her to leave the mall for "failing to adhere to the mall's policy" because she didn't have any shoes on.

She accidentally left her shoes behind as she rushed in, urgently needing to use a computer.

The guard warned her she could only return if she put some shoes on.

McDonald was shocked by the incident, saying walking barefoot was a huge part of her Kiwi culture growing up.

Jordan Watson, who is more commonly know as How to Dad on social media, told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking it's very normal to pop to the shops without shoes in rural New Zealand.

"Bare feet is traditional, iconic New Zealand. Us Kiwis, we get out and run down the street to the supermarket or the dairy and pick things up in our bare feet.

"I think that's a common thing throughout New Zealand, maybe not the city slickers but I think it would be more common in the rural areas."

However, he said there are still rules for those choosing to forgo shoes.

"There is etiquette to bare feet wearing - you have to walk politely and not do anything crazy with them.

"In summer I think you can stroll into anywhere in bare feet [but] food places are a bit dodgy, that's kind of frowned upon, people are trying to eat - it's a hygiene thing."

In a strange turn of events, Watson visited the same mall the woman was kicked out of only a week before her - and he had bare feet.

"Just last week I was in there. I walked all the way to the Warehouse and back with no shoes on and nobody kicked me out."

However, Watson said just because he is in support of bare feet doesn't mean he supports wearing pyjamas in public.

"I'm a big bare feet person but that pyjamas at supermarkets I don't agree with that, I think you're out of bed you need to get changed."

McDonald also said walking barefoot was a huge part of her Kiwi culture growing up.

"People should have the option to wear what they want on their feet just as they have the right to wear what clothes they want," she said.

"A homeless person wearing no shoes has just as much of a right to go into Pak'nSave at Sylvia Park ... as anyone else."

Sylvia Park centre manager Susan Jamieson said the shopping centre did not have a policy that required customers to wear footwear.

"However, we recommend that footwear is worn on travelators and escalators inside the centre."

Jamieson said some of the centre's retailers might have their own policies relating to "a standard of dress required for entry to their premises". ​