Hello Wodg, I hope you are well.
I'm always scouting thrift stores for boots/shoes I can convert. There are so few footwear they sell that are purely made of natural materials/animal hide. even alot of the 'traditional Indian moccasins' I tried to get off ebay had some rubber in them, and the only 'barefoot' type footwear on the market that doesn't have composite materials seems to be those Huarache running sandals templates that cost like 50 bucks! Not to mention wouldn't work here in the winter. There must be a way to just sew a piece or two of leather on to something that looks presentable in society.
These wouldn't work in your winter, but half-soles would be interesting to try. Sometimes when I dance, I use Capezio's Half-Sole Sandasol. They are cool because your foot is still "in contact" with the floor (your toes and heels) - so it's grounding - but the ball of your foot is protected (helps with turns).
http://www.dancedepot.com/Capezio-Half-Sole-Sandasol-H03.htmlhttp://www.discountdance.com/spframe_set.php3?mf=/dancewear/style_H03X.html&camp=Froogle_H03X&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=H03X&utm_campaign=Spring+2009They come in tan/black, but I believe tan is more popular b/c the point is to have a barefoot look on stage. They get dirty/darken easily from dirt/sweat and I don't know how long they would last with frequent wear, but they're relatively inexpensive and could also be a template for something you could make... They're made out of leather with a bit of stretchy elastic in the back and at the center-top.
Don't let the model dancer's posturing fool you - they're not that pretty/feminine-looking on the foot. They almost look like a real full sandal from the front. If I were trying to go "barefoot" anywhere, I would use these. Also, inevitably debris/dirt would still get "in" (just like some sandals sometimes) - so your feet will still get dirty, but at least half of your foot is protected.
Size might be an issue for bigger feet, but maybe you can play with altering it... I wear a size 6 1/2, sometimes 6 or 7, shoe and I wear size 5 half-soles. And mine fit perfectly and very comfortably. I love them, but I don't wear them all the time because I prefer to have even more protection (too many stories about dancers with bits of glass still embedded in their feet...
the hazards of restaurant work - broken glass/plates, broken beads, butter, shards of nutshell, et al.).
There are also Dance Paws (more expensive), but I don't know if I'd recommend them... the ones I tried on in the store were uncomfortably tight or didn't stay on/up well... But it's another option (also for a barefoot "look"). There are also things called "Foot Thongs" (covers the ball of the foot, but even less coverage and no strap in the back) but the ones I've seen, the leather padding is very thin, maybe too thin - but if you're in the store anyway, check everything out.
http://www.discountdance.com/spframe_set.php3?mf=/dancewear/style_DP1.html&camp=Froogle_DP1&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=DP1&utm_campaign=Spring+2009I saw Capezio's half-soles on ebay for @ $10, but for a true fit (and they stretch a bit after time), I recommend going to a dance supply shop (where they sell ballet slippers, jazz shoes, etc.) and trying them on - at least figure out your size... and happy dancing!
(The links above also have links to reviews if you want to check out some reviews.)
