Work Appropriate Shoes Help?

doeydo · August 2015

I am nearly finished my schooling and will be doing a practicum/placement soon and after that entering the workforce. I will be working in an office setting. Before this, I had only worked at a place with a uniform top that allowed casual wear like jeans and running shoes, so I feel kind of at a loss.

I bought a few dress pants and work appropriate tops this Summer, but am still wondering about shoes. I cannot handle heels, I wear a ladies size 9, and I prefer to be able to wear normal socks as my feet sweat a lot and I am big on comfort

What sort of shoes do you reccomend I should buy? What kinds of shoes do you wear at work? Any help is appreciated.

TrixieJess · August 2015

I wear Clarks or Naot Mary Janes. They are orthotic. I can't wear high heels either, but anything low is fine.

julieanne912 · August 2015

For work in the warmer months I have a pair of black patent ballet flats that I wear almost daily. I have a few pairs of sandals I wear with dresses/skirts. I've got a few other pairs of flats but I like the black ones best. They are all from Nine West.

For winter I bought a pair of Cole Haan low heeled black leather boots with a pointier toe that I wear with pants, and I also have a couple pairs of riding boots that I wear with tighter pants or heavier skirts/dresses, and a low heeled bronze color pair of pumps that are really cute and super comfy. They're real leather soles though so I can't wear them when it's wet out.

I can't wear normal socks with anything other than the riding boots but I buy thin trouser socks that work under the boots and even the low heels if it's really cold.

julieanne912 · August 2015

These are the flats I wear: http://www.ninewest.com/Adorabl-Ballet-Flats/17014926,default,pd.html?variantColor=JJ242A3_1&cgid=8346267&cgid=8346267&prefn1=variantColorValue&prefv1=Black

I have really high arches and a lot of flats are not comfy, but these are. They don't appear to have them in patent on the website, but I see them at their outlet stores.

STARMOON44 · August 2015

Trouser socks are your friend. They are thin enough to work with lots of flats. Knee highs can also be comfortable (but not always). For winter I agree with you, I like a warmer sock so I tend to wear booties and pants.

PamBeesly524 · August 2015

A great pair of black flats will go with anything! When I worked in a security type job, I had to wear a black suit every day and do "rounds", so there was a lot of walking involved. These aren't the same flats I had, but I had a pair that had a tiny little wedge on them. They were still easy to walk in and had excellent support. Not sure what these are like on but they're cute! I'm all for a little heel to make you feel dressed up but not so high that you're tripping all the time:

http://www.dsw.com/shoe/abella+lindy+flat?prodId=273287&activeCategory=102504&category=cat20068&activeCats=cat10006,cat20068

http://www.dsw.com/shoe/lifestride+messenger+flat?prodId=283345&activeCategory=102504&category=cat20068&activeCats=cat10006,cat20068

http://www.dsw.com/shoe/lifestride+flip+fabric+wedge+pump?prodId=332714&activeCategory=102504&category=cat20068&activeCats=cat10006,cat20068

I can check at home later too to see exactly what brand mine are. I wore them for 6 months straight every day at work and they still look brand new.

southernbelle0915 · August 2015

Black flats. I also have a pair of black peep toe wedges (wedge is only 2") that I love. I keep it pretty simple and conservative becsuse that's the vibe of my office. Plus those types of shoes are pretty versatile.

For winter, since you're in Canada, you could keep a pair of shoes at your desk and wear your snow boots between the office and home. That way you aren't buying more pairs of shoes than you really need.

ShesSoCold · August 2015

Dansko shoes are great for comfort and support - a lot of nurses have them. A lot of they styles are nice-looking enough to be worn in offices and can be worn with socks. They're expensive, but worth it.

TrixieJess · August 2015

southernbelle0915 said:

Black flats. I also have a pair of black peep toe wedges (wedge is only 2") that I love. I keep it pretty simple and conservative becsuse that's the vibe of my office. Plus those types of shoes are pretty versatile. For winter, since you're in Canada, you could keep a pair of shoes at your desk and wear your snow boots between the office and home. That way you aren't buying more pairs of shoes than you really need.

This is what I do. I have a good pair of Sorels for winter with crampons for the ice.

thespeshulestsnowflake · August 2015

I wear a mix of flats and heels in the office. I would recommend getting flats with padding on them. Try to get leather (imetation or real), not suede, since salt will ruin suede.

These are one of the most comfy heels I have ever worn: clicky I own them in blue.

I'm a big fan of colored shoes. But must have colors in my opinion are nude and black. But get some fun colors too.

Also in the winter boots are your friends. Especially if you are in Canada.

doeydo · August 2015

Thank you everyone for your great suggestions and help!

CMGragain · August 2015

S.A.S. is the brand for little old ladies with foot problems. I have worn them since I was 30. They make many styles and colors, but they are EXPENSIVE. There are some outlet stores around the country where you can try on many different styles. They also come in widths. They wear like iron. I have a few pair that are 15 years old, and they still look great. Brown's Shoe Fit Co. also carries them, if you are in the mid-west.

http://www.sasshoes.com/women-s-shoes

[Deleted User] · August 2015

You can never go wrong with a cute pair of flats or leather slip on shoes. To help compate your sweaty feat while wearing socks, look into smart wool socks. They are a little pricey (check sierra trading post online for deals) but they are made out of merino wool. No, they aren't itchy & despite them being wool, they won't make your feet sweat. But because of them being merino wool. they don't hold the sweat like cotton socks do and your feet will be more comfortable.

Work Appropriate Shoes Help?

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