Wearing an open-toed shoe is not entirely unprofessional because there are offices that don’t have dress codes and are casual. For as long as your toes are not distracting, there is no problem with wearing open-toed shoes in an office.
The way we present ourselves at work reflects our personality and character. If you dress up in a disheveled shirt and unironed pants, people will think that you woke up late or you have a messy house. So, to smash every assumption people in your office might make, you present yourself in a well-kept way.
One factor that might make or break your entire sleek and professional look is your shoes. Wearing a tailored fit suit and pants paired with closed-toe black pumps will earn you the respect and approval of your colleagues.
Alternatively, if you wear a baggy suit and a pair of sneakers, you’ll look like a rookie who still needs a lot of training. We’re not saying that clothes are the only way for you to get acknowledged in the office. You still need to have the skills, proper character, and determination. But the way you look and present yourself will also help you earn your points.
Worst shoes to wear in the office
Mastering the art of dressing professionally is hard. You need to consider what is appropriate for a corporate set up but you don’t want to look bland and blend in the background. Plus, you need to consider your taste and sometimes fashion.
There are a lot of aspects to juggle so it can be overwhelming for a newbie. Questions like, what styles can I wear or should I not wear this for work often take up your mind when deciding an outfit.
Shoes are not an exception to this. As we mentioned before, your shoes may make or break your entire look. Having a balance between professional style and personal style can be tricky. So, what shoes can you wear to the office?
If you are not confident that you can pull something off, don’t wear them. It is a big no, no because you might end up embarrassing yourself. Imagine wearing high heels that you are not used to, one scenario that you may end up in is tripping in the hallway.
Sky-high heels are also a big no when it comes to a professional setting. Unless you are working for a fashion magazine, then you can save those shoes for parties and special events. If you are in a business setup, flashy high shoes can be too distracting and are uncomfortable.
If you are going to wear heels, drop the stilettoes and go for a medium-high block heel. They are far more comfortable and more work-appropriate compare to the others.
Understandably, you want to wear heels at work. They make you look confident and more put together compared to wearing flats. But a golden rule to this, don’t go beyond a medium-high heel. We’re sure you’ll be able to find a few that fits your style.
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Is it unprofessional to wear open-toed shoes to interview?
Under no circumstance should you not wear an open-toed shoe to an interview. Some people hate open-toed shoes in the office. You’ll never know if your interviewer is one of those.
Interviews are incredibly important since it is where you make your first impression with the company you are aiming to get in. If you don’t make your first meeting count, don’t expect that you’ll receive a congratulatory phone call from them.
One of the first things that your interviewer sees is your outfit. As much as people say that you should not judge a book by its cover, for interviews you really can’t help it. If you look professional, they take you seriously and they give you the respect due you. But if you come in looking disheveled, you’ll already receive some negative marks from the get-go.
So, how do you dress for an interview?
Wear a tailored-fit suit
Wearing a suit makes you look like you are ready to go to the top. Even if you are applying for a starting position, it won’t hurt to show them that you plan to achieve bigger goals in the future. If you are going for a corporate job, it is safer to go with suites in a conservative color like navy, black, and dark grey.
But if you are applying for creatives or contemporary work, you can wear a suit in different colors. Also, when you wear a suit, although oversized suits are a trend, you can save them for fashion week or events. It is still a must to wear a tailored fit suit for these types of meetings.
Never wear an open-toed shoe
Men are expected to wear black dress shoes. Women, on the other hand, are projected to wear a conservative dress shoe with medium-high heels. If heels are not possible, a professional-looking flat shoe would suffice. Never risk wearing an open-toed shoe for an interview.
Even if the work environment is very casual, even if those are your most gorgeous pair of open-toed shoes, you need to drop them and wear a close-toed shoe. Some people despise the wearing of sandals in the office, so if you happen to have them as your interviewer and they see your toes peeking out of your shoes, that may cost you your job offer.
Make sure that your shoes are shined and not in tatters. You can always borrow from someone if you don’t have an interview-appropriate shoe.
Look neat
Looking neat is a standard for any interview that you go. For men, shaving is not necessary but if you want to look sharp, better get rid of that facial hair. Ladies, applying a bit of makeup to make your skin look bright will help boost your confidence and will make you look neat.
The only problem with makeup is that some are not accustomed to applying them that is why some skip them altogether. Also, on the other end is they apply too much. The problem is that it makes you less polished and neat if you don’t apply to makeup or you go overboard. So, before you interview take some time to practice your simple make-up look.
When can you wear open-toe shoes?
Open-toed shoes are mostly worn during summer and spring when the weather is warmer. But if you are strong enough to wear them during the cold months, then there’s nothing wrong with it. Just beware of the frostbite.
When talking about open-toed shoes, the first thing that pops into the minds of many is sandals. Truth be told, nobody will probably wear sandals during the winter, rights?
However, there are many other types of open-toed shoes that you can wear. There are open-toed boots and peep-toe heels that you can choose from. So, if you want to continue wearing your open-toed shoes all year round, here’s what you can do.
Spring
Spring is the season where open-toed shoes start awakening. During this season, many people are rummaging their closets for their open-toed shoes. While other waits for Easter to start their spring fashion going, you can always start earlier than that.
Most spring shoes are having floral designs and cut-outs. As the season transitions to summer, you’ll notice that shoe trends will lean towards a breathable variety.
When it comes to the color of the shoes, go for the spring colors. You’ll see more pastels but if you want something brighter you can always go for it. Just wear a muted outfit so the colors won’t clash.
For the rest of the shoes, you’ll often see a white shoe paired with a wooden heel or a woven heel. Spring is the season where the flowers bloom so getting your feet in the theme would make you feel the spring vibe!
Summer
As wild as the heat we experience during summer, people can also dress as wildly as they want. They can get away with almost everything! If you are living in areas where summer is terrible, then open-toed shoes are probably your only option. Well, if you dare wearing socks or wear constricting shoes, your poor feet will suffer.
Since you most likely be wearing strappy sandals during this season, make sure that your toenails are clean and gorgeous. Wear some pedicure with bright colors or a wild design. As we mentioned earlier, you can get away with almost everything, so try experimenting a bit.
If you live in areas where summer storms are sudden and intense, better check the weather forecast before leaving in your strappy open-toed shoes. You don’t want water getting in between your toes and leave that icky feeling. Also, it can damage your fabulous shoes if the water gets in. So, to protect your feet and your shoes, make sure that you check before you leave.
If you happen to get stuck in the rain in those whose, there’s always a bathroom and some paper towels to dry them. If your bold enough, don’t let the weather stop your fashion choices!
Fall and Winter
During this season, wearing open-toed shoes gets trickier. Logically, during the cold months, the less skin you expose the better. But what if you want to wear a stunning pair of open-toed boots or the only shoes that will work with your outfit has a peep-toe?
How can you wear them without freezing your toes off? Wear tights! Yes, they will be your partner-in-crime for winter and fall if you want to wear those cute open-toed shoes.
Try to go with those that have less opaque toes or you can always go with pantyhose if you don’t like to wear tights but wants to be warmer.
What kind of shoes do you wear for business casual?
In a business casual office, you can wear almost any type of shoes that you want. You can wear a loafer, boat shoes, athletics shoes, sneakers, leather shoes, flats, or even dress heels. Just make sure that you still look presentable especially if you are meeting with clients.
Since business casual is almost as free as wearing whatever you like, it tends to get out of hand. Some just wear their joggers and hoody, while some roll-off from bed and dash to their office.
Well, you still need to remember that even if your office is very casual and flexible when it comes to dress codes, you still need to remember your going to an office.
If you dress poorly and you meet with clients, it will not only reflect on you but it will also reflect in your company. You don’t want to harm the goose that lays the golden egg, right? As we said before, shoes are important when it comes to your entire outfit, so what shoes should you wear for a business casual set-up?
Open-toed shoes
It depends on how casual you are allowed to go in the office. You can wear jeans and pair them with a trendy blazer and finish the entire look with a pair of open-toed flats. With that outfit, your boss will love your chic and genius style.
Pumps
Comfort is very important in a workplace, especially with shoes. So, if you are going to an important meeting and flats are not an option, you can go with a pair of super comfy pumps. You can ditch your high heels and settle for this. It is still stylish and will give you a girl boss vibe.
Mary Jane
If you are a fan of classic and sophisticated outfits then a pair of Mary Jane shoes will complete your vintage look. This style goes well with a business casual set-up since it looks like a kid’s school shoes but with heels. You can wear a little black dress and pair it with a printed Mary Jane or you can go with a plain one a pair it with a printed dress or top.