To wear brown flat shoes to a City job interview?

[Neverbrownintown]

Would it mean instant rejection on sight?

@CarefullyDrawnMap I feel that I look more professional when I'm smartly dressed, which includes heels. Now, that may not be true, and that may be the result of growing up with television, film, magazines and newspapers, but because I think it's true, I come across more confident when interviewing in heels. Vicious circle.

But as I've said, when I interview people, I don't give a tiny rat's ass what shoes they're wearing. Just because for dubious reasons I feel I should be wearing heels, I don't expect anyone else to live the same way.

Sometimes I think we make our own cages.

I used to work in 102 PF for the MoJ and regularly came in with jeans, tshirt and trainers as did most of my colleagues. Most civil servants’ dress sense ranges from cocktail dresses to shorts and flip flops. Usually those who worked in Ministers offices or were meeting external people would wear smarter clothing.
Friend who did work in the city always had to wear heels and skirt suits. Trousers were apparently frowned upon.

BF works in recruitment in One Canada.

Absolutely no brown in town.Totally agree with novice

I also would never go to a job interview in flats because I feel more confident in heels. Obviously at a job interview you really do need to feel at your most confident.

Good luck OP

Mel fish how long ago was that?!? I can remember trousers being frowned upon in Court in the 90s but they are absolutely fine now and have been for years.

I’ve worked in HR at an old school investment management firm and I got the job and held onto it for 12 years despite generally looking like a flat-shoed scruffbag.

I’m not suggesting you adopt this look for interview but if you’re good, it really won’t matter what you’re wearing on your feet.

if this even gets discussed in the interview then the company must be fuckwit central.

Good for you, bigfatfeet. I'm imagining you as Margaret Rutherford in a tweed cape and brogues.

They are looked upon as a liability whole may turn up on casual Friday in 'smart' jeans. Don't risk it.

What?! What do you want people to wear on dress down Fridays?

I feel less confident in heels, because they're ridiculous.

Wow! Do people even care what colour shoes someone wears? I've been public sector my whole life and it has never crossed my mind - as a candidate or a recruiter. So much for private sector efficiency!

Christ alive. Can’t believe women are reinforcing this tosh.

Seriously, no one will give a shit what shoes you’re wearing as long as they’re not manky old trainers or flip flops

Used to work for commodities trader a few years ago in the city and men definitely wore brown shoes (although did get teased a bit for it). My exh is high up in finance for an insurance company and I know he wears them.

I also used to interview and can’t say I’d have noticed what colour shoes a girl was wearing as long as the overall image was smart.

Depends how traditional the place you’re interviewing at is - can you tell from the website etc?

This is bizarre.

Do you look smart? Then fine. If you are interviewing at certain city firms then it is dress down in August anyway so there’s a chance your interviewer will be in jeans.

No one will notice your footwear.

Just as well I never wanted a city career then; I'm disabled and fairly fucked in anything not traineresque.

Did work in St James's Park in my frumpy flats during the 80s and 90s though and had a pretty good career progression.

Wear whatever is going to give you the most confidence and less worry about your appearance. If you don't want to.be distracted with a pair you're not sure about, then pull out the stops and get some tonight or first thing tomorrow before your interview. Good luck

Same as you Tinelly. Struggle to wear anything other than Skechers due to my disability. Last time I met with my boss who is the CTO for a large bank, he didn’t give a toss!

God this is nuts. I work in the public sector and feel like I'd be eaten alive if I moved into a corporate firm.

eurochick no, my friend in the city was dissuaded from wearing trousers. She worked for a fusty bank. This was about 10 years ago.

In my office (civil service) they’re usually relieved you’re wearing trousers rather than the yucky shorts you cycled in with.

I hope you get the job OP!

Unfortunately some city firms are sexist and elitist. Do they go with your skirt or trouser suit? If so, I'd risk it. It'd be a sad firm in 2018 that can't cope with a little bit of -what is fairly tame - individuality! I say that as someone who used to wear
subtle blue & white thinly striped high heels for interviews, with red soles. (Invariably got the job as they were my lucky shoes!) But I'm not finance....

I asked DP (ex investment banker) and his response was that while the thought of a man wearing brown shoes to work was "horrific" it is such a male dominated and patriarchal environment that no one has ever really come up with rules for what women can and can't wear. His advice was to keep it formal and conservative "and definitely don't get your tits out".

Never wear brown shoes in the city!

Can you show us the shoes OP. And what are you wearing to your interview?

If I really wanted the job, I would pick up a pair of black court shoes. If I wasn't absolutely convinced I wanted it, I would go in my brown flats. It all depends on how bothered you are by the idea of someone deciding not to give you the role because you are the 'wrong fit'.

I work in the City. I can assure you the colour of your shoes would have no influence whatsoever on my assessment of your ability to work in HR for an investment management firm. This is not the 1980s.