Can I wear these boots to an interview?

[Junebughustle]

I've got an interview for a senior level job this week, more senior than I'd have expected to be shortlisted for. I am going shopping tonight for an outfit, likely a black or navy office-appropriate dress. But footwear always stumps me! I don't want to wear heels, and I wear patent doc martens to my current job when I'm in.

Are these OK for an interview or do I need to grow up? www.schuh.co.uk/womens/blowfish-malibu-rauly-croc-vegan-black-boots/1439707060/?utm_source=social_dr&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dr_aq1_daba_cbo_abid&utm_content=23846594777270643_121220&fbclid=IwAR1-BF8l2Th4_iez6-W0c_h1FCeUT1oQLnFw8Wle1cj6iV1Kk7JFlnhV6zQ

They’re lovely boots. I feel like they’d clash with the style of dress you’re describing, though, and you wouldn’t look entirely ‘put together’. I reckon they could work with a tapered trousers/shirt/blazer combo, and look really cool though.

How about something like this sort of vibe - good quality, refined, understated, comfy?

www.jonesbootmaker.com/products/leather-ballerina-flats-hogl31505-317-841?variant=39665986961471&gclid=CjwKCAjw9-KTBhBcEiwAr19igwfgsZc05DzD-FPj73AqqJyt_U7e0rCy0JGChzb2qyVSaP0gSoVPlxoC3p0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Oooh I really like the shoe in the first link!

@breatheinskipthegym those are lovely! My feet don't seem to want to keep shoes like that on so maybe I'll find something similar with a strap.

I'll go with the prevailing wisdom here and look for something like the ones you've suggested or a loafer.

The interview is within HE for a student engagement role, I know that once you're in you can dress a bit more relaxed but I will err on the side of caution here, it would be a shame if I lost out because I am fussy about footwear!

Sorry this is the shoe in the first link I mentioned liking! I've not seen many loafers that feel 'me' but this is great.

Boots are lovely but some people will hate them. You can def wear them to work, but wear something boring for interview.

Last interview I went to I wore a black skirt suit, blouse and court shoes. I felt like Margaret Thatcher's sister and still come out in a cold sweat thinking about what the hell was I wearing.

Got the job and have worn jeans and similar boots to those ever since.

Good luck OP.

The platform-y loafers from Office are great too! Student Engagement role doesn’t sound like you need to veer too far into office/corporate wear. You could wear a more contemporary dress with those boots, for example. I think lots of us on this thread envisioned traditional shift dress when you described a black/navy office dress. Sounds like the sort of role you can express personality in, whilst being neat and approachable.

I think you could wear the boots you linked in your OP, or your existing DMs, just with an outfit that suits them. The cliché be comfortable, be yourself has so much truth.

Good luck with the interview!

The interview is within HE for a student engagement role, I know that once you're in you can dress a bit more relaxed but I will err on the side of caution here, it would be a shame if I lost out because I am fussy about footwear!

I work in HE and the manager 3 levels above me wears boots like that to work but I don't think she'd dare wear them to an internal interview for a promotion. Best to err on the side of caution but remember to ask about dress code during the interview. The rest of us all turned up wearing interview type outfits on our first day only to find most of the office dressed casual and the rest smart-casual.

Would be fine at my work, a professional work environment but very relaxed dress code. It all depends where the job is!

TBH if it is a proper interview i.e. marking yoru answers, then an interviewer would have to be completely unprofessional to downscore you on the basis of not liking your shoes, in which case you wouldn't want to work there anyway.

My workplace would downscore you for an offensive t-shirt or something completely out of order, but no way would shoes in the range of normal be top of the interviwer's mind. I hope.

I realise I am utterly bored of how shallow people are about things like shoes.

I think the issue is not really that someone will consciously downscore anyone for their shoes or clothes, but it all adds up to the general impression you give.

I recently interviewed people for my team remotely and someone sat really close to the camera all through the interview, so that their whole face barely fit on the screen. While that is obviously not a reason to hire or not and doesn't impact on their ability to do a job, it just made me feel really uncomfortable and that influenced the impression I had of that person.

I agree it would be unprofessional of the interviewer but in this situation, I wouldn’t take a risk.

Thank you all, and for wishing me luck! I ended up buying these: www.dunelondon.com/glowin-snaffle-trim-backless-loafers-black-0076500620075484.html

The dress I got is quite long so needed to go a non-clunky shoe.

@carefullycourageous I completely agree re: being tired about shallowness over things like shoes. I had hoped people WFH for so long would have eased 'standards' - I can't stand the thought of uncomfortable shoes now.

Why not go with a friend, take a smart pair of shoes with you, change from your comfy shoes into the smart shoes outside the venue, leave your comfy shoes with your friend and change back into them once the interview is over?🙂

I love them, but I'd probably go with a pair of ballet shoes coloured to match my outfit for the interview. Wear them once youve got the job!

Fashion companies I presume where it would matter for footwear.