Winter interview footwear Forum

[downsouth]

So this might sound odd...but what should you wear shoe-wise to interview when it's snowing out/has just snowed? Where I work, I would just wear snow boots in and change into regular shows in the office, but I don't know how that flies for an interview.

And for clarification, I'm male.

Thanks all.

[HonestAdvice]

Why can't you wear boots, and change when you get into the building? You could probably put them in a plastic bag, and ask the receptionist to hold onto it. Many, if not a majority of people change shoes in the office after snowstorms.

[RaceJudicata]

Get some galoshes and throw them in your briefcase/bag.
Take them off in the building lobby before heading into interview. They'll fit in bag no problem.

[zhenders]

Please don't hand your boots to the receptionist and ask them to hold onto them.

+1 to galoshes.

[curepure]

Leave your boots in the coatroom, hopefully the firm you interview with has a reception area. Wear dress shoes.

[RaceJudicata]

Reception: "Hold on to these for me"

[Rlabo]

I actually lost a round in a mock trial once because I had been wearing (all black) snowboots. Guess the jury didn't care that there was 3 feet of snow outside. That was a *mock* trial - wear dress shoes.

[bearsfan23]

Wear dress shoes. No question about it.

Just get them professionally polished afterwards though

[Nebby]

Wear dress shoes. No question about it.

Just get them professionally polished afterwards though

Plus unless you're interviewing in some bumfuck place, the sidewalks will be clear in the downtown area where the office is likely located.

[Lincoln]

https://www.swims.com/mens/galoshes/

I still wear the same dress shoes I bought my first week as an SA because these babies keep them clean and dry year-round.

[Anonymous User]

Related: What do you do if you're a woman and you know that the place you're going to is not going to have a coatroom in reception/has not historically offered to take your coat or anything? Is it acceptable for me to carry around a large tote to put them in when I change into pumps (wearing pumps in the snow is not an option)?

[Lincoln]

Related: What do you do if you're a woman and you know that the place you're going to is not going to have a coatroom in reception/has not historically offered to take your coat or anything? Is it acceptable for me to carry around a large tote to put them in when I change into pumps (wearing pumps in the snow is not an option)?

As a man who works at a big firm, I haven't encountered this before, but I wouldn't think twice about an interviewee carrying a tote into the interview.

[dudders]

As with most interview attire questions, the answer kind of depends on where you live and what you're interviewing for. I live in CO, there was literally a foot of unplowed snow in the parking lot yesterday (nothing like swimming into the building ... ) - no one here cares if you wear snow boots all day. As long as you're not trying to stuff Sorels under tapered pants or something ridiculous. People might find it weirder in a place where there's 3/4 inches of snow outside and/or it's just cold and icy.

For an interview where I'm actually concerned about what I'm wearing, either bring a bag you can classily put your boots in (in the event you're carrying it around with you, if there's no where to leave it), or if you drive and can park close, change in the car and just suck it up for the shuffle across the parking lot.

Longterm solution - find winter snow appropriate shoes you would wear to court or an interview. there are decent, leather, non-bulky, ankle boots and chukkas out there. just make sure they look good with your suit. here's some style inspiration: https://www.mrporter.com/journal/the-ed ... -suits/144

[Anonymous User]

As with most interview attire questions, the answer kind of depends on where you live and what you're interviewing for. I live in CO, there was literally a foot of unplowed snow in the parking lot yesterday (nothing like swimming into the building ... ) - no one here cares if you wear snow boots all day. As long as you're not trying to stuff Sorels under tapered pants or something ridiculous. People might find it weirder in a place where there's 3/4 inches of snow outside and/or it's just cold and icy.

For an interview where I'm actually concerned about what I'm wearing, either bring a bag you can classily put your boots in (in the event you're carrying it around with you, if there's no where to leave it), or if you drive and can park close, change in the car and just suck it up for the shuffle across the parking lot.

Longterm solution - find winter snow appropriate shoes you would wear to court or an interview. there are decent, leather, non-bulky, ankle boots and chukkas out there. just make sure they look good with your suit. here's some style inspiration: https://www.mrporter.com/journal/the-ed ... -suits/144

Are there similar court-appropriate snow shoes for women?

[dudders]

As a woman in a very snowy climate, i typically just wear dresses with tights and boots all winter. These even fly in court with a suit dress and blazer, as well as with more biz casual (or with jeans on the weekends). The trick is finding something leather, streamlined, with a great winter traction sole, with non-bulky lining (so my feet won't get cold shoveling the driveway or if i'm outside for a long period of time). You just want something that looks professional, and basically not like a "snow boot." I would feel fine wearing these to a snowy winter interview for most jobs where I live, unless I was wearing a full skirt suit instead of separates. Something about matchy-matchy suit just screams heels.

My current go-to pair is these (from last year):
https://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Womens-C ... UO24E?th=1

[Anonymous User]

Anyone in NYC been able to wear boots like that/a similar option to an interview? I feel like they would stand out here, but maybe I just worked with unusually formal people.

[JenDarby]

The

Anyone in NYC been able to wear boots like that/a similar option to an interview? I feel like they would stand out here, but maybe I just worked with unusually formal people.

I wouldn't wear those (or any boots) to an interview in NYC. For women I recommend picking a pair of shoes or boots you can put in a tote bag and changing into interview appropriate shoes (be it pumps or flats) in the lobby.

I usually wore ankle rain boots and carried a longchamp bag (big enough to hold a pair of shoes, easily cleaned, zips for discretion) to put them in.

[A. Nony Mouse]

As a woman in a very snowy climate, i typically just wear dresses with tights and boots all winter. These even fly in court with a suit dress and blazer, as well as with more biz casual (or with jeans on the weekends). The trick is finding something leather, streamlined, with a great winter traction sole, with non-bulky lining (so my feet won't get cold shoveling the driveway or if i'm outside for a long period of time). You just want something that looks professional, and basically not like a "snow boot." I would feel fine wearing these to a snowy winter interview for most jobs where I live, unless I was wearing a full skirt suit instead of separates. Something about matchy-matchy suit just screams heels.

My current go-to pair is these (from last year):
https://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Womens-C ... UO24E?th=1

I wouldn't wear those to an interview (though I like them), and wouldn't wear them to court. I think you can wear leather dress-type boots under a pants suit to an interview, but not with a skirt suit (which is the only thing I'd wear to an interview, not separates), though I think you can wear dressy leather boots to court if it's not trial. And many dress boots aren't going to be much better in snow than heels (though warmer), so I'd go with carrying pumps in a tote or parking as close as possible and walking carefully.

[AVBucks4239]

I personally wear tennis shoes and change in my office. If it was an interview I'd just wear dress shoes and then polish them afterwards.

This is one of those paralysis by analysis things--don't overthink it, people give a lot less of a shit than you think.

[dudders]

The

Anyone in NYC been able to wear boots like that/a similar option to an interview? I feel like they would stand out here, but maybe I just worked with unusually formal people.

I wouldn't wear those (or any boots) to an interview in NYC. For women I recommend picking a pair of shoes or boots you can put in a tote bag and changing into interview appropriate shoes (be it pumps or flats) in the lobby.

I usually wore ankle rain boots and carried a longchamp bag (big enough to hold a pair of shoes, easily cleaned, zips for discretion) to put them in.

Agreed. NYC gotta change your shoes and stash em in a bag.

Like I said, it's job and location dependent. Some people can walk into the office and change their shoes; others are constantly on the move in and out all day. Some people live in LA and think this is an absurd conversation. I work in a super casual region and that's just how it is. Jackets/suits aren't required and are not the norm, even in court. We also get 400+ inches of snow every year. No one here will be offended if you don't wear hilariously impractical (and moderately dangerous) footwear. If you live in a place that truly gets snow and crazy winter (not just the occasional dusting), you need to find some sort of compromise footwear.

That said, I've also lived places where I wouldn't go to an interview without nylons or in flats, even during an urban snowstorm. If you don't know the expectations, definitely err on the side of formality.