Heading to the office for the first time at a new job can be intimidating. You’re worried about what your colleagues will be like, what your work environment could be like and what you have to wear.
Fortunately, it’s easy to look sharp and impress in every style of office. Here’s our guide to shoes that’ll turn heads in the workplace. If you’re looking for office shoe reviews and buying guides, then it’s also best that you take a visit to ShoeAdviser. They also feature reviews of shoes in different categories to help you choose the perfect footwear for all occasion.
Black Dress Shoes
The plain black dress shoe is a staple that you can wear to interview or your first day with confidence. However, there are more than one style of men’s formal shoe, so consider which you’ll choose with care. You can opt for a pointed toe oxford or a loafer style which forgoes laces.
A style that suits basically any formal occasion, you can wear these paired with smart trousers. Avoid pairing black dress shoes with denim.
Brogues
The brogue is arguably king of smart-casual. A menswear staple that began life as shoes used to traverse bogs, where the decorative ‘broguing’ was used to let water drain. Nowadays, the shoe style has developed into a must-have addition to any man’s wardrobe.
Brogues come in a few different styles but the most common are ‘wingtips.’ These have their decorative elements further up the shoe than others, and are the style seen in streetwear and office-wear alike. Brown brogues are the better purchase as they can be combined with navy trousers, black jeans and even blue denim for a striking but smart look.
Brown brogues, jeans, a shirt and blazer make a great office outfit than can be worn from the office into a night-out.
Monk straps
Monk straps occupy a space between dress shoes and broguing. They’re a fashionable yet formal piece of footwear available in all manner of styles and colours. A striking choice are double monk straps in black, which can add personality to a formal dress code. Alternatively, a brown pair can act as smart companions to rolled-up, coloured chinos.
Boots
Boots are a tricky issue in a workplace that sticks to any kind of formality. However, if there’s room for a bit of personality in your workplace then there’s room for a pair of smart boots. For shorter men, boots can give a confidence boost by adding a bit of height.
They’re also comfortable and extremely handy when the weather changes. A smart pair of leather work boots can be paired with a blazer and jeans for a great smart casual winter staple. Chelsea boots are growing in popularity and you can sneak a pair into an outfit with a suit for a confident look.
Loafers
While we’ve already discussed loafers under the dress shoe section, it’s worth noting how great they can be when worn in a smart casual workplace. Go sockless, wear loafers and you can wear either rolled up jeans and a blazer or trousers and a shirt (or even a tee!)
Because of their relaxed, confident style a loafer can help you stay relaxed at work and keep you cool in warmer weather.