I recently got a reader question asking whether she could interview in patent leather heels, and I thought it might make an interesting discussion here: what ARE the rules for interview shoes? What have you heard, what have you been advised, and what would you advise women interviewing at conservative offices to wear for shoes? I know we’ve talked about whether you can interview in 4″ heels in the past — as well as whether you can interview in flats — and of course I do a yearly roundup suggesting the best black heels for business attire, but I don’t think we’ve talked about the rules for interview shoes in a separate post.

(And it’s funny, because one might say, “there are no rules!” and then you see the stock photo above and I, at least, would say “eeesh, please not those 4″ platform heels,” so… there may be a few rules.)

So here are my thoughts on the rules for interview shoes, but I’d love to hear yours, readers…

The Best Height for Interview Shoes

The best height for interview shoes is the one you can walk in comfortably, and possibly quickly on the off chance your interviewer takes you to a lunch interview and has a long stride. For me that is definitely less than 4″ — probably more like 2-3″. Of course you can interview in flats if you want to or need to. 

These are some of our favorite comfortable low heels for work as of 2024… also check out CK Calvin Klein, Trotters, Sam Edelman, and Sarah Flynt!

{related: The Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels}

The Best Color for Interview Shoes

This is why navy suits are becoming less popular, I suspect — a lot of people aren’t comfortable wearing navy with black shoes, although you can (the main rule about wearing black and navy together is to make it look intentional, and not like you got dressed in the dark!). That said, Cordovan, a reddish hue, looks nice with navy and is very traditional — but otherwise I think your money is best spent on black heels; gray or navy heels might also work but they’re harder to find.

These are some of our favorite heels as of 2024, but check out our entire Guide to Comfortable Heels!

{related: the best interview attire for different types of jobs}

The Best Texture for Interview Heels

Can you interview in patent pumps? Sure you can. Admittedly they’re more bound by trend than you’d expect — at the moment I think suede is far more common than patent, for example — but I’d worry if your interviewer “dinged” you for wearing patent pumps, unless you’re interviewing for a fashion job.

If you’re buying something new, look for something that will be easy to maintain — you definitely don’t want to interview with scuffs or damaged heels.

(Here’s our older post with our best tips for shoe care for women.)

I wouldn’t recommend suede or fabric unless they’re waterproof, if only because you may end up going to a lunch or to a second building during your interview and you don’t want to have to worry about your shoes getting wet.

An embossed or textured leather (or an actual embossed snakeskin or alligator shoe) would be fine so long as it’s a solid-colored shoe — think Brooks Brothers more than runway.

{related: The Corporette Guide to Interview Suits}

Other Details for Interview Pumps: Bows, Platforms, Straps, and More

This depends so heavily on the shoe and the woman wearing it that I would generally say: proceed with caution. For bows I would say probably not, but there are some great Ferragamo and Cole Haan heels (affiliate links) of varying heights that feature bows that have been long-standing reader favorites.

For platforms, I would say probably not — but there are some comfort shoes with a “hidden” platform, designed to make the actual heel height lower (for example, this one) — and if that’s what you need to walk comfortably, then go for it. For straps on interview heels, again I would probably say no — but then again we all know I love a good strappy heel in large part because I find them more walkable (this one, for example, has been around forever).

Some of our latest favorite strappy heels include these…

As of 2024, these are our latest favorite strappy heels for work (below) — also check the brands J.Crew, Valentino, Tamara Mellon, and Jennifer Chamandi for strappy pumps. If you’re looking for strappy commuting shoes with heels to maintain a hem length, we recommend Dansko or Fly London.

Readers, what are your thoughts — what are the rules for interview shoes for women? What do you strive to find for yourself to feel comfortable and confident in your interview attire — and, if you interview people, what would you actually ding someone for or hold against them if they wore to an interview (if anything)?

Stock photo: Deposit Photos / cokacoka. 

The post What Are the Rules for Interview Shoes? Heels, Patent, Fabric, and More appeared first on Corporette.com.

Workwear sales of note for 1.21.24

Our favorites are in bold!

• Amour Vert – End of season clearance: up to 70% off (readers love this short-sleeved silk blouse, some colors down to $59)
• Ann Taylor – 25% off full-price purchase, and extra 60% off 2+ sale styles (ends 1/22)
• Banana Republic – Up to 60% off sale styles plus an extra 25% off sale styles (ends 1/23)
• Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything plus extra 20% off purchase
• Club Monaco – Extra 60% off all sale
• Eloquii – $19+ select styles; 40% off everything else
• Everlane – Up to 70% off sale; reader favorites include the Dream Pant, their ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and their oversized blazers!
• J.Crew – Winter layers $24.50+; select cashmere from $49.50; up to extra 60% sale styles — readers love this blazer, this blazer, these pants, and their sweater blazers
• J.Crew Factory – Extra 70% off clearance; up to 60% off everything; readers love the schoolboy sweater blazer
• Lands’ End – Sleepwear from $19; 60% off everything else plus free shipping
• Nordstrom – 5x the points on beauty; sale, new markdowns added
• Reiss – Up to 60% off
• Talbots – Extra 60% off markdown sweaters, coats, scarves, and shoes; 50% off all other markdowns (here are all the reader favorites at Talbots)

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Stay tuned for a list of our latest threadjacks!

The post Coffee Break – ‘Gardner’ Pump appeared first on Corporette.com.

Workwear sales of note for 1.21.24

Our favorites are in bold!

• Amour Vert – End of season clearance: up to 70% off (readers love this short-sleeved silk blouse, some colors down to $59)
• Ann Taylor – 25% off full-price purchase, and extra 60% off 2+ sale styles (ends 1/22)
• Banana Republic – Up to 60% off sale styles plus an extra 25% off sale styles (ends 1/23)
• Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything plus extra 20% off purchase
• Club Monaco – Extra 60% off all sale
• Eloquii – $19+ select styles; 40% off everything else
• Everlane – Up to 70% off sale; reader favorites include the Dream Pant, their ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and their oversized blazers!
• J.Crew – Winter layers $24.50+; select cashmere from $49.50; up to extra 60% sale styles — readers love this blazer, this blazer, these pants, and their sweater blazers
• J.Crew Factory – Extra 70% off clearance; up to 60% off everything; readers love the schoolboy sweater blazer
• Lands’ End – Sleepwear from $19; 60% off everything else plus free shipping
• Nordstrom – 5x the points on beauty; sale, new markdowns added
• Reiss – Up to 60% off
• Talbots – Extra 60% off markdown sweaters, coats, scarves, and shoes; 50% off all other markdowns (here are all the reader favorites at Talbots)

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Stay tuned for a list of our latest threadjacks!

The post Coffee Break – Valentina printed patent pumps appeared first on Corporette.com.

Workwear sales of note for 1.21.24

Our favorites are in bold!

• Amour Vert – End of season clearance: up to 70% off (readers love this short-sleeved silk blouse, some colors down to $59)
• Ann Taylor – 25% off full-price purchase, and extra 60% off 2+ sale styles (ends 1/22)
• Banana Republic – Up to 60% off sale styles plus an extra 25% off sale styles (ends 1/23)
• Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything plus extra 20% off purchase
• Club Monaco – Extra 60% off all sale
• Eloquii – $19+ select styles; 40% off everything else
• Everlane – Up to 70% off sale; reader favorites include the Dream Pant, their ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and their oversized blazers!
• J.Crew – Winter layers $24.50+; select cashmere from $49.50; up to extra 60% sale styles — readers love this blazer, this blazer, these pants, and their sweater blazers
• J.Crew Factory – Extra 70% off clearance; up to 60% off everything; readers love the schoolboy sweater blazer
• Lands’ End – Sleepwear from $19; 60% off everything else plus free shipping
• Nordstrom – 5x the points on beauty; sale, new markdowns added
• Reiss – Up to 60% off
• Talbots – Extra 60% off markdown sweaters, coats, scarves, and shoes; 50% off all other markdowns (here are all the reader favorites at Talbots)

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Stay tuned for a list of our latest threadjacks!

The post Coffee Break – Salena Suede Caged Platform Pumps appeared first on Corporette.com.

Workwear sales of note for 1.21.24

Our favorites are in bold!

• Amour Vert – End of season clearance: up to 70% off (readers love this short-sleeved silk blouse, some colors down to $59)
• Ann Taylor – 25% off full-price purchase, and extra 60% off 2+ sale styles (ends 1/22)
• Banana Republic – Up to 60% off sale styles plus an extra 25% off sale styles (ends 1/23)
• Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything plus extra 20% off purchase
• Club Monaco – Extra 60% off all sale
• Eloquii – $19+ select styles; 40% off everything else
• Everlane – Up to 70% off sale; reader favorites include the Dream Pant, their ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and their oversized blazers!
• J.Crew – Winter layers $24.50+; select cashmere from $49.50; up to extra 60% sale styles — readers love this blazer, this blazer, these pants, and their sweater blazers
• J.Crew Factory – Extra 70% off clearance; up to 60% off everything; readers love the schoolboy sweater blazer
• Lands’ End – Sleepwear from $19; 60% off everything else plus free shipping
• Nordstrom – 5x the points on beauty; sale, new markdowns added
• Reiss – Up to 60% off
• Talbots – Extra 60% off markdown sweaters, coats, scarves, and shoes; 50% off all other markdowns (here are all the reader favorites at Talbots)

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Stay tuned for a list of our latest threadjacks!

The post Coffee Break – Patent & Hair Calf Ballet Pumps appeared first on Corporette.com.

Workwear sales of note for 1.21.24

Our favorites are in bold!

• Amour Vert – End of season clearance: up to 70% off (readers love this short-sleeved silk blouse, some colors down to $59)
• Ann Taylor – 25% off full-price purchase, and extra 60% off 2+ sale styles (ends 1/22)
• Banana Republic – Up to 60% off sale styles plus an extra 25% off sale styles (ends 1/23)
• Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything plus extra 20% off purchase
• Club Monaco – Extra 60% off all sale
• Eloquii – $19+ select styles; 40% off everything else
• Everlane – Up to 70% off sale; reader favorites include the Dream Pant, their ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and their oversized blazers!
• J.Crew – Winter layers $24.50+; select cashmere from $49.50; up to extra 60% sale styles — readers love this blazer, this blazer, these pants, and their sweater blazers
• J.Crew Factory – Extra 70% off clearance; up to 60% off everything; readers love the schoolboy sweater blazer
• Lands’ End – Sleepwear from $19; 60% off everything else plus free shipping
• Nordstrom – 5x the points on beauty; sale, new markdowns added
• Reiss – Up to 60% off
• Talbots – Extra 60% off markdown sweaters, coats, scarves, and shoes; 50% off all other markdowns (here are all the reader favorites at Talbots)

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Stay tuned for a list of our latest threadjacks!

The post Coffee Break – Air Lainey 55 appeared first on Corporette.com.