Figuring out what shoes to wear to the office is difficult, especially in the summer. Like, is Richard in accounting going to get his delicate sensibilities offended by the sight of my bare toes? But at the same time, why should I have to sweat my feet off in close-toed heels? Let’s start with what you shouldn’t wear. Anything that resembles something you would find in a retirement home is a no-go. Feel like that should go without saying, but figured I’d spell it out for you so there’s no confusion. The basic rule here is that anything that looks too comfortable is also probs too ugly.
Now that I’ve laid the groundwork of what not to wear, let’s discuss some alternatives to your tacky Naturalizers. Shoes are something worth investing in, especially shoes to wear to the office, because you’re going to be wearing them every day. If you wear crappy shoes, then no one is going to take you seriously (and your feet will hurt). You can say looks don’t matter all you want, but how you choose to present yourself undoubtedly affects people’s perception of you. And, if perception didn’t matter, then you wouldn’t have spent two hours doing your makeup for the beach, just to get a bikini pic for your perfectly curated Insta feed. So we can agree—how you look does matter. That being said, you don’t need to spend tons of money on your shoes, but you do need to take the time to make sure you’re finding quality ones.
Finding stylish shoes to wear to the office is especially hard during the summer, but luckily, you have me. These shoes are work-appropriate and won’t leave your feet sweaty and gross, and they also won’t leave you with an HR complaint.
1. Mules
Fortunately for you and your otherwise pitiful office wardrobe, mules are currently back in style. This is great because they’re, like, legit everywhere right now and there are some really cute styles out there. Mules look great with everything from your tailored pants to your pencil skirt. And, most importantly, the open back allows your foot to breathe. I probably would stay away from the open-toed styles unless you know for sure your office is okay with that, and even then, I’d probs stick with a more subtle peep toe. Like, woahhh don’t want to be considered the office slut because you’re strutting around the office exposing your bare toes! Just use your best judgement and be mindful of your office’s “culture.”
Jeffrey Campbell Complete Plaid point toe pumps
Dolce Vita Cinda point toe mule
2. Open Back Flats
To quote Hannah Montana, you get the best of both worlds with open back flats: no heel (more comfortable) and no back (more breathable). Open back flats look polished and professional. There’s just something sweet and innocent about a flat—like, no one would suspect that the girl in flats spent the majority of the workday in the bathroom scrolling through Instagram…speaking for a friend of course…
Rebecca Minkoff Alexis Bow point toe flats
Raye x Stone Cold Fox Kensie slide
3. Slingback Pumps
As much as I hate to say it, this may be the only time and place where kitten heels make sense. Slingback pumps are the perfect summer shoes to wear to the office because they offer a breathable open back heel, plus a strap around the ankle so that you can actually walk in them. Please don’t make it weird by wearing full-blown stilettos to your 9-5. Who would have thought Caila Quinn might have been on to something with her kitten heels? Turns out, there are actually a lot of cute styles of slingback pumps with kitten heels that aren’t basic.
Sam Edelman Ludlow slingback pump
Linea Paolo Carly slingback pump
In addition to those, you could also toss in a loafer or a short ankle boot to wear to work in the summer as well, but just know they’re a lot less breathable. I gave you a fuck ton of suggestions for each style of shoe, so if you don’t like any of them, this is no longer my problem.
Images: Shopbop (5); Revolve; Nordstrom (3)
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