Need Advice: Dress Shoes for Interviews, Cost no Object - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by daigo 

 

Interesting looking pair of shoes.  Hopefully you went into the shop to try them on prior to purchase as comfort for yourself is important, especially when going through an interview. 

I'll be trying them on Thursday. Would never even consider buying shoes without trying them on for fit first.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssrock64 

They got pissed off at me for mentioning a cheap South Korean style brand once, but probably for good reason. I only log onto there when I have to because I know absolutely nothing about their passion. I just wear what I like when I see it.

I think "I just wear what I like when I see it" is a reasonable approach, especially for somebody who isn't heavily invested in clothing/style.  It's no different from when people don't understand headphone enthusiasts.  Different strokes for different folks.  I'd personally rather spend the money on yet another amp, but interviews are a different story.  It's what I'd call a "special consideration", an extenuating circumstance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JadeEast 

Get some shoe trees, cream, and a brush if your investing in a pair that nice. 

I believe the shoes will come with trees, but I will certainly purchase them if they don't.  I'll also be getting a leather care kit with cream and the works.  I intend to take very good care of these shoes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Doug 

must be a relatively informal setting, where you are simply expected to dress well?  typically monkstraps are considered very informal - for interviews, nothing says class like oxfords

You might be right.  That's a good point to consider.  I'll ask at the store which would be more appropriate for interviews.  I suspect the suit pant leg would mostly cover the straps, but I'll definitely make some inquiries into the appropriateness of monkstrap vs. oxford.

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Doug 

just noticed the Edward Green part of your statement - very nice indeed, though I wouldn't pay that much for off-the-shelf shoes ever.  it's only a few hundred more for their bespoke offerings, if you're going to be into nice shoes in the long run. 

 

unless you think the psychological boost you'll get from $1k shoes is worth it, i'd suggest going with something alone the lines of Bruno Magli, Ferragamo, or Allen Edmonds - extremely soft and fine leathers that will last you 20 years, but at half the price

Again, good point.  In this case, the problem with bespoke would be that Edward Green doesn't have any shops in the US, so the order would have to go to England.  It's definitely a possibility, but I'm working within a 4-6 week timeframe.  If they can get the shoes back to me appropriately quickly, then I'd be happy to pursue this option, especially considering it's only slightly more expensive.

I'm also looking into Allen Edmonds, Alden, Crockett & Jones, Johnston & Murphy, Gaziano & Girling, John Lobb, Carmina and a few others, but I honestly haven't seen a classier-looking pair of shoes than the Edward Green Westminster, so I think I might already be psychologically locked into getting them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey 

In what industry are you interviewing, OP?

I'd rather not say.  People on Head-Fi can be judgmental.  One of my friends publicly disclosed on HF that he was a lawyer, and he later caught flak for it when he made a post about poor customer service from a headphone company.  People gave him crap on the grounds that he was just making a big deal about it because he was a lawyer, even though that had nothing to do with it.  Sorry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey 

No worries, I understand.  I'm a lawyer and have seen plenty of morons here come out of the woodwork with their opinions on my chosen profession.  One thing to inquire about with the Edward Green shoes is whether they provide an official recrafting service for when the shoes begin to wear.  Allen Edmonds and Alden and others do this, but I'm not sure about others.

 

Good look on the job hunt.  I agree that every little thing counts, especially in this job market.  When I interview people, I don't pay attention to the brand of shoe or how "fashion-forward" they are, but I do certainly notice whether they are appropriate and in good condition.

Thank you sir.  I will ask the shop about recrafting when I go there in person tomorrow. Hopefully they won't have to send them back to England if the need should arise.

I also very much value your opinion as an interviewer, and I will keep in mind what you've stated.  Given the fact that you pay attention to the condition of an interviewee's footwear (and expecting other interviewers to do so), I'll make sure to perform regular maintenance between interviews.  Do you have any thoughts on galoshes or some other workaround for inclement weather?  I ran into this problem last year (ended up jury-rigging a ridiculous solution with some plastic bags), and I was considering wearing a pair of beaters and then changing into dress shoes at the interview site, but that might be construed as a bit strange.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey 

I wouldn't worry too much re the weather.  The interviewer likely will have dealt with the same conditions.  Just care for them and get them shined/buffed/whatever before each interview and you'll be fine.  I guess I should clarify--I don't notice whether shoes look spectacular, I just notice if someone doesn't give a crap.  And I'm sure you know this, but this is an almost subconscious notation.  The shoes are, at the end of the day, not that important, though I do understand your concerns.  Spelling and grammar mistakes in letters/resume will get an interviewee dinged with me faster than if he showed up wearing assless chaps to the interview.

Alright, sounds great.  I'm a little bit OCD anyway, so cleaning/shining them between interviews won't be a problem.

I guess the shoes are one of those things that can't help you, but they can hurt you.  Most people I've talked to said they're not likely to be noticed though, unless they're ridiculously ostentatious or they look like complete crap.

And I'll definitely make sure to run a spell check. 

Thanks again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by devgru 

Haven't read the entire thread, but I've only once been interviewed by someone who 1) could recognize a pair of customs/$500 shoes, or 2) was wearing a pair of $500 shoes (arbitrary figure). It was at a NY fund and you're not interviewed by human resource personnel. Anyway, you have to reconcile the salary with the wardrobe outlay. Will coming in with $3k in clothes alienate the interviewer? Is the job worth the outlay (significantly >$100K in salary)?

 

Anyway, I am a clothes horse and figure you can't go wrong with Tod's. I am not a fan of Brooks Bros, as most of their stuff is ill-fitting IMO, and a similarly priced bespoke suit (they are out there) will offer a superior fit and "finish".

 

Can't go wrong with a nice pair of wing-tips (not my style).

I have definitely considered the cost of clothes vs. interviewer/job salary.  I'm going to get nice things that are as understated as possible (charcoal suit, black shoes, no wingtips, no pocket square, no crazy seven-fold ties, no French cuffs, no cufflinks, etc.).  I prefer the understated look anyway.

I was considering wingtips for a while (they're a great look), but reading up on some "Interview 101" type material made me a bit reluctant to get a pair for interview use.  Most of the stuff I've read and most of the people I've talked to said to keep it simple.  I'm only looking at the double monk because I find straps easier than laces, but I'll get a better idea tomorrow and I'll go with laces if that's more situationally appropriate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey 

This is a good point.  Any and all observations I offer in this thread assume you are not dealing with someone in HR.  Hopefully, you are either past that point or in an industry where HR's input is meaningless.

Yeah, HR has nothing to do with hiring for the job.