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Featured Replies

Interwebz is telling me black shoes are the most conservative look with a blue suit for an interview, but I personally think this looks like shit. When choosing between brown or burgundy/oxblood, which is seen as more formal ?  I prefer burgundy but don't know if this is conservative enough for an interview. 

black is correct answer, unless you're a hipster douche

Cordovan/burgundy/oxblood is fine.  Black is certainly the IBM/FBI choice.  But fuck them.

Tan is sporty, but also fine.

Edited by TwiceHorn

Doesn’t matter.  What matters is a resume photo with you and a tree.

Style-Rite wingtips

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never go wrong with burgundy

Assume you mean a darker navy suit.  I think you’re ok with any of the choices but if you’re worried about someone with conservative tastes judging you, go with black shoes.

what industry?  How old are you or how many years of experience do you need for this job?  

Black is a correct choice for blue suit worn daytime or evening.   If you go with a middle tan shoe, that is acceptable during the daytime but not at night. Switch to black shoes with blue suit at night. 

Airline job? I'd wear black.

Law firm? Brown saddle oxfords with a dark blue (light navy) suit.

  • Author

Suit is maybe a shade lighter than a traditional navy. 

Interview is for a major airline, where everyone on the panel will probably be over 45. 

I know black is the safe bet, but I'm wondering how out of place I'll look with brown or burgundy.  I like the look much better, and a part of me thinks I'm overthinking this and they won't give a fuck what color my shoes are.  So is brown/burgundy perfectly acceptable in a setting like this, or is it the equivalent of wearing a skinny tie?  These questions are coming from a guy that's worn a flight suit every day for the past 11 years and only wears suits to funerals or weddings.

Edited by Assman

1 minute ago, Assman said:

Suit is maybe a shade lighter than a traditional navy. 

Interview is for a major airline, where everyone on the panel will probably be over 45. 

I know black is the safe bet, but I'm wondering how out of place I'll look with brown or burgundy.  I like the look much better, and a part of me thinks I'm overthinking this and they won't give a fuck what color my shoes are.  So is brown/burgundy perfectly acceptable in a setting like this, or is it the equivalent of wearing a skinny tie?  These questions are coming from a guy that's worn a flight suit every day for the past 11 years and only wears suits to funerals or weddings.

With burgundy/cordovan, the only people who might judge you are sartorial nazis or prudes.  The former naval aviators will approve.

If you have to ask and you think it might make a difference, why not just wear the black shoes?  Good luck with the interview.

10 hours ago, Assman said:

Interwebz is telling me black shoes are the most conservative look with a blue suit for an interview, but I personally think this looks like shit. When choosing between brown or burgundy/oxblood, which is seen as more formal ?  I prefer burgundy but don't know if this is conservative enough for an interview. 

Black.

27 minutes ago, Assman said:

 

Interview is for a major airline, where everyone on the panel will probably be over 45. 

 

Make that 100% black.

Doesn't matter as much as your belt and socks.

A Brit would go with black.  An Italian would go brown.  In America its divided and seems to depend on age.  Since the people you are interviewing with are old . . . black is the safest choice.  However, very dark brown or corodovan shoes rarely look out of place.   

  

Shoes are for conformists. Display your primate dominance by scaling the lobby sculpture with the help of your toe-thumbs.

re blue suit and brown shoes, the darker the blue, the darker the brown shoes.

blue suit, saddle colored shoes.

dark navy suit, dark brown shoes.  this why burgundy goes well with dark navy suits.

 

i am also of the opinion of brown shoes during the day, black shoes at night.  this is especially true of formal and business events.

Edited by crash_davis

Wear whatever color shoes Pete Campbell wore to daytime work events.

Look good. Feel good. Play good. 

 

Wear whatever makes you feel the most confident.

6 hours ago, Assman said:

Interview is for a major airline, where everyone on the panel will probably be over 45. 

bbolton.jpg

You don't wear a suit. You show up in jeans, full quill ostrich luccheses, a nice shirt, and a sports coat. 

You then leave the interview with 51% equity in the company. 

 

Edited by housious
Nobody cares about your shoes. They all dread doing interviews and will forget about you 10 minutes after you leave.

5d3f3a74-bc75-4bd3-8d90-f27fee6c2bff_1.d

15 hours ago, phdhorn said:

Definitely go with the black:
 

s-l640.jpg

Got dammit you beat me to it

Shoes honestly are one of the best ways to tell men who know their shit about dressing well.  Oxblood is fine, but a matching belt is a necessity to me.  I always liked Oxblood the best with a blue suit, thankfully I don't wear a suit now except when people die, or get married...

The other thing that is interesting is when you see a great suit with shit shoes, ruins the whole illusion. 

Good job with normal people that has potential - black shoes.

Hipster douche job with whiny millennials - brown shoes.

Do you already have nice black shoes? If so I'd just wear them to be safe even if you don't think they look the best. I wouldn't go buy new ones though just for this.

 

I wear burgundy shoes regularly with navy that are dark enough that they look black in certain lighting. I also have dark brown that I'd have no issue wearing to an interview. I probably wouldn't wear my tan ones though.

You don't wear a suit. You show up in jeans, full quill ostrich luccheses, a nice shirt, and a sports coat. 
You then leave the interview with 51% equity in the company. 
 



“You fellers have a coffee cup and a couple napkins? ...ah shit, don’t mind me I’ll just use this dead soldier for a spitter. *thunk-thunk thunk*”

Do it for Rex!

This thread reminds me of why I follow a road warrior business dress code.  No need to overthink silly stuff like "what color ____ will I wear today."

Navy blue or gray suits.  Solid white or blue shirts.  Reddish ties (when I wear a tie, rarely lately).  Black lace-up shoes.  Black belt.  Not flashy, but uncomplicated and I'm pretty sure that my attire has never been an issue in a business setting.

Black, assuming it's a dark blue or navy suit.  You mentioned lighter blue in which case, dark cordovan (referring to oxblood color... not necessarily cordovan leather if you don't already own them) would likely be more appropriate depending on how light the blue is; you could also hip it up a little and do a chocolate/tobacco color in pebbled or suede leather.  The tan shoes look with blue isn't really appropriate unless it's a cotton, lighter color, more casual suit and even then I'd only do that if you have tan suede.... and none of that is relevant to your question anyway.

All that said, I wouldn't recommend wearing a lighter blue suit in the first place to an interview with the audience you described. 

 I think once you tell them your name is Assman  The shoe color choice is going to become irrelevant.  

Good luck!

Cmon dude.  You're from the Brown Shoe Navy!  Wear those cordovan kicks with pride and let the chair force fehgs in their black patent shoes suck your jetwash!

On 2/13/2019 at 8:03 AM, Assman said:

 

Interview is for a major airline, where everyone on the panel will probably be over 45. 

 

1

Years ago I had an old, in upper management, once comment on a pair of shoes i wore.  No laces.  He commented that it says something about a person who doesn't tie his shoes.  So many responses ran thru my mind.  I bit my tongue.  Some antiquated old fucks out there.       

2 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Cmon dude.  You're from the Brown Shoe Navy!  Wear those cordovan kicks with pride and let the chair force fehgs in their black patent shoes suck your jetwash!

Nah man he is Chair Force. 

11 minutes ago, Leeroy Jenkins said:

Nah man he is Chair Force. 

Oh.  Shit.  Sorry.  No wonder he's so confused.

On 2/13/2019 at 3:07 PM, horn4life said:

thankfully I don't wear a suit now except when people die, or get married...

Amen to this!

Shoes are for suckers.

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