Shoes for Men

Believe it or not, there's more to it than just your average dress shoes. It's important that you wear comfortable footwear because face it, you'll be wearing them the whole day until you get home. Depending on your workplace, certain types of shoes must be worn, if not, then a guideline on what types of shoes is usually laid out.

Waiters
Having a service job means you'll be walking and standing all day. Comfortable shoes is a must and will also protect your back from standing long periods of time. With that, restaurants normally mandate that employees wear black leather shoes, so choose a pair with non-slip grip with cushion inside to avoid slipping in case of accidents.

Construction
Construction jobs mean heavy duty work and your safety is of importance. Your shoes must be durable and should have a safety feature, whether it's steel-toe shoes or support all around. I would suggest a pair of shoes with insulated and waterproof leather with steel-toe protection feature, so that in case of an accident, your foot doesn't become severed.

Office
Choosing work shoes for office jobs is really easy. There's no standards as long as they're clean. Some work places even lets you wear running shoes as long as they're neat and clean... Just don't pick one with flashy colors. Black leather is always safe. Loafers and Oxfords are usually the popular ones to wear at work because they're comfortable and formal with still keeping that simple look.

Shoes for Women

When it comes to shoes for women, I'm sure most of us has a closet or two dedicated to shoes alone -- if not a closet, then at least owning more than 15 pairs. From flip flops to "pumps", we'll cover it all on what type of shoes qualify for your job.

High heel shoes gives the confidence in women that would typically generate positivity or even smartness. In addition to that, I believe that wearing heels also gives that 'attitude' that women needs in a male-domination world (although that theory is beginning to deplete slowly as we speak).

Here are 3 tips or guidelines to typically abide by when it comes to wearing heels or shoes in general:

1. Observe what your co-workers are wearing, especially to those who's position you want to get into next ;)
2. Don't give up your own style in order to "fit in" because everyone is entitled to their own flare or 'pizzazz' as long as it's not too eye-catching. You don't want to stick out (negatively) like a sore thumb.
3. If you're still unsure, you can try this little trick. Try dressing conservatively with them at first and slowly switch over, experimenting on what might be too 'loud' within your workplace.

Obvious-but-must-be-stated-rules:

→ 'Blacks' and 'browns' are always safe colors when it comes to any type of shoe. In some countries, sandals are even accepted as long as they're in leather or synthetic -- not fabric or canvas! If your company allows sandals, try to avoid strappy sandals because it tones down the professional look ten-fold. Lastly, as much as you love them, flip flops and plastics are a definite NO in most cases.

→ Don't wear pumps or closed shoes if temperature doesn't allow it. Example: If you're wearing a jacket (even in hot weather), don't wear sandals.

→ Don't wear socks with sandals (although it apparently may be the new spring/summer trend of 2012) but always wear socks with runners and boots. Try to avoid socks made out of synthetic material because they don't absorb sweat well at all! It gives off a funky smell mid-day and can be damaging to the skin as well.

→ Some colors I suggest you stay away from would be yellow or deep red. Anything that sets too much attention towards the shoes, distracting fellow co-workers is a no-no. I think that anything extravagantly bright or showy like gold and silver are not suited for the work place in general.

All in all, like I always say -- ALWAYS ASK TO BE SURE!

What do you think is good enough for YOUR workplace?

1....2....or 3?