Take off the flats!

pwurple · 02-02-2015 4:20pm

I think pumps just mean they don't have straps across the front btw, nothing to do with the height. They can be heeled, or flat.

But flat is definitely a whole group of shoes that just don't have heels. Includes boots, wellies, flip flops, slippers, safety shoes etc.

challengemaster · 02-02-2015 4:20pm

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

For arguments sake, lets say they were. They're still not suitable for this time of year.

You seem to have forgotten rather quickly you're talking about office attire. In an office. INSIDE.

I don't see what time of year has to do with what clothing one wears inside a heated building? Should office workers be dressed for a trip up everest during winter?

02-02-2015 4:23pm

What kind of shoes are appropriate office attire OP?

Pippy1976 · 02-02-2015 4:37pm

Deleted User wrote: »

What kind of shoes are appropriate office attire OP?

Nice boots. Smart heels. Cool trainers.

It depends on the office. I guess ballet pumps would be suitable for an office. But I just don't like them.

Ireland'll have a 'dropped arches' epidemic, not to mention chronic chilblains outbreak! There is absolutely no warmth, support or comfort offered by a ballet flat.

v638sg7k1a92bx · 02-02-2015 4:41pm

challengemaster wrote: »

You seem to have forgotten rather quickly you're talking about office attire. In an office. INSIDE.

I don't see what time of year has to do with what clothing one wears inside a heated building? Should office workers be dressed for a trip up everest during winter?

Do you teleport to and form the office?

IF we used your rationale, there would be no such thing as spring/summer and autumn/winter clothing.

Pa-Ching!

v638sg7k1a92bx · 02-02-2015 4:45pm

Pippy1976 wrote: »

Nice boots. Smart heels. Cool trainers.

It depends on the office. I guess ballet pumps would be suitable for an office. But I just don't like them.

Ireland'll have a 'dropped arches' epidemic, not to mention chronic chilblains outbreak! There is absolutely no warmth, support or comfort offered by a ballet flat.

Yes, and they are absolutely everywhere.

challengemaster · 02-02-2015 4:46pm

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Do you teleport to and form the office?

IF we used your rationale, there would be no such thing as spring/summer and autumn/winter clothing.

Pa-Ching!

If we used your rationale, there would be no such thing as office attire.

DeltaWhite · 02-02-2015 4:47pm

Sorry OP, didnt realise you are a member of the fashion police.. If all you have to worry about is whether people are wearing flat shoes/pumps - can I have your life please?

In all seriousness, I'm 5ft11 - I am BLESSED that I don't have to wear heels everyday BLESSED I tells ya! I pity women who struggle in them all day just for some height. I'm lucky to be tall. I wear flats all the time, rain or shine and it doesn't bother me one bit

Your post reminds me a little of a girl I fell out with not so long ago. She said on FB that anyone who wears those type pumps should "kill themselves"

That girl was erased from my life immediately. Dont want someone like that in my life and I still fail to see what the big deal is! Wear what you want and dont mind anybody else's clothes ffs!! There's more important things in life to be worrying about!

fits · 02-02-2015 4:55pm

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Do you teleport to and form the office?

!

I cycle. In winter boots. And change when i get to office, into flats that are sometimes pumps.

v638sg7k1a92bx · 02-02-2015 4:56pm

DeltaWhite wrote: »

Sorry OP, didnt realise you are a member of the fashion police.. If all you have to worry about is whether people are wearing flat shoes/pumps - can I have your life please?

In all seriousness, I'm 5ft11 - I am BLESSED that I don't have to wear heels everyday BLESSED I tells ya! I pity women who struggle in them all day just for some height. I'm lucky to be tall. I wear flats all the time, rain or shine and it doesn't bother me one bit

Your post reminds me a little of a girl I fell out with not so long ago. She said on FB that anyone who wears those type pumps should "kill themselves"

That girl was erased from my life immediately. Dont want someone like that in my life and I still fail to see what the big deal is! Wear what you want and dont mind anybody else's clothes ffs!! There's more important things in life to be worrying about!

Why is everyone getting so dramatic over some shoes? Is this not the fashion and appearance forum.

Pippy1976 · 02-02-2015 4:59pm

DeltaWhite wrote: »

There's more important things in life to be worrying about!

You're right, there is.

However, it's also nice to be able to have an opinion on what items of clothing / footwear one likes to wear to one's job or not.

v638sg7k1a92bx · 02-02-2015 4:59pm

fits wrote: »

I cycle. In winter boots. And change when i get to office, into flats that are sometimes pumps.

So you wear summer shoes in the office all year around, I hope you don't need to go outside during the day, coffee, muffin etc? Anyway, it's no big deal, I personally don't like them and don't think they're appropriate for this time of year.

baby and crumble · 02-02-2015 5:05pm

1) Offices vary greatly. I have worked in an office environment where I could wear jeans and converse perfectly fine, and now I work where I need to be relatively smarter dressed, but don't need to pull out the big guns (i.e. suits etc.) unless I'm meeting clients/ attending an event as a representative of my organisation.

2) I'm all for appropriate clothing, (I've had arguments about TD's not wearing suits, for example) but it's appropriate for a number of things- your office, you daily activities in that office, the weather, the rest of your outfit).

3) Saying you think something looks stupid isn't a reason for a whole load of people to not wear it, and a man demanding that all women wear heels in the office or some such nonsense. I think men wearing black shoes with a navy suit looks stupid but I don't go around berating them for it.

fits · 02-02-2015 5:07pm

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

So you wear summer shoes in the office all year around, I hope you don't need to go outside during the day, coffee, muffin etc? Anyway, it's no big deal, I personally don't like them and don't think they're appropriate for this time of year.

If i need to go outside i put on the boots. Simplez! They are too warm to wear indoors.

Pippy1976 · 02-02-2015 5:09pm

baby and crumble wrote: »

I don't go around berating them for it.

Let's be clear, I don't go around 'berating' anyone for wearing ballet flats.

I do say to myself 'god, they look cold / wet / uncomfortable' though when I do see many's the women donning the flats.

Mentioning something in the safe confines of an online Fashion & Appearance thread hardly constitutes 'berating'. We're merely offering up an opinion.

v638sg7k1a92bx · 02-02-2015 5:13pm

baby and crumble wrote: »

1) Offices vary greatly. I have worked in an office environment where I could wear jeans and converse perfectly fine, and now I work where I need to be relatively smarter dressed, but don't need to pull out the big guns (i.e. suits etc.) unless I'm meeting clients/ attending an event as a representative of my organisation.

2) I'm all for appropriate clothing, (I've had arguments about TD's not wearing suits, for example) but it's appropriate for a number of things- your office, you daily activities in that office, the weather, the rest of your outfit).

3) Saying you think something looks stupid isn't a reason for a whole load of people to not wear it, and a man demanding that all women wear heels in the office or some such nonsense. I think men wearing black shoes with a navy suit looks stupid but I don't go around berating them for it.

I'm going to hit the road as I can see the social justice warriors circling above looking for the slightest reason to get offended, and putting words in my mouth.

pwurple · 02-02-2015 5:18pm

Pippy1976 wrote: »

not to mention chronic chilblains outbreak!

Chillblains! *faints*

Where are you guys living... close to the arctic circle must be!

Pippy1976 · 02-02-2015 5:20pm

pwurple wrote: »

Chillblains! *faints*

Where are you guys living... close to the arctic circle must be!

I suffer with a condition called Raynauds, thank you.

But apart from that, chilblains are more common that you think... although I'd wager people don't even know what they are when they are unfortunate enough to get them.

meeeeh · 02-02-2015 5:21pm

I might be wrong but it struck me that people here often don't spend much for work attire and a lot more for going out. While where I come from you would be more likely wearing expensive(ish) suit or dress with high heals for work and go to pub on Saturday in flats, t shirt and jeans. Anyway changing shoes when arriving to work is foreign concept to me to and I strictly differentiate between summer and winter clothing or footwear. I also never wear boots in summer. And I remember the shock when my partner showed up in a pair of dock martins viditing me in summer when I wasn't yet living in Ireland.

Anyway while sandals in summer without thights would be perfectly acceptable to me (except for very formal stuff), thin soled pumps in winter just look weird.

I'm slowly adopting to different practices but ballet pumps will stay in the press till May.

magicmushroom · 02-02-2015 5:22pm

I was wearing a lovely pair of mid-height heels to work every day but the paths outside are small squares with cracks in between the stones and my heels kept getting caught and my shoe would come off - aarrgghhhh!!

Luckily I drive to work and can park right outside the door, I don't have to worry about walking through puddles etc, so I now wear the dreaded flat ballet pumps to work.

I look smart; I wear a skirt, a shirt, tights and a cardigan.
The ballet pumps are plain black, I have no requirement for them to keep my feet warm as I am inside all day with the heating on. They are comfortable.

If I was going out shopping, I would wear boots with jeans tucked into them.

I agree the ballet pumps are not suitable for winter wear when you're outside but for inside an office I think they are entirely appropriate - plain, flat, reduced risk of twisted ankles when walking down a flight of stairs whilst carrying a box of files...

dudara · 02-02-2015 5:22pm

pwurple wrote: »

Chillblains! *faints*

Where are you guys living... close to the arctic circle must be!

Very easy to get - I used to suffer from them as a kid. Don't have to be living in very cold climates.

Taken from IrishHealth.com

Chilblains are caused by exposure to cold and damp conditions. Unlike frostbite, which affects the extremities in sub-zero temperatures, chilblains largely occur in cold, damp conditions about freezing. For this reason, they are an extremely common complaint in Ireland during winter.

Pippy1976 · 02-02-2015 5:24pm

dudara wrote: »

Very easy to get - I used to suffer from them as a kid. Don't have to be living in very cold climates.

Taken from IrishHealth.com

Oh, yes they are ... a common complaint.

I thought I wasn't going to make it to the office this morning because I couldn't walk with the pain of them. They're all across the tops of my toes and I have them covering my hands too. Oh the joys!

Super painful and uber-itchy.

pwurple · 02-02-2015 5:43pm

So, because YOU get chillblains from reynauds condition, you don't like it when other women, who neither get chillblains, or have reynauds, wear flat shoes.

Makes sense.

Neyite · 02-02-2015 6:11pm

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

So you wear summer shoes in the office all year around, I hope you don't need to go outside during the day, coffee, muffin etc? Anyway, it's no big deal, I personally don't like them and don't think they're appropriate for this time of year.

I wear flip-flops usually from March to October.

*runs*

baby and crumble · 02-02-2015 6:21pm

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

I'm going to hit the road as I can see the social justice warriors circling above looking for the slightest reason to get offended, and putting words in my mouth.

You just don't seem to like the fact that you offered an opinion (actually you told us that women shouldn't wear flats) and most people are disagreeing with you.

I couldn't give a damn what you think about other peoples footwear choices, I just don't think its cool to basically tell people they are wrong for having a different opinion to you.

And i'd say you'd have a field day with my sartorial choices seeing as how I wear masculine clothing all the time and wouldn't wear heels if you paid me.

dudara · 02-02-2015 7:48pm

Neyite wrote: »

I wear flip-flops usually from March to October.

*runs*

I pretty much wear them all year round indoors and probably about 10 months out of 12 outdoors. Find them very comfortable

Valentina · 02-02-2015 8:11pm

I love the look of ballet flats but I stopped wearing them because they offer me zero arch support and would make my feet feel tired after a day wearing them.

My office doesn't really have a dress code and I've worn everything from converse to flat over the knee boots to work. At the moment I'm loving my Chelsea style boots for office wear. I think they look good and they're very comfy. They also keep me warm and dry.

bscm · 03-02-2015 9:15pm

Worked in a business-casual office over the summer as an intern (the floor I worked on had a fair few client facing people so most leaned towards business-formal). My ballet flats never raised any issues, and I was beside HR for a fair bit. My appearance was presentable, and the shoes were always spotless and polished.

Even wore said flats to an interview with one of the Big 4 a few months ago and got offered the job straight away, so they clearly didn't have an issue with my flats

Magenta · 04-02-2015 10:40am

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

So you wear summer shoes in the office all year around, I hope you don't need to go outside during the day, coffee, muffin etc? Anyway, it's no big deal, I personally don't like them and don't think they're appropriate for this time of year.

Nobody cares though....

I wear hi tops to the office every day. Suck it! :cool:

hikingqueen · 04-02-2015 2:42pm

Tickers just tried to hijack my interview attire thread for the anti-ballet-flat cause so I had to chime in...how are they not appropriate? Even for a formal office I think if a woman is older or has problems wearing heels they are a perfectly fine option with well-tailored trousers or a skirt. The very fashionable CEO of my old company tore her ACL and had to wear flats for about a year after that and she looked great. I knew a girl in college who had a prosthetic leg and so she could only wear flats, and I would hope a boss or interviewer wouldn't hold that against her. I agree that the scrunchy-type flats of the ones with round toes and little bows on top aren't always the most office-appropriate and that it looks awful when people wear them with too-long trousers but but a nice sleek pointed-toe pair of flats can look great and is much more appropriate than too-high heels.

Take off the flats!

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