Take off the flats!

v638sg7k1a92bx

Are flats now considered office attire suitable for all weather conditions all year around? They are a casual shoe not suitable for the office or this type of weather but somehow they're everywhere! Are their feet not getting wet???

charlietheminxx

I wear flats to work a lot of the time. I spend a fair bit of the day running around the office and wouldn't be able for it in heels! I do wear boots a lot too but if I am wearing something they don't look good with, then I wear my trainers for the commute and get into my flats at the office. I don't see what's wrong with that?

fits

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Are flats now considered office attire suitable for all weather conditions all year around? They are a casual shoe not suitable for the office or this type of weather but somehow they're everywhere! Are their feet not getting wet???

Why are they 'not suitable for the office'?

I wear boots to work and change into Flat shoes when I get there. A lot of my colleagues wear sandals in the office.

pwurple

Well if you take them off you are barefoot... Surely far worse!

I'd consider flat shoes suitable for iced pavements and carparks. Who on earth thinks heels would be better for that?

v638sg7k1a92bx

charlietheminxx wrote: »

I wear flats to work a lot of the time. I spend a fair bit of the day running around the office and wouldn't be able for it in heels! I do wear boots a lot too but if I am wearing something they don't look good with, then I wear my trainers for the commute and get into my flats at the office. I don't see what's wrong with that?

fits wrote: »

Why are they 'not suitable for the office'?

I wear boots to work and change into Flat shoes when I get there. A lot of my colleagues wear sandals in the office.

Flats are not office attire, they're a casual flat shoe. They also leave alot of the foot and ankle exposed meaning they're not suitable for this time of year. People seem obsessed with them because they're comfortable and easy to put on.

pwurple

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Flats are not office attire, they're a casual flat shoe. They also leave alot of the foot and ankle exposed meaning they're not suitable for this time of year. People seem obsessed with them because they're comfortable and easy to put on.

When you say 'flats'... do you mean ballet slippers or something?

I've plenty of flat shoes that cover my feet and ankles.

The_Morrigan

I live in flats because I can't walk in heels. I wear then all the time in the office, the are very suitable under wide leg trousers or with skirts.
My legs are never bare either, I wear tights or stockings with them.
I wear runners on my commute as I have a bit of a walk either side of the bus, granted in torrential rain they wouldn't keep me dry either.

I'm really not seeing the problems with flats.

v638sg7k1a92bx

pwurple wrote: »

When you say 'flats'... do you mean ballet slippers or something?

I've plenty of flat shoes that cover my feet and ankles.

Not flat shoes as in without a heel. I mean the canvas ballet flats.

v638sg7k1a92bx

The_Morrigan wrote: »

I live in flats because I can't walk in heels. I wear then all the time in the office, the are very suitable under wide leg trousers or with skirts.
My legs are never bare either, I wear tights or stockings with them.
I wear runners on my commute as I have a bit of a walk either side of the bus, granted in torrential rain they wouldn't keep me dry either.

I'm really not seeing the problems with flats.

For the same reason that a man wouldn't wear a pair of black runners with a business suit because they were more comfortable.

The_Morrigan

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

For the same reason that a man wouldn't wear a pair of black runners with a business suit because they were more comfortable.

So instead of me wearing my patent leather flat ballet pumps with a bow, I have to wear heels that will break my ankles because you think they are the same as runners?
Tosh!!

If ballet flats were not suitable attire for an office then HR staff around the globe would be mentioning it in dress codes.

v638sg7k1a92bx

pwurple wrote: »

Well if you take them off you are barefoot... Surely far worse!

I'd consider flat shoes suitable for iced pavements and carparks. Who on earth thinks heels would be better for that?

The_Morrigan wrote: »

So instead of me wearing my patent leather flat ballet pumps with a bow, I have to wear heels that will break my ankles because you think they are the same as runners?
Tosh!!

If ballet flats were not suitable attire for an office then HR staff around the globe would be mentioning it in dress codes.

Who said anything about heels? You're the second person to mention them.

Just because something is made of leather and has a bow on it doesn't make it look any nicer.

They're also the shoe of choice for Santa's Elves, not the type of look most people would intentionally go for.

Stench Blossoms

I'm wearing a pair of Adidas runners in the office today.

Someone call the fashion police.

Who are you to say what is and what isn't appropriate? Every office is different.

charlietheminxx

Having had a look through some of the OP's previous posts, he seems to be someone who has very black and white ideas of what is and isn't appropriate.

The opposite of flats are heels, which is why people have mentioned it.

OP, you're perfectly entitled to dislike flat shoes and how they appear, however this does not mean that they are inappropriate attire. It's clearly a matter of personal taste.

HeidiHeidi

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Flats are not office attire, they're a casual flat shoe. They also leave alot of the foot and ankle exposed meaning they're not suitable for this time of year. People seem obsessed with them because they're comfortable and easy to put on.

What a bizarre thread!

Maybe in your opinion flats aren't suitable office attire, but you can't go around making declarations like above!

Each to their own, and all that.

(And wear the shoes I wear every day PRECISELY because they're comfortable and easy to put on! They're not ballet flats though)

pwurple

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Who said anything about heels? You're the second person to mention them.

Um... a shoe without a heel is a flat. Jeez, if you want to complain about something you could at least use the correct words. :rolleyes:

v638sg7k1a92bx

pwurple wrote: »

Um... a shoe without a heel is a flat. Jeez, if you want to complain about something you could at least use the correct words. :rolleyes:

Sorry but are you talking about heels or flats?

Stench Blossoms

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Sorry but are you talking about heels or flats?

If a shoe doesn't have a heel what do you call it?

A heeless?

barleybooley

I fail to see the point of this thread or what your issue is, OP.

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

Sorry but are you talking about heels or flats?

Pumps. What you're talking about are pumps.

You don't like people wearing pumps.

Flat shoes are ok as long as they're not pumps.

Pumps. I'll just keep saying the word pumps until you understand what you're talking about are pumps. "Flats" are simply shoes without a heel. Pumps are the ones you're thinking of. Unforunately you are confusing pumps with all shoes without a heel, i.e. flats.

Anyway, pumps are apparently very acceptable office attire these days. I fail to see why they wouldn't be though tbh.

And I think you'll find the equivalent to a man wearing runners with his suit, is a woman wearing runners with her suit.

v638sg7k1a92bx

Deleted User wrote: »

Pumps. What you're talking about are pumps.

You don't like people wearing pumps.

Flat shoes are ok as long as they're not pumps.

Pumps. I'll just keep saying the word pumps until you understand what you're talking about are pumps. "Flats" are simply shoes without a heel. Pumps are the ones you're thinking of. Unforunately you are confusing pumps with all shoes without a heel, i.e. flats.

Anyway, pumps are apparently very acceptable office attire these days. I fail to see why they wouldn't be though tbh.

And I think you'll find the equivalent to a man wearing runners with his suit, is a woman wearing runners with her suit.

So what's the equivalent of a man wearing pumps, is it pumps? Btw, it's only suitable office attire if you work in Santa's grotto.

I thought these were pumps

They're round toed courts.

So they are.

v638sg7k1a92bx

This is what I mean by flats




Where is all the hate coming from btw?

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

This is what I mean by flats




Where is all the hat coming from btw?

Aahhh, you mean pumps!

v638sg7k1a92bx

Deleted User wrote: »

Aahhh, you mean pumps!

I don't think those are pumps.

dudara

For me, heeled court shoes are pumps.

Flats cover a wide variety: loafer, ballet shoes etc. The black flat shoes above are not pumps for me, they are simply flats.

It seems as if we have a language issue here

I do work in a professional environment, and to be honest, some of the flat shoes I see people wearing aren't really up to scratch. They can look a bit too informal at times. But that doesn't mean people can't wear flat shoes in the office. They should just suit the office they are in.

But hey, I'm wearing leather biker boots today in an effort to keep my legs warm as I have no scheduled meetings for the rest of the day. I have a pair of Coach patent leather heels that I wore earlier for a meeting and that I can pull out again if needed.

pwurple

I really hope you don't think those skyscrapers are normal office shoes. How would you get across an icy car park in those?

v638sg7k1a92bx

Anyway... these shoes are not acceptable office attire



For arguments sake, lets say they were. They're still not suitable for this time of year. We seem to have a propensity in this country to wear summer clothing all year around.

Pippy1976

Jacoby Nervous Rubbish wrote: »

People seem obsessed with them because they're comfortable and easy to put on.

People seem obsessed with them because Claudia Schiffer wears them. What the average ballerina-pump-wearing lady seems to forget is Claudia is 1.8 metres tall, extremely thin, can wear anything and look good in it and probably doesn't streel from the bus / train through the wet city streets on her way to work!

To me the average Irish women slopping around in these shoes in Irish weather look a bit silly... and wet!

The most inappropriate footwear ever invented. But that's just my opinion.

Stench Blossoms

pwurple wrote: »

I really hope you don't think those skyscrapers are normal office shoes. How would you get across an icy car park in those?

Depends what kinda "office" you work in.

dudara

dudara wrote: »

For me, heeled court shoes are pumps.

Flats cover a wide variety: loafer, ballet shoes etc. The black flat shoes above are not pumps for me, they are simply flats.

It seems as if we have a language issue here

I do work in a professional environment, and to be honest, some of the flat shoes I see people wearing aren't really up to scratch. They can look a bit too informal at times. But that doesn't mean people can't wear flat shoes in the office. They should just suit the office they are in.

But hey, I'm wearing leather biker boots today in an effort to keep my legs warm as I have no scheduled meetings for the rest of the day. I have a pair of Coach patent leather heels that I wore earlier for a meeting and that I can pull out again if needed.

I've only ever heard of heeled courts being called pumps by louboutin. And my feet don't fit in those >.<

I wear heels mostly (black patent leather courts), and flats if it's particularly busy. The flats I wear are just that, flat shoes. Pumps I wouldn't personally wear to work and it's rare to see anyone else wearing them either but I'm not sure if they would be entirely awful!

I dress immaculately when in work. Dress, suit jacket, tights [had to give up the stockings when I moved jobs ] shoes. If I'm in flat shoes (i.e. shoes without a heel) I'm still immaculately dressed.

meeeeh

I must say that I do find some ballet flats a bit informal for corporate environment. Not all, something with a bit of sole is grand imo. However I do wear heals, flats, pumps or whatever to work. And if I showed up in steel toe cap boots nobody would mind either. Not every office is the same.

I agree with op that those pumps are completely inappropriate for cold weather.

pwurple

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

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?

What kind of shoes are appropriate office attire OP?

Pippy1976

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pippy1976 wrote: »

not to mention chronic chilblains outbreak!

Chillblains! *faints*

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

Pippy1976

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

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

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...