What should you look for in interview flats? When, if ever, must you wear heels to an interview? Which are the most stylish kinds of flats for interviews? Reader L wonders:

I'm starting law school in August, and I've heard that heels (3-4″) are a MUST for interviewing and working at a law firm. However, I am a 6′ tall female. I never wear heels, since when I do, I tend to tower over everyone. Would it be appropriate to wear a nice pair of flats in my case?

Great question! We've talked about how to look professional in flats all the time, how to wear heels (if you're used to flats), and whether flats are professional enough for court.

As far as shoe questions go, this is important, so even though we've talked about it a lot, I want to stress it again: you don't need to wear heels to look professional. 

{related: check out our entire Guide to Women's Interview Attire!}

There are a number of reasons why you wouldn't want to wear heels — from feeling too tall (although hey, I say rock it out if you have the height!), to having foot injuries or issues, to just I-don't-wanna-itis.

What to Look For in Interview Flats

A few things that I would note about wearing flats for big events like interviews:

{related: the rules for interview shoes}

a) There are many, many, MANY professional options for flats — and there are many that look like bedroom slippers, sneakers, or other casual shoes. Unless you have ethical objections, look for leather and suede options over faux leather or fabric (and keep your shoes well maintained!), and if you want a sleeker look, consider a slightly pointed toe.

b) Be confident when you wear them. Don't feel like you have to apologize for your flats or explain them away on an interview. Any time any of your clothes or accessories distract you (or an interviewer), you lose.

{related: how to look professional in flats—all the time}

{related: cute flats for the office}

Readers, which are your favorite professional flats? Do you think any styles of flats look more professional than others?  Do you agree with my advice that you CAN interview in flats, even if you're 6′ tall?

The Best Kinds of Interview Flats

Reader-Favorite Polished but Comfortable Flats

We often include good looking, professional flats in our “Coffee Break” posts — but these are some of the reader's favorite flats that have stood the test of time. These would be my first purchases if I were looking…

Some of our favorite comfortable flats for work as of 2024 include M.M.LaFleur, AGL, and French Sole. On the more affordable side, check out Rothy's, Sam Edelman, and Rockport. We've also rounded up the best loafers for work, and our favorite sneakers for work outfits!

Investment Ballet Flats

If you want to make an investment in flats, these are some of the most classic options. AGL and Ferragamo are reader favorites for comfort, while Chloé, Chanel and Valentino are all recognizable status symbols.

Comfortable Low Heels for Work

If you're willing to consider a heel but feel like it must be low, or a “comfort shoe,” we've got you covered…

These are some of our favorite comfortable low heels for work as of 2024… also check out CK Calvin Klein, Trotters, Sam Edelman, and Sarah Flint!

Picture below via Stencil.

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I recently got a reader question asking whether she could interview in patent leather heels, and I thought it might make an interesting discussion here: what ARE the rules for interview shoes? What have you heard, what have you been advised, and what would you advise women interviewing at conservative offices to wear for shoes? I know we've talked about whether you can interview in 4″ heels in the past — as well as whether you can interview in flats — and of course I do a yearly roundup suggesting the best black heels for business attire, but I don't think we've talked about the rules for interview shoes in a separate post.

(And it's funny, because one might say, “there are no rules!” and then you see the stock photo above and I, at least, would say “eeesh, please not those 4″ platform heels,” so… there may be a few rules.)

So here are my thoughts on the rules for interview shoes, but I'd love to hear yours, readers…

The Best Height for Interview Shoes

The best height for interview shoes is the one you can walk in comfortably, and possibly quickly on the off chance your interviewer takes you to a lunch interview and has a long stride. For me that is definitely less than 4″ — probably more like 2-3″. Of course you can interview in flats if you want to or need to. 

These are some of our favorite comfortable low heels for work as of 2024… also check out CK Calvin Klein, Trotters, Sam Edelman, and Sarah Flint!

{related: The Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels}

The Best Color for Interview Shoes

This is why navy suits are becoming less popular, I suspect — a lot of people aren't comfortable wearing navy with black shoes, although you can (the main rule about wearing black and navy together is to make it look intentional, and not like you got dressed in the dark!). That said, Cordovan, a reddish hue, looks nice with navy and is very traditional — but otherwise I think your money is best spent on black heels; gray or navy heels might also work but they're harder to find.

These are some of our favorite heels as of 2024, but check out our entire Guide to Comfortable Heels!

{related: the best interview attire for different types of jobs}

The Best Texture for Interview Heels

Can you interview in patent pumps? Sure you can. Admittedly they're more bound by trend than you'd expect — at the moment I think suede is far more common than patent, for example — but I'd worry if your interviewer “dinged” you for wearing patent pumps, unless you're interviewing for a fashion job.

If you're buying something new, look for something that will be easy to maintain — you definitely don't want to interview with scuffs or damaged heels.

(Here's our older post with our best tips for shoe care for women.)

I wouldn't recommend suede or fabric unless they're waterproof, if only because you may end up going to a lunch or to a second building during your interview and you don't want to have to worry about your shoes getting wet.

An embossed or textured leather (or an actual embossed snakeskin or alligator shoe) would be fine so long as it's a solid-colored shoe — think Brooks Brothers more than runway.

{related: The Corporette Guide to Interview Suits}

Other Details for Interview Pumps: Bows, Platforms, Straps, and More

This depends so heavily on the shoe and the woman wearing it that I would generally say: proceed with caution. For bows I would say probably not, but there are some great Ferragamo and Cole Haan heels (affiliate links) of varying heights that feature bows that have been long-standing reader favorites.

For platforms, I would say probably not — but there are some comfort shoes with a “hidden” platform, designed to make the actual heel height lower (for example, this one) — and if that's what you need to walk comfortably, then go for it. For straps on interview heels, again I would probably say no — but then again we all know I love a good strappy heel in large part because I find them more walkable (this one, for example, has been around forever).

Some of our latest favorite strappy heels include these…

As of 2024, these are our latest favorite strappy heels for work (below) — also check the brands J.Crew, Valentino, and Jennifer Chamandi for strappy pumps. If you’re looking for strappy commuting shoes with heels to maintain a hem length, we recommend Dansko or Fly London.

Readers, what are your thoughts — what are the rules for interview shoes for women? What do you strive to find for yourself to feel comfortable and confident in your interview attire — and, if you interview people, what would you actually ding someone for or hold against them if they wore to an interview (if anything)?

Stock photo: Deposit Photos / cokacoka. 

The post What Are the Rules for Interview Shoes? Heels, Patent, Fabric, and More appeared first on Corporette.com.

Are 4″ heels too high for job interviews? Is a red sole inappropriate for interviewing and networking? Reader A wonders about the best height for interview heels…

Hi I was wondering if I could get some advice on shoes. I will be starting law school in the fall and I'm wondering what heels would be appropriate. I currently own a black leather pair of Louboutins that are 4 inches. Do you feel it's appropriate to wear them with the red bottom showing? Also is 4 inches considered too high? Thank you!

We've talked about Louboutins at work here, as well as which heels are too high, but we haven't talked about either issue in a while. (Pictured: Christian Louboutin Simple 100 Leather Pumps, available in store only at Saks.) 

{related: the rules for interview shoes}

These are some of our favorite heels as of 2024, but check out our entire Guide to Comfortable Heels!

In general, the bigger the platform, the less appropriate the shoe is for the office.  I'd reconsider any platform heels higher than .5″-1″.

Know your environment. I see no problem with red soles, provided you're going into a conservative, generally “white shoe” environment — I think most people there will recognize them as status symbols and appreciate that you're willing to make the investment in your appearance.

That said, if you're going to a nonprofit interview, an in-house interview with a wide range of salaries among company employees (of which the lawyer may be near the top), or a jury trial, be aware that you may be seen as materialistic/princess — and reconsider wearing them until your work, ideas, and personality have had a chance to make an impression on people.

Some of our favorite mid-range suits for women (which sometimes have such frequent sales that they come down to the same range as our “budget” suits) include Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Talbots, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, and Antonio Melani. (Talbots and J.Crew usually have plus sizes, and the others offer petites.)

Readers, what do you say? How high is too high — and what is the best height for interview heels? And, are Loubies appropriate in general for work?

2019 updated photo credit: Shutterstock / Elnur.

This post was originally written in 2014, but substantially updated in Aug. 2020 except where otherwise noted.

The post The Best Height for Interview Heels (aka, Can You Interview in 4″ Heels?) appeared first on Corporette.com.

These are some of our favorite heels as of 2024, but check out our entire Guide to Comfortable Heels!

Last week, we had The Corporette Guide to Interview Suits. We thought we'd do a round-up of black pumps today, another must-have for the interview wardrobe. However, we thought we'd challenge ourselves by only rounding up good-looking shoes under $100…

2021 update: Most of our latest favorite black heels for the office are pretty affordable, but definitely check Calvin Klein, Sam Edelman, and Marc Fisher LTD for frequent sales putting them under $100.

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

(Curious for our other roundups of black pumps? In addition to the several specific shoes mentioned in our Guide to Comfortable Heels, here are our roundups from 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2016, 2015, 2013 (interview pumps AND our low heel roundup), 2012 (under $250) and 2008, as well as our comfort-focused roundups of 2016 and 2010 and our posts on extended sizes for professional women's shoes.)

Love the side detail on these pumps — it adds a bit of texture and interest without detracting from the classic shape; also love the cushioned footbed. They're available in black (patent and kid), beige, and navy at Zappos.com for $54. LifeStride – Haze (Black Premier Kid/Sherillo) – Footwear

For some reason, we love the look to these shoes. They strike us as classic and beautiful. We particularly like the rounded toe, the stacked heel, and the non-slip panel on the sole. They're available at CalvinKlein.com for $98. Selene Leather Pump (Note — there's a great taupe pair on sale at Shoes.com for $75; take an additional 15% off with code 15OFF.)

We like the stacked 2.75″ heel on these, as well as the promise of a “plush, cushioned footbed.” Nice! They're available in black, a purpley “burgandy” suede, and a gray “pewter” leather for $99 at EddieBauer.com (sizes 6-12). Eddie Bauer Dress Pumps

This highly-rated shoe on Zappos has a bit of a platform to it, which can make the high heel (almost 4″) far easier to walk in — and in general we've had great luck with Franco Sarto shoes. They're available at Zappos.com in black (patent and kid), gray, taupe, gold, and magenta for $80.10 (they were $89). Franco Sarto – Napoli (Black Kidskin Leather) – Footwear

This is a great pump with a classic look that, for reasons we can't put our fingers on, almost has a slight vintage vibe to it. It's available in red, teal, and “whiskey” brown at Endless.com for $89.95. Seychelles Women's Code Pump,Black

Today only specials — 6pm.com has a ton of great black pumps on sale today, also, which we'd be remiss if we didn't point you towards. We like the BCBG Generation Edith, pictured (BCBGeneration – Edith (Black Synthetic Kid) – Footwear, was $49, now $19.60 at 6pm.com for today only), as well as the a patent leather pump from Volatile (VOLATILE – Molly (Black) – Footwear, was $49.99, now $15) (pictured at the very top of this post), and the Sofft Rivoli (Sofft – Rivoli (Black Madras Kid Skin) – Footwear, was $99.95, now $34.95).

Readers, what are your favorite inexpensive heels?
(L-16)

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