If you want to blend in, buy some poorly made, unrefined cheap leather with a fat markup nonsense
I'd you want to look the part, invest in a pair of black, Goodyear welted captoe oxfords. Buy some wax, shine them, take care of them and have them for life
To answer your question, RW Williams boots are a very popular corporate boot. But since this is your first corporate interview, you may not want to spend $400-$500 on shoes.
I’d find something more affordable, and simple that you can get some use out of. A simple black leather shoe will do fine (like a Windsor Smith).
Most importantly, match your shoe colour with your belt colour. E.g. if you’re wearing black shoes, wear a black belt or if you’re wearing brown shoes, wear a brown belt.
Most of the time, people don’t notice your shoe. I only ever notice if the shoe is something “showy” (like it has unique embroidering or something other than a plain shoe), if something is a standout colour, or a brand new pair of RM Williams that still has the crease in it.
Given you’re nervous, dress the way that makes you feel confident.
Of course the best thing is to get rid of belts entirely. Get your pants tailored with side tabs instead. Looks better, is more slimming as your pants will actually fit instead of being held up by a belt… and you don’t have to worry about colour matching! (Or shitty belts that fall apart.)
In what way is having pants that fit avant garde? The interviewer wouldn’t even notice except to think “that guy dresses well/looks good.”
If one really must wear a belt, best to get something like a Minimum or similar belt; nothing worse than having pants held up by a scrappy old fraying, creased belt.
Eg: have a look at the fella in the top photos here in the blue suit.
https://institchu.com/autumn-2023
Side tabs instead of belt. Looks superb. Added bonus - your pants actually fit. Nothing avant-garde about it.
Okay so;
1. I agree, side tabs do look good.
2. I would also not recommend wearing a frayed belt, or ill fitting pants.
3. There are situations where you can be dressed too stylishly.
4. Interviews are one of those situations, unless you’re interviewing for GQ play it safe.
5. You run the risk that the old berk in a pair of Clark’s who’s doing the hiring thinks you couldn’t be bothered wearing a belt.
I myself don’t normally advocate for playing it safe, and I love the outfits you linked, but for me they’re just a bit too fashionable to be considered appropriate interview attire.
Well I wouldn’t wear the other outfits on the page for the same reason, but the blue suit one is absolutely fine for a corporate interview I would’ve thought. Just a good suit, well fitted, tie, white shirt.
Anyway, happy to disagree - I have spent many hours seeing terrible belts; and recently my wardrobe has moved almost entirely to suit pants and chinos with side tabs, as I just got sick of buying belts that wore out and looked shabby in a matter of weeks, including some quite expensive ones, including at least two really quite expensive ones that simply broke (snapped metal) after barely a month. I’m over belts.
Although am very happy with my Minimum belt, the notch less design is really very clever, and I wear this with jeans, looks and works great.
Seconding any clean leather dress shoe. Oxfords, derbies, even loafers or monk straps, just err on the side of conservative so plain black or brown, freshly polished, with no showy details. Aim for no one noticing or remembering your shoes. But you don't need to spend $600 when you haven't got the job yet.
I get pretty much all my dressier shoes from Bared Footwear cause they look smart, are super comfy, and the quality has held up for me. They’re also cheaper than RMs.
You can do better than RMW boots.
Go for an Oxford with a round toe instead of pointy.
If you want to go a bit more relaxed corporate you can go penny loafer or a pair of sanders chukker boots.
Toecap oxfords. Do not wear derby's to a job interview, nor loafers.
Brogues, wingtips or monstrous monkstraps are fine if they're clean and taken care of, but not contrast wingtips.
TL;DR Young people now wear suits like bad cosplay, stick to timeless sartorial elegance, and elevate yourself above the kinds of people who think that a black suit with a black shirt and black tie will make them look like John fucking Wick.
RM Williams are the current trend.
A black leather shoe with a round toe will look like school shoes. Please don’t do that.
Edit: it’s safe to assume OP is under 40. Men under 40 who are sensitive to style/fashion (like OP) aren’t wearing round-toe brogues to work.
Round toe black leather dress shoe with laces is a men's wardrobe staple imo. It can be dressed down with jeans and it obviously also works with formal clothes. The quality of them is very important. Wearing a high quality leather shoe will make you feel better about wearing a dressy shoe- they can be almost as comfortable as a sneaker as well.
>Edit: it’s safe to assume OP is under 40. Men under 40 who are sensitive to style/fashion (like OP) aren’t wearing round-toe brogues to work.
I get that you're in SA, most likely a black hole of fashion self expression. But that's possibly the worst and most out of touch take I've ever seen on this sub, and I see a lot of bonkers takes. I'd even go as far as to say fashion sensitive guys *are* the ones wearing black dress shoes as opposed to boots that were designed for farmers to wear. Wearing RM Williams in 2024 is about as "I am a basic human who desperately wants to 'fit in' and I don't actually care about fashion" as an Aussie guy can get.
Captoe oxfords. Derbies if it’s more casual. In all honesty, any clean dress shoe will be fine for an interview.
If you want to blend in, buy some poorly made, unrefined cheap leather with a fat markup nonsense I'd you want to look the part, invest in a pair of black, Goodyear welted captoe oxfords. Buy some wax, shine them, take care of them and have them for life
Where do people buy those cheap ones to blend in would you say?
To answer your question, RW Williams boots are a very popular corporate boot. But since this is your first corporate interview, you may not want to spend $400-$500 on shoes. I’d find something more affordable, and simple that you can get some use out of. A simple black leather shoe will do fine (like a Windsor Smith). Most importantly, match your shoe colour with your belt colour. E.g. if you’re wearing black shoes, wear a black belt or if you’re wearing brown shoes, wear a brown belt. Most of the time, people don’t notice your shoe. I only ever notice if the shoe is something “showy” (like it has unique embroidering or something other than a plain shoe), if something is a standout colour, or a brand new pair of RM Williams that still has the crease in it. Given you’re nervous, dress the way that makes you feel confident.
A pair of second hand RM’s is very hard to go wrong with.
Of course the best thing is to get rid of belts entirely. Get your pants tailored with side tabs instead. Looks better, is more slimming as your pants will actually fit instead of being held up by a belt… and you don’t have to worry about colour matching! (Or shitty belts that fall apart.)
Isn’t going beltless a bit avant guard for an interview?
In what way is having pants that fit avant garde? The interviewer wouldn’t even notice except to think “that guy dresses well/looks good.” If one really must wear a belt, best to get something like a Minimum or similar belt; nothing worse than having pants held up by a scrappy old fraying, creased belt. Eg: have a look at the fella in the top photos here in the blue suit. https://institchu.com/autumn-2023 Side tabs instead of belt. Looks superb. Added bonus - your pants actually fit. Nothing avant-garde about it.
Okay so; 1. I agree, side tabs do look good. 2. I would also not recommend wearing a frayed belt, or ill fitting pants. 3. There are situations where you can be dressed too stylishly. 4. Interviews are one of those situations, unless you’re interviewing for GQ play it safe. 5. You run the risk that the old berk in a pair of Clark’s who’s doing the hiring thinks you couldn’t be bothered wearing a belt. I myself don’t normally advocate for playing it safe, and I love the outfits you linked, but for me they’re just a bit too fashionable to be considered appropriate interview attire.
Well I wouldn’t wear the other outfits on the page for the same reason, but the blue suit one is absolutely fine for a corporate interview I would’ve thought. Just a good suit, well fitted, tie, white shirt. Anyway, happy to disagree - I have spent many hours seeing terrible belts; and recently my wardrobe has moved almost entirely to suit pants and chinos with side tabs, as I just got sick of buying belts that wore out and looked shabby in a matter of weeks, including some quite expensive ones, including at least two really quite expensive ones that simply broke (snapped metal) after barely a month. I’m over belts. Although am very happy with my Minimum belt, the notch less design is really very clever, and I wear this with jeans, looks and works great.
Just wear trainers and sweatpants. If you are good you will get the job regardless
This is great advice. Definitely ignoring everyone else and doing this, thanks.
Seconding any clean leather dress shoe. Oxfords, derbies, even loafers or monk straps, just err on the side of conservative so plain black or brown, freshly polished, with no showy details. Aim for no one noticing or remembering your shoes. But you don't need to spend $600 when you haven't got the job yet.
RM Williams is the footwear of the corporate world
In Australia at least
“In Australia at least” Subreddit name is r/AustralianMFA What part of this are you having trouble with?
You’re a corporate now. Get your first pair of Loakes. A black or mahogany Oxford (not brogue, too casual) should do you fine.
Whatever you do, don’t wear sneakers with suits
I wear my RMs 90% of the time to work ever since i got them
A pair of st crispins of course!
I get pretty much all my dressier shoes from Bared Footwear cause they look smart, are super comfy, and the quality has held up for me. They’re also cheaper than RMs.
Black loakes .
You can do better than RMW boots. Go for an Oxford with a round toe instead of pointy. If you want to go a bit more relaxed corporate you can go penny loafer or a pair of sanders chukker boots.
I have a pair of Monk straps from Bared in my rotation. They’re pretty nice.
Are you wearing a suit or chinos? Don't wear oxfords with chinos
Double monk. Take your friends wallet
RM Williams and/or Oxfords. Allen Edmonds is a good place to start for good Oxfords
Clown shoes
Oxfords not Brogues.
Toecap oxfords. Do not wear derby's to a job interview, nor loafers. Brogues, wingtips or monstrous monkstraps are fine if they're clean and taken care of, but not contrast wingtips. TL;DR Young people now wear suits like bad cosplay, stick to timeless sartorial elegance, and elevate yourself above the kinds of people who think that a black suit with a black shirt and black tie will make them look like John fucking Wick.
RM Williams are the current trend. A black leather shoe with a round toe will look like school shoes. Please don’t do that. Edit: it’s safe to assume OP is under 40. Men under 40 who are sensitive to style/fashion (like OP) aren’t wearing round-toe brogues to work.
Round toe black leather dress shoe with laces is a men's wardrobe staple imo. It can be dressed down with jeans and it obviously also works with formal clothes. The quality of them is very important. Wearing a high quality leather shoe will make you feel better about wearing a dressy shoe- they can be almost as comfortable as a sneaker as well.
>Edit: it’s safe to assume OP is under 40. Men under 40 who are sensitive to style/fashion (like OP) aren’t wearing round-toe brogues to work. I get that you're in SA, most likely a black hole of fashion self expression. But that's possibly the worst and most out of touch take I've ever seen on this sub, and I see a lot of bonkers takes. I'd even go as far as to say fashion sensitive guys *are* the ones wearing black dress shoes as opposed to boots that were designed for farmers to wear. Wearing RM Williams in 2024 is about as "I am a basic human who desperately wants to 'fit in' and I don't actually care about fashion" as an Aussie guy can get.