Summer Sandals?

SKIRT: Rebecca Taylor (25% off here! also available here and here; love the matching crop top too; similar skirts here and here)   |  JACKET: Rebecca Taylor  |  TOP: Rebecca Taylor (black version here; also love the dress version in ivory here and in black here)  |  SHOES: c/o White house Black Market (more conservative option here)

< >

[thefeedproducts style=’four’]

I think I’ve done a bad job in the past few articles of making a clear delineation in the work-appropriate footwear department, which is a difficult subject especially in the summer months.  Some followers have brought this to my attention, and I’m really grateful that you’re keeping me on my toes (no pun intended)!

As always, it’s crucial to critically examine what’s proper for your own workplace, because there’s absolutely no universal policy governing all professional environments.    I’ve talked a lot about proper footwear in the past here on Memorandum, but it’s crucial to keep the conversation alive, especially for those of you who are new readers!

Now that I live in California and work in a slightly less conservative environment, I’ve learned that dressy sandals (like the ones depicted today and in recent articles here and here) are proper for my professional life.  This is why I was sporting these brown leather ankle strap sandals when wearing the all-ivory monochromatic ensemble to the office recently (that’s visualized today).

However, when I worked for an investment bank in NYC, sandals were absolutely not an proper option.  From female friends and family in other service formal professions, I’ve learned that this also rings true for lots of law offices and government jobs (among lots of others that fall into the “conservative” category).  However, for those of you in a lot more creative or casual environments—especially those in warmer climates—dressy sandals like these might just be a go.

If you’re starting a new job and not sure where your office lands on the spectrum, my recommendations is always to stick with conservative options until you are sure.  Nothing is worse than overstepping and having to be chastised by superiors.  Actually, maybe there is something worse—not being chastised by superiors because they’re too awkward to tell you that you’ve gotta conceal your bunions, being left out of meetings because of aforementioned bunion exposure, and before you know it, you’re relegated to tasks that only require you to see the inside of a copy room.  I once found a label maker in a copy room that changed my life, but other than that, there are not a ton of awesome things happening in copy rooms.

So listen, if you can’t wear sandals to work… well that kind of sucks.  BUT, there’s a guaranteed bright side.  Consider that extra flap of leather (or some variation of polyvinyl chloride, as it may be) an extra line of defense against the underside of your desk when you’re getting your fitness on at the office and becoming a bit over-zealous in testing the waters of Leandra Medine’s deskercises—most notably the under-desk leg lift.  It can be a highly perilous situation for exposed toes.  Best to cover ’em up.

Ok yeah, I had to dig deep to find that bright side.  But whatevs, just cling to that supremely comfy pair of commuter sandals and hold on tight ’til temps start to drop in September.

So what’s your deal?  Can you wear sandals to the office in the summer or is your office a lot more formal?  Are you self-sabotaging in hopes of one day also discovering the mystical label maker?  Give me your sitch in the comments…

Follow @maryorton on instagram!

FOURSIXTY