Do you walk to/from work in sneakers?

[starbuk]

Some people walk to work in gym shoes to be comfortable. Is this common near you and what is your opinion on the look or appropriateness of this type of attire? In the Midwest it is fairly popular.

 

[ter1413]

Looks silly!

 

[bsarosi]

Common in DC but I think it looks awful. Sneakers and suits aren't meant to go together IMO.

 

[RogerP]

Common in DC but I think it looks awful. Sneakers and suits aren't meant to go together IMO.

+1. Billion. Ugh.

 

[Grammaton Cleric]

Known jokingly in NYC as the "Working Girl" look. Highly recommended.

 

[ter1413]



Known jokingly in NYC as the "Working Girl" look. Highly recommended.

Chicks can do it. We are taking about men....

 

[cptjeff]

Why would I do that? My dress shoes fit and are perfectly comfortable.

 

[coldsalmon]

When it is absolutely pouring, or a blizzard, I will wear hiking boots with my raincoat and change at the office. I keep an old pair of Florsheims there for just that purpose. Otherwise, I wear my shoes all day, as they are shoes and are meant to be worn while walking. I have also occasionally worn cheapo rubber sole loafers (from pre-SF) in the rain, but never sneakers. Yes, my shoes get scuffed and scratched on concrete, escalators, etc. But this is okay, it is just what happens when you wear shoes. If necessary, I can always give them a quick spit shine with my handkerchief directly before an important meeting.

 

[starbuk]

Great replies, thank you.

 

[archetypal_yuppie]

Yeah, it is very awful looking.

That said, some people in NYC have some seriously long walks to deal with (which they tackel at high speed), so I try not to be too judgemental about it. Dress shoes are made for walking, but walking shoes (sneakers) are WAY more comfortable, and can take abuse WAY more economically.

In bad weather, I also give everyone a pass if they're just trying to get from A to B. You have to be practical...

 

[MisterFu]

When it is absolutely pouring, or a blizzard, I will wear hiking boots with my raincoat and change at the office.
I keep an old pair of Florsheims there for just that purpose. Otherwise, I wear my shoes all day, as they are shoes and are meant to be worn while walking. I have also occasionally worn cheapo rubber sole loafers (from pre-SF) in the rain, but never sneakers. Yes, my shoes get scuffed and scratched on concrete, escalators, etc. But this is okay, it is just what happens when you wear shoes. If necessary, I can always give them a quick spit shine with my handkerchief directly before an important meeting.

I have a pair of water-proof Rockports for this purpose (truly ghastly looking things, but I find over-shoes turn my actual shoes into sweaty pits of despair). I'll put my nice shoes in my briefcase or a bag, along with fresh socks, and change into them when I get to the office.

It is absolutely astonishing what a NYC snow storm can do to a pair of shoes. The combination of occasionally razor sharp ice, salt in various physical states, muddy sand, black oily slush and giant puddles of indeterminate depth make the perfect recipe for nice shoe destruction.

 

[mfridman]

SWIMS. I keep one pair at my office, the other one at home.

When I get to work, I pull them off and place them somewhere discrete to dry out. Should I be going somewhere to a meeting or any other arrangement, I put a plastic bag into my satchel. When at location - take the SWIMS, put them in a bag and into the satchel. BOOM. Shoes are clean, everyone's happy.

Most of the times it's not the shoes I worry about - but the trousers. When it rains or snows sideways, SWIMS usually do a good job of protecting the shoes, while the trousers get most of the punishment.