I've studiously avoided any kind of office work/real job until now, but it looks like my time has run out. can someone recommend some black shoes for a grown-up that won't make me completely impoverished or look like even more of a douchebag?

Thanks.

Johnston & Murphy. They are widely available, not too ouragrous and have lost of classic styles.

I don't own any, but know alot of peeps who do.

is that a brand or a store?

brand. they seel em at most dept. stores, and you can get em through Jos. A Banks as well, who holds frequent sales, etc.

Whew...i'm so glad my office has a casual dress code...

I work in a very corporate like environment, but since i work for two of the Metal Magazines, i can get away with jeans and a t-shirt and my Skechers on a warm day..

Depends on what you're going to be wearing with them.

Are we talking suit here or business casual?


Loogar's recommendation is good.

Cole-Haan, Kenneth Cole are up there on the price spectrum.

Clarks and Bass make some good affordable stuff but it depends also because most nice shoemakers have high end stuff that can get over $100.

http://www.shoeline.com/asp/dcpItem.asp?style=DM3139

muy comfortable

honestly probably both- i suspect that i'll be working in more business-casual environment, but i've been pretty deliberately fatting on beer since i bought my suit a few years ago, so i may need to pick up a new one.

go to zappos.com and browse a bit.

Edit: deleted a suggestion after reading more

i've always bought doc martins.....but sketchers makes some comfy shoes too...

clarks. i've had two pairs of clarks in the last 5 years. good shoes, and comfortable too. i paid about $150 cad per pair. the first pair lasted about 4 years before they were toast - and I wore them nearly ever day including the winter months. they sell them at most big department stores up here (bay, eatons (sears), etc) and usually have a ton of styles.

i have kenneth cole black dress shoes that are nice, and sketchers for casual which look good when I'm dressed casually (today i'm wearing with a polo and corduroys. and lookin fine I must say)

If you wore these with a suite, I would heckle you. They look like the corrective shoes Bart is forced to wear in the episode he turns into a nerd.

Actually, Chris, I would more reccomend those boots you got recently...if you want something nice/hip that can be worn with businees and casual chase.

There is also a company called Bostonian, which is fairly nice, yet failry cheap. I got a pair of zipper boots about 3 years ago that are holding up well, and they were $89, but half off at Dillards, and I know you can find them at most dept. stores.

All this shoe talk means I'm hittin Sykes and Kohn when I got to MGM this w/e.

Yeah Zappos is a great site. I would seriously probably invest in a good pair of dress shoes for your suit.

You can get some leather slip ons from Clarks for a decent price that will work fine for business casual days.

I'm a Clarks fan if you couldn't tell.

Kenneth Cole is the shit but I can't afford em and I only have one pair that I only wear for special occasions( when a suit is called for)

Biz cas = Black Skechers or Docs
Like a suit and stuff? ummm....

$103 at Zappos. Made by Apis. Looks "professional," but not tool-ish.

Yeah Dave note, i edited after he said "suit"

Chase, I just bough these in black and they are fine

http://amos.shop.com/amos/cc/main/ccn_search/st/nunn%20bush%20boots/sy/productsx/ccsyn/260/prd/10593531/ccsid/363194705-11901/adtg/04100523

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/514779/c/231.html

I prefer comfort to no-nonsense corporate warrior loafers. Highly recommended are Clarke's Desert Trek or the Hush Puppy chukkas - suede is form-fitting and strictly first class for them barking dawgs - say 'no' to coach.

while you may need a suit, do not forget the ever popular sport coat. find a few pieces you might enjoy wearing outside of work as well. you can actually find stuff you like wearing even though you'd rather be in a t-shirt and jeans. open mind, grasshopper.

on the shoes:
while you don't need to spend $300 on one pair please get decent shoes. and as soon as you can afford it get at least one more pair. when you wear one pair every day they get look worn very quickly and your shoes say a lot. as do accessories.

Since I'm often working in areas where demolition/build outs are going on my boss let's me wear WHATEVER the hell I want unless I have to take part in some kind of meeting with the head honchos.

I think Loogar's suggestion is the best.

Steve

As a rule, I usually wouldn't wear 3 hole shoes with a suit, but I have very particular, and believe it or not conservative tastes when i t comes to what to wear professionally.

Course, since I work in an office by myself, I'm usually rockin jeans, button down and Pumas. But if I have to go on an interview or to a fundraiser, I dress pretty much like a Young Republican (minus the blue shirt/white collar thing, which is grounds for a beating in my book)

Even when I've had shirt and tie jobs I've always just worn my Doc Marten boots.

3 hole shoes? like oxfords?

is there a website that will tell me the rules of how to dress like a goddamned respectable human being instead of a dirtball? i mean, i'm almost 30, i should probably look into this stuff.

do not buy these shoes.

as mentioned earlier, check out kenneth cole. sometimes you can find them at dsw for decent prices. and when you're checking out the kenneth cole site, pick yourself up a watch.

business clothing does not have to equal nerd clothing.

Yeah, I wear, like Carhart jeans or shorts and a button up shortsleeve because I could either be in fron of computer or sitting on a lawn mower depending on how my day goes.

Today (covering office shift at storage office) Chords, Short sleeve plaid cowboy shirt, argyle socks, low cut converse all-stars.

That being said, I want a pair of brown loafers. Any suggestions on a good and comfortable brand?