casual elevator shoe, informal height increasing shoes, business casual tall shoes

For those of you that have the opportunity to ‘dress down’ at work, whether it’s Casual Friday, or Business Casual is the rule, you have a lot of latitude in your choice of shoes to wear. In fact, it may be that strictly formal footwear may be a poor choice to wear, if your clothes are less than conservative.

First of all, there are some styles of footwear that are too casual for Business Casual. Generally speaking, sneakers, loud colors, ‘street grunge’ boots, and the like, are often the wrong choice. There’s a limit to what will pass for Casual, when you’re trying to be businesslike. Take you cue from your environment and try to match, rather than challenge, the norm your colleagues have set.

It’s usually acceptable to add color accents beyond the basic black and brown, as long as they’re not too loud or jarring. Conservative styles in seasonal colors are a good choice. Also, suede leather can soften the look of basic styles in a way that does not offend.

Loafers can be another way to ‘dress down’ without being too far from the rules for good taste. Some styles of boots and ankle boots will also work well in this environment. The key here is to match the look of the footwear to the rest of the wardrobe. The idea is to enhance the look without calling attention to your feet. After all, if you’re looking for discreet height increase, the last place you want others to be looking is at your feet.

In order to make your business appearance the most effective, you have to harmonize with your environment. Your look is not the way to stand out. Your performance, personality, ambition, and drive should be the thing others notice the most about you, not your footwear.