Just a few years ago I wore heels every day to work. I dressed like I was some sort of celebrity. Today, I don’t feel the need to dress like that. I’d rather be comfortable and still look professional. This change has brought me to wonder if people judge you for the type of shoes you wear at work. Do wearing high heels increase your credibility? To find an answer, I asked some of my girlfriends what types of shoes they wear to work. Why do they wear them? Do they feel like they’re treated differently because of the shoes they wear? Some of my friends responded that they only wear heels because it makes them feel confident and empowered. Others said it makes them feel slimmer and taller. Another friend said she chooses her shoes by the outfit she’s wearing regardless if they’re heels, flats, wedges or sandals. None of them said if they felt like they were treated differently. So I wanted to find out from a guy if they treated women differently from what they wear.
I asked several guys if they judged women by the shoes they wear to work. Do you take a woman wearing heels more seriously than one wearing flats? One guy friend said he doesn’t care what shoes women wear and he doesn’t pay attention. Another said, women who wear heels do it for fashion and those who wear flats do it for comfort. My last guy friend was pretty honest with me about judging women who wear heels; he said, “There is some feeling of authority with women who wear heels.”
In my experience at work, I do not feel that I am treated differently for the shoes I wear. However, when I wear heels I feel more confident. As a result, I feel equal to my counterparts. I feel more efficient in my ability to achieve more.
“Without a doubt, women wearing flats will look less formal, and consequently, less powerful than their counterparts in heels”. Sandy Dumont TW TideWater Women Magazine