Interview attire...signature black boots or dress shoes?

[Darrow O'Lykos]

Hi y'all,

I'm a born and raised Texan interviewing at a med school out of state and I am on the fence about what to wear on my feet for the interview. I have everything from the feet up figured out (custom tailored black suit, favorite professional tie and shirt ensemble). I have a pair of black cowboys boots that are very nice and I sort of want to wear them and just have my pants go over the top of them (i.e.: it's not like I would tuck my pants into the top of my boots).

I know the default answer is to just wear my black dress shoes and leave it at that, but can any former interviewees, interviewers, or professionals weigh in on the matter? The school where I am interviewing is a massive campus and they've warned us ahead of time that there will be a significant amount of walking throughout the day, and my boots are quite comfortable whereas flat dress shoes are not favorable for walking around a massive campus. I'm also a proponent of look good, feel good (not that I won't look good in dress shoes, but I do like the idea of sporting my Texan pride in my attire).

So, thoughts? I sort of like the idea of standing out a little bit in a subtle way, but I don't know if that would be something that an interviewer would be overly distracted by.

Anyway, appreciate the input! 🙂



edit: here is a photo URL of a very similar boot, but not my exact boot (currently at work and I don't really have any easily accessible facebook photos of me wearing my black boots)

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...u0Vk6UVQr2BZeTJmyfgGRFGY7Hp8_pH953_Q&usqp=CAY

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[dpmd]

Going to need pics to give a good answer. There is huge spectrum for cowboy boots so some are a clear no but maybe not all

 

[LizzyM]

Going to need pics to give a good answer. There is huge spectrum for cowboy boots so some are a clear no but maybe not all

The OP's avatar sold me on the advisability of cowboy boots for this applicant.

We are far from Texas but we do have one clinical faculty member here who wears cowboy boots on a daily basis and it is just part of his look.

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

Going to need pics to give a good answer. There is huge spectrum for cowboy boots so some are a clear no but maybe not all

Agreed. I've edited my original post to provide the URL to a similar boot. It isn't my exact boot, but damn close. I would pull up a photo of the boots I have but I surprisingly don't have a picture of me wearing my black boots on my Facebook (9 times out of 10 when I go out, I wear my brown boots).

 

[dpmd]

Well once in you can get away with a lot, including something like this

but I wouldn't advise it for interviews.

 

[dpmd]

Agreed. I've edited my original post to provide the URL to a similar boot. It isn't my exact boot, but damn close. I would pull up a photo of the boots I have but I surprisingly don't have a picture of me wearing my black boots on my Facebook (9 times out of 10 when I go out, I wear my brown boots).

Probably fine

 

[LizzyM]

There is too much bling on that boot posted by dpmd to make it interview appropriate... I was thinking more along the lines of a solid leather such as the one posted by the OP.

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

There is too much bling on that boot posted by dpmd to make it interview appropriate... I was thinking more along the lines of a solid leather such as the one posted by the OP.

Yeah, in my 26 years of life in the great state of Texas, I have never seen someone wear anything like that haha. If there is anything other than leather on the boot, you're doing it wrong.


edit: unless you're a professional Equestrian, which, I am not.

 

[dpmd]

Yeah, in my 26 years of life in the great state of Texas, I have never seen someone wear anything like that haha. If there is anything other than leather on the boot, you're doing it wrong.


edit: unless you're a professional Equestrian, which, I am not.

I was going to post one of those with the curled pointy toe too but the other came up first.

 

[DokterMom]

You would be making an ALL CAPS statement that you're a Texan. If that adds diversity and you're an all-star candidate, then OK - go for it.

If you're more of a middle-of-the-road candidate who is not $40,000 per year more desirable than the next equally-qualified candidate, then you'll simply be reminding the school that you're likely to have several substantially-cheaper options

Similarly, if the school is Harvard-Stanford-Hopkins caliber, then they probably won't care that you'll have to pay more. But if the school is a mid-tier, given the changes in acceptance reports, I think you'd be shooting yourself in the [booted] foot. Then again, if it's a mid-tier, why bother?

 

[Goro]

I think that you'll be fine. I have a few colleagues who like cowboy boots, and they're not even from TX!

 

[gyngyn]

Hi y'all,

I'm a born and raised Texan interviewing at a med school out of state and I am on the fence about what to wear on my feet for the interview. I have everything from the feet up figured out (custom tailored black suit, favorite professional tie and shirt ensemble). I have a pair of black cowboys boots that are very nice and I sort of want to wear them and just have my pants go over the top of them (i.e.: it's not like I would tuck my pants into the top of my boots).

I know the default answer is to just wear my black dress shoes and leave it at that, but can any former interviewees, interviewers, or professionals weigh in on the matter?

Don't do it.

 

[LizzyM]

You would be making an ALL CAPS statement that you're a Texan. If that adds diversity and you're an all-star candidate, then OK - go for it.

If you're more of a middle-of-the-road candidate who is not $40,000 per year more desirable than the next equally-qualified candidate, then you'll simply be reminding the school that you're likely to have several substantially-cheaper options

Similarly, if the school is Harvard-Stanford-Hopkins caliber, then they probably won't care that you'll have to pay more. But if the school is a mid-tier, given the changes in acceptance reports, I think you'd be shooting yourself in the [booted] foot. Then again, if it's a mid-tier, why bother?

This. I had overlooked the point that you are interviewing OOS. Schools that want to yield protect and who suspect that you'll stay in TX if offered admission there, might eshew you expecting that you'll stay in TX.

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

This. I had overlooked the point that you are interviewing OOS. Schools that want to yield protect and who suspect that you'll stay in TX if offered admission there, might eshew you expecting that you'll stay in TX.

That's an interesting point, and one I previously considered, but I figured any trepidation an OOS school would have about me being Texan would really only hurt me prior to their decision to invite me to interview, not after.

The school at which I'm applying is typically OOS friendly (~30% of their matriculants are OOS) despite being a public school, but I suppose the risk outweighs the reward by screaming Texas in their faces with my foot apparel. I initially considered the boots as a subtle unique quirk rather than a potential monumental conundrum. Wearing them to an interview here in Texas would only be viewed favorably and I figured it would either be a positive reaction or neutral if I wore them to interviews elsewhere, but this feedback has shown me there's a greater chance of evoking a negative reaction than I anticipated.

I suppose I'll wait until classes begin to start strutting around in boots rather than risk rubbing someone the wrong way during my interview (in the event they accept me and I matriculate there).

I appreciate the input, everyone!

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Depends on where OOS. Anywhere in the more southern midwest and likely no one will care. If it's either of the coasts then I wouldn't.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

Honestly? As an interviewer if I had an interviewee in cowboy boots I would kind of feel like I wasn't being taken seriously. Now this was in New York City so cowboy boots would really stand out, but cowboy boots aren't really ever subtle (and if they are subtle enough that they aren't noticeable why do it anyway?).

 

[deleted958249]

I love my boots as much as the next Longhorn (Hook ‘Em), but experience has taught me that making statements about your personality through the way you dress is most likely not worth the risk. There is a chance you may inadvertently offend/raise questions from an interviewer, as innocent as the gesture may be; especially if interviewing out of state.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Let me put it this way. I’ve attended interviews in Texas, both residency and fellowship. With rooms full of other applicants, many of whom were from Texas. Not one wore cowboy boots (except the attendings). Be professional and wear the damn interview shoes.


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[hmockingbird]

It wouldn’t stand out too much to me but I’ve lived in the far Midwest where cowboy boots are common. I know some doctors who wear them daily and I don’t really think they are super conspicuous if they are a neutral color and you don’t tuck your pants in.

 

[puahate]

Why do people want to be different so badly on the most important part. Display your uniqueness in your secondaries and PS.

 

[Bones&Bourbon]

As I advise to all male applicants, black dress shoes are the only acceptable footwear at interview

I have to disagree. In the case of a navy suit, dark brown shoes (if worn with a matching belt) are wholly appropriate.

 

[Gilakend]

I have to disagree. In the case of a navy suit, dark brown shoes (if worn with a matching belt) are wholly appropriate.

I wore a blue suit with brown shoes/belt to my interviews.

 

[Bones&Bourbon]

I wore a blue suit with brown shoes/belt to my interviews.

As did I! Don't really see any sense in "black shoes only"

 

[LizzyM]

I have never seen (written commentary) or heard an interviewer comment in a negative fashion about an applicant's attire to the point of recommending "no admit" or even "waitlist". There may be bias that creeps in but goes unexpressed (there are always plenty of other ways to derail an application without stating something about appearance or clothing). That said, we've never had anyone arrive dressed in a way that would scream "inappropriate choice" (jeans and a sweater, low-cut spangled dress, etc).

I can understand "best odds" and playing it safe but, for the most part, the angst that goes into satorial choices here is extreme.

 

[Goro]

I have never seen (written commentary) or heard an interviewer comment in a negative fashion about an applicant's attire to the point of recommending "no admit" or even "waitlist". There may be bias that creeps in but goes unexpressed (there are always plenty of other ways to derail an application without stating something about appearance or clothing). That said, we've never had anyone arrive dressed in a way that would scream "inappropriate choice" (jeans and a sweater, low-cut spangled dress, etc).

I can understand "best odds" and playing it safe but, for the most part, the angst that goes into satorial choices here is extreme.

I agree, never once has the dress of an an interviewee here been discussed in our Adcom meetings, except when people arrive in street clothes because the airlines have lost their luggage. Them, we cut slack for.

The interviewees, not the airlines!

 

[deleted480308]

As I advise to all male applicants, black dress shoes are the only acceptable footwear at interview

Unless you are in a grey or blue suit, then brown

 

[Toutie]

I agree, never once has the dress of an an interviewee here been discussed in our Adcom meetings

That's only because you never get the kind of outfits @gyngyn gets!

 

[Goro]

That's only because you never get the kind of outfits @gyngyn gets!

So true!!!

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

”inappropriate choice”

low-cut spangled dress

Dammit, there goes my work wardrobe.


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[CherryRedDracul]

As much as people say what you wear doesn't matter, I am going to disagree.

How you appear sends a subconscious message to your interviewer(s). We may not sweat the small things, but don't go full faux pas. For more fashion-forward people, knowing how to dress demonstrates a facet of social intelligence.

Playing it conservative is a safe bet. Sometimes it's better to blend in than to egregiously stand out.