Style on the Wards

[Winged Scapula]

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are they really that bad?? They seem to me to have a similar look to many boots that would be acceptable.

Of course, I am talking to the Queen Shoe Connoissuer. I've been told I have bad taste in fashion, so there you go.

Just because it's ugly, does that make it unacceptable and inappropriate? Or can you explain to me why you find them so bad? Too casual?

Just to be clear we are talking about these:



despite Dansko calling them their "professional" model, they are too casual. While I might have issues with ugly shoes, that's a fashion choice: not all ugly shoes are professional.

When you're working long hours and are expected to be on your feet for a whole day it seems a little stupid to have expectations about fancy footwear I would think. Obviously it's important to look professional but Danskos don't look unprofessional, they just aren't very fashion forward but am I really going to give a **** about that when I'm exhausted and my arches wanna collapse? No, definitely not. I personally love dressing up while working at the hospital and am proud of my sense of style but you better believe I'll be wearing my clogs for the majority of my rotations (unless I'm in an outpatient setting).

No one has expectations about "fancy footwear".

You are within your right to wear whatever the heck you want and define things however you wish. However, there are commonly accepted standards in business (which medicine is) and Danskos are not considered professional outside of the OR.

 

[Psai]

Just to be clear we are talking about these:

View attachment 207184

despite Dansko calling them their "professional" model, they are too casual. While I might have issues with ugly shoes, that's a fashion choice: not all ugly shoes are professional.



No one has expectations about "fancy footwear".

You are within your right to wear whatever the heck you want and define things however you wish. However, there are commonly accepted standards in business (which medicine is) and Danskos are not considered professional outside of the OR.

This is the queen of shoes laying down the law on danskos.

 

[prettylittlebird]

Just to be clear we are talking about these:

View attachment 207184

despite Dansko calling them their "professional" model, they are too casual. While I might have issues with ugly shoes, that's a fashion choice: not all ugly shoes are professional.



No one has expectations about "fancy footwear".

You are within your right to wear whatever the heck you want and define things however you wish. However, there are commonly accepted standards in business (which medicine is) and Danskos are not considered professional outside of the OR.

I respectfully disagree. Medicine is a category of its own. Most businesses do not require their employees to be on their feet constantly. I understand that Danskos are not the most professional shoes that exist but they are good for your feet and they are comfortable. I've seen them worn widely throughout all of the hospitals I've worked at by everyone from medical students through to attendings on multiple different services. Granted, this is not a huge sample so I understand that I am only speaking from my personal experience,, this may not be the case everywhere. Perhaps this is a regional thing but this is what I've observed. Additionally, my school classifies Danskos as appropriate footwear for working in the hospital as well as outpatient settings (although I've found outpatient settings to be a little more dressy so I adjust my habits accordingly). As long as they're a solid color and not one of the crazy patterned options, I honestly don't know anyone who would think they're unprofessional. Unsightly, probably, inappropriate, no. I personally think it's unacceptable to require anything beyond a modest, comfortable, closed toe shoe as a dress code. In my opinion that would be just as bad as expecting a female office worker to wear high heels just because they might be considered more professional than flats.

 

[neusu]

Just to be clear we are talking about these:

View attachment 207184

despite Dansko calling them their "professional" model, they are too casual. While I might have issues with ugly shoes, that's a fashion choice: not all ugly shoes are professional.



No one has expectations about "fancy footwear".

You are within your right to wear whatever the heck you want and define things however you wish. However, there are commonly accepted standards in business (which medicine is) and Danskos are not considered professional outside of the OR.

I am not sure I follow you there. Is it because they are slip ons? Would loafers be too casual?

 

[Winged Scapula]

I am not sure I follow you there. Is it because they are slip ons? Would loafers be too casual?

No, there is no problem with slip ons. Loafers are inherently casual but not necessarily inappropriate for business casual days.

Danskos or other work shoes are appropriate for the environment they are designed for: the OR or the ED, or places where you would presumably be exposed to significant bodily fluids. Wearing them in the office or other places would be like wearing sneakers or ballet toe shoes. Fine for the right environment.

 

[cherubb3]

No, there is no problem with slip ons. Loafers are inherently casual but not necessarily inappropriate for business casual days.

Danskos or other work shoes are appropriate for the environment they are designed for: the OR or the ED, or places where you would presumably be exposed to significant bodily fluids. Wearing them in the office or other places would be like wearing sneakers or ballet toe shoes. Fine for the right environment.

@Winged Scapula, I relied heavily on your fashion advice for interviews so I genuinely respect your opinion when it comes to attire. However, I am clearly still learning because I am having a hard time understanding why these shoes would be considered inappropriate for professional wear. Is it simply because they are so heavily associated with ER and OR use? I don't see how they would be any more inappropriate than any other black, non-conspicuous closed-toe flat shoe.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Frankly, its probably because I do associate them with the OR and we were not allowed to wear them when I was a resident unless we were in the OR or on trauma.

At the end of the day, while they might look the same as any other black closed toe flat shoe" I would argue that they are more casual than others.

<shrug> Its not that big of a deal and I've never failed a student or resident who showed up to my office wearing them.

@Winged Scapula, I relied heavily on your fashion advice for interviews so I genuinely respect your opinion when it comes to attire. However, I am clearly still learning because I am having a hard time understanding why these shoes would be considered inappropriate for professional wear. Is it simply because they are so heavily associated with ER and OR use? I don't see how they would be any more inappropriate than any other black, non-conspicuous closed-toe flat shoe.

 

[Lee Ik-jun MD]

@Winged Scapula, I relied heavily on your fashion advice for interviews so I genuinely respect your opinion when it comes to attire. However, I am clearly still learning because I am having a hard time understanding why these shoes would be considered inappropriate for professional wear. Is it simply because they are so heavily associated with ER and OR use? I don't see how they would be any more inappropriate than any other black, non-conspicuous closed-toe flat shoe.

You wouldn't be wearing this during rounds either.

 

[neusu]

I suppose the Dansko shoes I had customized with wingtips will be relegated to collect dust in the closet now

 

[cherubb3]

You wouldn't be wearing this during rounds either.

No, but this does not fit the descriptors "black" or "non-conspicuous." I would also call these boots instead of shoes. But that's just my opinion, I suppose.

I will add that if an attending I were rotating with voiced a concern over my shoe selection, I would simply change it without argument. I was just trying to understand Winged Scapula's line of thinking.

 

[StrongIslandDoc]

I picked up some colorful suspenders today on sale - I've got a great red Y-backed suspenders and a coral/peach/salmon type colored Y-back suspenders. Super excited to show them off on Monday.

 

[Psai]

I picked up some colorful suspenders today on sale - I've got a great red Y-backed suspenders and a coral/peach/salmon type colored Y-back suspenders. Super excited to show them off on Monday.

What's going on in your profile pic?

 

[Lee Ik-jun MD]

No, but this does not fit the descriptors "black" or "non-conspicuous." I would also call these boots instead of shoes. But that's just my opinion, I suppose.

I will add that if an attending I were rotating with voiced a concern over my shoe selection, I would simply change it without argument. I was just trying to understand Winged Scapula's line of thinking.

there are black tims as well,

now, this is black and non- conspicuous, but also inappropriate, even though they're comfortable

 

[username456789]

You wouldn't be wearing this during rounds either.

Timberlands being "fashionable" all of a sudden is pretty hilarious to me. When I was in high school in the late 90s these shoes were worn by thugs and wannabe thugs, and then the farm boys usually had similarly styled boots (sh*tkickers, as they went by), but the average person mocked these heavily.

My wife teaches high school now and apparently all the cool kids wear Tims. For someone like me in his early 30s, I feel like I'm being punked.