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[scampster]

I have an upcoming interview in a notoriously snowy place. I've lived in snowy places before - I don't want to be that person with the inappropriate footwear. But appropriate footwear for women is often not compatible with "not slipping and falling on my ass in the snow."

I usually wear one of three shoe options when interviewing, depending on outfit:
(1) a pair of black leather/suede Dansko boots with about a 2" heel that recently have had my feet aching by the end of the day
(2) leather fluevogs with about a one inch heel that have rubber soles with decent traction
(3) a pair of leather flats with no traction.

Would any of these be appropriate? I am always looking for an excuse to buy new shoes, so I am open to other suggestions.

Do people on interviews ever wear snow boots while walking and then change into their dress shoes inside the building before meetings/talks? Or would that be weird? I stupidly packed away a pair of brown boots that would have been ideal (they are en route to Europe, so I can't dig them out). My only snow boot options right now are hiking boots or my insulated yellow rubber boots. I also have Yak Trax.

I'd appreciate any thoughts!

[zuzu_]

I think the Fluevogs would be best, so long as they are sufficiently "dressy." I recently had an important event in a snowy locale, and at the last minute decided to wear my Dansko professionals instead of some cute 2" Clark's heels. Damn did I make the right choice. I would have been screwed with the heels. Plus, the important person I was meeting with happened to be wearing Dansko professionals, too.

You could always buy some Dansko professionals, but it sounds to me like your Fluevogs are probably similar in form and function.

BTW, I have some Dansko boots with 2" heels, and putting one of those sticky gel inserts at the ball of my foot significantly ameliorates end-of-day achy.

[helpful]

I have been to interviews in snowy and cold locations and wearing snow boots is ok as long as you can easily change into dress shoes. In fact, it is recommended as otherwise the SC will think you know nothing about living in such locales.

Yaktrax are also an option.

Do check the weather reports before going, though. We have had some extremely weird weather this winter.

[seniorscholar]

I have been to interviews in snowy and cold locations and wearing snow boots is ok as long as you can easily change into dress shoes. In fact, it is recommended as otherwise the SC will think you know nothing about living in such locales.

Yes. It is really uncomfortable walking across campus (equivalent of two blocks to the faculty club) to take the candidate to lunch when I'm wearing my 12" lace-up black snow boots peeking out from below my black trousers and the candidate's ankles are getting covered by wet snow. The campus snow removal crew works constantly in a storm, but in a real storm the snow can collect really fast.

[grasshopper]

We point and laugh at people who choose fashion over function in extreme weather. Although not to their face, of course, because that wouldn't be polite.

You know what to do.

[systeme_d_]

I wore a pair of snow boots during my entire interview, which was held at this time last year. 

Thank goodness I did!  It snowed intermittently during the 2 days of my interview, and the boots were especially handy during the walking tour of campus that did seem like a bit of a forced march to me, but that the SC Chair seemed to enjoy very much. (Yes, of course I pretended to enjoy it just as much as he did.)

[aprilmay]

You could pack more than one pair of shoes if you are unsure. Even in a snowy locale the weather can vary. Choice 1 or 3 involve pain of achy feet or falling. Worrying about either of these could impair your mood. It is hard to vision your shoes, but some fluevogs are a bit too trendy and funky for an interview in my view and unless they are boots, have limited benefit in the snow. Looking like you are ignorant of the weather is not impressive, so function matters. Can you invest in or borrow basic flat black boots?

[litdawg]

It was snowy during my campus visit last week. Most of the women in the department had boots that they would change into when leaving the building; most of the men wore the same sensible shoes all day.

Do check the forecast. If there will be a blizzard while you are there, go for the more practical option.

I often use heel cups or gel inserts with boots that are uncomfortable. This works well for me.

[harrapsempire]

You can look for nice, stylish snow boots from La Canadienne - they are on the pricey side, but look good, and you might not need to change shoes :)

In my former snowy location, I used to wear Sorel boots outside, and dressier shoes inside the building.

[academic_cog]

I love Fluevogs!  Maybe you could wear snowboots outside and put them in a bag for when you're inside.

is this a two-day interview? Will the running all around campus be confined to one day?

Don't forget if it's snowing and blowing and slushy you can get the hems of your pants all soggy. Snowboots that you can tuck your pants into can help, or a skirt (but that might be too cold).

[citrine]

The advice about the shoes is great. My only additional advice would be NEVER check your coat if you have to check luggage. One of our candidates did that, and her luggage didn't make it, and fortunately someone on the SC was her size and could lend her a coat til the next day, but she had a cold dash to the car from the airport.

[scampster]

So it is a two day interview, so the one thing about my Fluevogs is that they are blue (so wearing them two days in a row might be odd, even though they aren't of the wackier Fluevog style). My problem right now is that I don't actually own any snow boots! Just gortex hiking boots and my yellow rubber boots, which are sufficient for where I live now (and were actually fine for when I did live in snowy places).

I'm half tempted to buy these

http://www.rei.com/product/820024/keen-silverton-boots-womens

as I have to return a gift to REI that costs about that much anyway and I would wear them with my casual black skirts otherwise.

Zuzu, thanks for the tip about the gel inserts. That's exactly where my feet start to kill me at the end of the day - I didn't actually know those things existed!

[academic_cog]

I like those!

And yeah, the problem with funky colored shoes is that then you have to bring too many and switch them up, and that gets weird and annoying on a short trip.

Would you be keeping the boots on indoors? Because around here all the buildings are super overheated and I get too hot with boots and long pants. You may still want to switch back and forth for inside and outside.

[systeme_d_]

I'm half tempted to buy these

http://www.rei.com/product/820024/keen-silverton-boots-womens

as I have to return a gift to REI that costs about that much anyway and I would wear them with my casual black skirts otherwise.

If you don't have boots just like this already, you need them.  Get thee to the REI store.

[brixton]

Boots are on sale now.  Winter has been funky and snowless in some areas.  I'm in a no-snow location, but just went to NYC for fun.  It snowed. I had,the day before, picked up boots that were 75% off. Sweet.

  So you might wany to check your local dept store to see if their trying to unload anything.