What are the best office shoes for men who are CEOs?
Finding the right pair of shoes that strike a balance between professional and approachable (without being overdressed) can be difficult.
This is especially true in casual offices or offices without a dress code. This is something a lot of my tech clients have to deal with.
Most days, you don’t need to wear a formal dress shoe. But you don’t want to wear a gym sneaker and look too casual either.
Striking the right balance for CEO office shoes is complicated. Fortunately, there are many stylish shoe options for CEOs and executives that are comfortable, casual and professional.
Keep reading for my favorite shoe picks for male CEOs.
Executive Sleek Dress Shoes
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
A dress shoe is a must-have for men’s CEO office shoes. If your office is more formal or if you regularly have client meetings or events where you need to be dressed up, a pair of dress shoes are an essential.
I recommend choosing a classic pair of oxford shoes. This style of shoe is professional and classic.
Start with a pair of black oxford shoes. Black is a versatile color that you’ll easily be able to pair with the rest of your closet.
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
However, if this is a style of shoe you love and wear often, consider adding a second pair in brown.
CEO-Style Loafers and Boots
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
Loafers and boots are great office shoes for CEOs who work in more business casual environments or creative environments.
Both types of shoes show an extra attention to style and detail. I love these CEO office shoes for my clients who are looking to take more risks and have fun with their style.
For example, these Brunell Cucinelli loafers would be a nice addition to your men’s summer essentials.
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
On the other hand, these black boots will be a closet essential that you can rely on for years. They’ll easily transition from the office to drinks or dinner in the evening.
Plus, with the right pair of boots you won’t have to sacrifice comfort. You can wear a high-quality pair of boots all day and still be comfortable.
I love this style of boot for a CEO in New York or another city with cold weather in the winter.
Photo Credit: Nordstrom
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
While loafers and boots may be new additions to your closet, they’re easy to style as long as you have a strong foundation of closet essentials.
Not sure how to style your loafers? Try pairing them with a polo and slacks or with a sweater and jacket like in the photos below.
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
Casual CEO Slip-On or Day Sneakers
Photo Credit: MR PORTER
Did you know that sneakers can be CEO office shoes?
If you work in a casual office (like tech), then there’s a good chance you can wear slip-on sneakers or day sneakers to the office.
It can get tricky though. You need to make sure you’re wearing the right shoe style. For example, these slip-on shoes are office appropriate:
Photo Credit: Nordstrom
You can also wear a modern, lace up sneaker like these ones from Common Projects:
Photo Credit: Nordtrom
When finding sneakers to wear to the office it’s important to look for styles that are modern, clean, and simple (like the shoes above or these gray suede sneakers).
Look for sneakers that are made of leather or suede in core colors like gray, navy, white, or black.
Avoid sneakers that are for the gym, like these. They’ll damage your professional image as a confident and powerful executive.
A lot of us might not think of sneakers as CEO office shoes for men. But you can wear sneakers to the office as long as they fit the dress code and are the right style.
For example, the photos below show our male executive image consulting clients have worn sneakers while still looking confident, trustworthy, and professional:
To take your executive style to the next level, apply for our men’s executive image consulting service.
