# Need advice regarding cool (not hot) shoes **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612 "2010-07-05T17:27:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/1 "2010-07-05T17:27:55Z")
I work in a professional setting. On weekends and evenings if I’m at work I can slip off my shoes and socks, wear sandals, go barefoot - whatever. However, during the 9-5 I kind of have to keep some sort of decorum simulation going. I find that wearing shoes - I’m currently wearing leather Rockport dress shoes - make me warm to the point of narcolepsy. I could find shoes that looked professional - or even halfway professional, but still above sneakers - I’d double my productivity. I need shoes that feel barefoot. Please help before I fall asleep - again. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/2 "2010-07-05T18:16:09Z")
I am not sure how half-way professional they are, but have you thought about some kind of cloth (cotton) shoe. Maybe something like [Chinese flats](http://www.pillagedvillage.com/cart/images/items/Green%20Red%20.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/3 "2010-07-05T18:25:14Z")
Probably too unprofessional, and way too girly, especially since I’m a guy. If I wore those I’d give way to my deep not-so repressed desire to be [Pai Chan](http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080222014144/sega/images/thumb/3/38/Pai.jpg/300px-Pai.jpg), and then there would be hell to pay. I need shoes that a casually dressed doctor or lawyer might get away with on a not-much-client contact -but-still-possible day. Shoes that are less eccentric than a grad student’s or shoes that a non-nutty professor might wear on a day when they are teaching. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/4 "2010-07-05T18:45:28Z")
Hmmm, you can get away with more casual shoes when they’re black, but I see that most of the shoes for men in the sneaker genre are far too sneaker-y looking, or they’re leather again, which doesn’t put you any further ahead. [Here you go](http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/MCY/products/1/optimized/721921_fpx.tif?bgc=255,255,255&wid=327&qlt=90,0&layer=comp&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.7,1.0,0.5,0&fmt=jpeg) - those might do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/5 "2010-07-05T19:05:24Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Probably too unprofessional, and way too girly, especially since I’m a guy. If I wore those I’d give way to my deep not-so repressed desire to be [Pai Chan](http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080222014144/sega/images/thumb/3/38/Pai.jpg/300px-Pai.jpg), and then there would be hell to pay. > > I need shoes that a casually dressed doctor or lawyer might get away with on a not-much-client contact -but-still-possible day. Shoes that are less eccentric than a grad student’s or shoes that a non-nutty professor might wear on a day when they are teaching. Whoops, sorry. :smack: Hmmm… what about something like [this](http://www.famousfootwear.com/productimages/shoes_ia99860.jpg)? A canvas shoe can be pretty unassuming. It probably wouldn’t work for a lawyer. [This](http://www.crocs.com/crocs-cove/10443,default,pd.html?cid=280&cgid=men-footwear) might, but I am not sure how cool they are. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/6 "2010-07-05T19:31:16Z")
Can you get away with [not-too-flamboyent deck shoes](http://www.zappos.com/docksiders?zfcTest=navAndThumbs2:3) or [loafers](http://www.zappos.com/search/shoes/filter/hide:productTypeFacet/%22Shoes%22/hide:categoryFacet/%22Shoes%22/subCategoryFacet/%22Loafers%22/gender/%22mens%22/colorFacet/%22Brown%22/sort/isNew/desc?zfcTest=navAndThumbs2:3)? They tend to be less hot than lace-up shoes and you can get away with them in a business casual situation, but it’s hard to tell from the OP just how “professional” your workplace is. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/7 "2010-07-05T20:17:15Z")
I’ve done deck shoes with some success, but you’re still displaying nekkid ankle if you go without socks, as though I were going sailing later. Loafers are still pretty hot. I guess I’m thinking that somewhere, someone has applied all the gore-tex mesh lightweight running shoe tech to a more dressy shoe. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-regarding-cool-not-hot-shoes/545612/8 "2010-07-05T20:27:59Z")
My suggestion is to see if any of the [Crocs](http://www.crocs.com/home/homepage,default,pg.html) line are suitable. [These](http://www.crocs.com/crocs-tideline-leather/10445,default,pd.html?cid=280&cgid=men-footwear-slip-ons) and [these\*](http://www.crocs.com/crocs-cove/10443,default,pd.html?cid=280&cgid=men-footwear-shoes) have side vent holes, [these](http://www.crocs.com/crocs-mens-santa-cruz/10128,default,pd.html?cid=280&cgid=men-footwear-slip-ons) and [these](http://www.crocs.com/crocs-mens-melbourne/10743,default,pd.html?cid=22Y&cgid=men-footwear-shoes) have canvas uppers. \*Previously linked by **heraldgwena.**