I believe pointed-toe dress shoes are the current trend. Questions like these can be answer at the following site.
www.askmen.com
This site is kinda like a maxim-style website that covers everything from current fashions, to introducing new kinds of sex.

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1989 300E 144K

No interviewer expects to see a prospect sporting $300 shoes or a $1000 suit unless they are being groomed for a CEO position!

The key to a good first visual impression in an interview is simply being well-groomed. Clean $30 shoes give a better impression than dirty $300 ones.

Which brings me to another tangent...why do some women go out in public with open-toed (or open-heeled) shoes, but do little to nothing as far as grooming their feet first? Nothing like seeing a crusty heel peeking out of a stylish mule or chipped toenail polish announcing their arrival in a strappy sandal?

To those ladies: If you don't have time to get your feet together, go find shoes that cover them up until you do!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

AND

Please ladies, get a sandal that fits you, your toes hanging over the front in an "eagle claws" fashion, it ain't cute!

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

off subject, but I just hope that flipflops are out of style this summer. They are fine on the beach, but god they are ugly.

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1989 300E 144K

It is nice that you are coming to us for fashion advice.

I am sure these are fine shoes, but $300 is a bit much for most of us working stiffs. I agree with the dark blue suit, with or without pinstripes. I wear 3 or 4 button suits which are more trendy, but a 2 button is still acceptable. Definately a white shirt, not with button down collar, a dress shirt, maybe even with cuff links. Go to Marshall's or TJ Maxx for the tie and get a brand name for $10 or $15.
For shoes, you can't beat a simple black oxford or wing tip. The square toed shoes are OK, but they again are a more trendy style. If you are a young guy (under 35) and have a more modern suit, go for the square toes, if not go for the oxfords or wing tips. Then take them home and give them a good spit shine and wear them a couple of times before the interview so they look new but not brand new. you don't want your interviewer thinking you bought this outfit just for the interview. You should be able to find several choices for under $100.
The fit of the suit is also important. I am guessing you are getting one off the rack, not tailored, so go to someplace that does in house alterations so they can make the suit fit you. Best of luck.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Just had the thought that you wouldn't want to be dressed substantially better than the interviewer. That's where the knowledge of the company and the area should come into play. Eugene, Oregon, as I recall, is a college town and fairly laid back. However, if the interview is in Portland, then more formal. Big firm more formal, small firm less formal.

It's amusing to me that mzsmbs is so hostile. The world is full of different people with different skills, and different occupations. It's just fine for different people to dress differently. Why all the implied anger? Actually it's pretty funny to profess this disdain, and then drive a Benz, the car of the upper crust.

By the way, while I was a fairly high level manager with a Fortune 500 company for many years, as a self - employed consultant for the past 12 years I have worn a coat on business only about twice. I dress very nicely, in high end casual clothes in order to fit in with what the owners of my client companies typically wear. If I was a carpenter, a job I once held, I would wear work clothes.

Steve

You dress according to the work culture you're employed in...but a suit is always a must for interviews. I don't believe that has ever changed in the U.S. for white-collar prospects.

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Yeah, the guy is going for an interview at an accounting firm. This isn't really a debate. You were a conservative suit in blue or grey, white shirt, tie and dress shoes. That's it. Period. No cowboy boots, no roper belt buckle, no loafers, no viva la differance.

You don't want to impress the interviewer with your style, ingenuity or individuality. They're accountants for gods sake. All you can do by deviating from the "uniform" is lose points. There are no points awarded for artistic interpretation.

softconsult, you aren't being very soft and picked on something that has always pissed me off.. people with skills not getting the job because they didn't stand up to some stupid meaningless standard.. now, if you haven't taken a shower or combed your hair... then yeah i am with you but being picky on rockports is a little much..

it's also how i look at things.. employment is a two way street man. my question, more often then not, has been weather i want to work for certain someone as opposed to that i need a job.. you need me more then i need you or we need each other about the same at worst..

you do make a good point in not out dressing the interviewer but sometimes that's a little hard to know.. i would also say don't wear $300 shoes with your $200 suit.. lol

as to the benz comment: janice joplin = upper crust? also, there are more benz taxis then any other vehicle..

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

On another note, what is your opinion on watches worn to the interview? Would seeing a candidate wearing a nice / expensive watch vs. a Casio make a huge difference?

Watch could be used to say , "I'm a numbers , engineer, accountant type."
The type that has the digital display and little buttons so that it doubles as a calculator. Or maybe, a watch to say , "I'm a rugged outdoor type". Rolex on a young guy says, "My parents are wealthy and I am a spoiled arrogant brat."

As to the post from MZSMBS which read in part, "people with skills not getting the job because they didn't stand up to some stupid meaningless standard.. now, if you haven't taken a shower or combed your hair... then yeah i am with you but being picky on rockports is a little much.."

You are essentially saying that as far as you are concerned, there can be no standards other than the employee's skill and cleaniness. Think, just for a second, about what that would mean.

Doctors who refuse to wear sterile gowns. Airline pilots who refuse to wear the uniform. Military wearing jeans and tee shirts. The examples are literally endless. Sorry, the world doesn't work that way.

Employers are very picky when hiring for certain jobs. they are not as picky for other jobs. The anti-discrimination laws have limited many questions previously asked of candidates. You can't even ask someone their age.

As far as interviewing for employees in my industry, I hear from my clients that it is worse than ever before relative to finding qualified hourly employees. Qualified in this industry means able to read and write, able to read a tape measure, and able to pass the drug test. The drug test is the problem.

When un-employment rates at in the 5 to 6% range the pool gets very shallow. Every single client uses the un-employment office to screen candidates. Then those that are hired are hired through a temp agency for a ninety day trial period. This increases the odds of ending up with a good long term employee. A $10 dollar an hour person costs around $15 an hour with benefits. $20 per hour (40K) costs roughly $28 per hour loaded for bennies or
56K per year. Each employment decision is significant. Being picky is important.

I stand by my recommendation against Rockports on a job interview for a professional position, such as Accountant. I have several pair of Rockports.
They are one of the few brands that are reasonably priced and come in narrow widths. I simply wouldn't wear them to an interview for this type position.

Since I am just waking up, I think I will also challenge you statement about just taking a shower and combing your hair. This can get really sticky. I ran a large manufacturing plant for 5 years or so. Union Shop. We had a couple of situations where employees were complaining that a certain employee smelled (underarm odor). Nothing we could do but ask the guy to clean up.
He said it was none of our business. Had another guy, a true weirdo, that filed a Workers Comp claim for crotch rot. Turned out his shack had no running water. Claim thrown out. So I don't think cleanliness is an enforcable qualification in certain work environments like manufacturing.

Steve

so, you gave a smelly guy a job? he must have worn the nice shoes then.. lol

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

Regarding shoes, after I bought my first pair of Allen Edmonds in 1994 I have not been able to buy any other brand of dress shoe. I had some Johnston Murphys but there is no comparison. The Cole Hahns and Italian shoes have such a thin sole it is bad on uneven ground or long walks. When they recraft them they look and feel like new, only better since the insole is broken-in. My oldest pair has been "recrafted" three times but the leather is cracked and when they wear out they go to the trash. Those shoes were worn three times a week for years on end. I used to travel a lot for business and until you spend 20 hours in your shoes you will never know how uncomfortable shoes can be. Also, do not wear your shoes two days in a row because feet sweat up to a quart a day and the shoes need to dry completely so they don't get skanky. Use cedar shoe trees and rotate them. They will look, smell and feel new for years. MHO

I don't claim to be an expert on these things but a guy once suggested that you can look at the nose instead of the eye to avoid a stare down. Good luck!

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Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si

no, just stare at the boobies! lol

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

Nah, I inherited him. As I recall he was a maintenance mechanic, and a good one. So if he was smart enough to be a mechanic, then he was probably smart enough to take a shower before his interview way back years ago.

As hard as it is to find qualified mechanics, I probably would have hired him smell or no smell, regardless of whether he work Rockports!

Steve