Embracing Sneakers in the Office

I will be the first one to admit to any employer, co-worker, potential business partner, vendor, really anyone that is willing to listen that I am a sneaker enthusiast through and through. My apartment is lined with Nike swooshes, extra shoelaces, shoeboxes of all different colors and sizes, you name it. I am not a full blown “sneakerhead” by any means (though sometimes I am really on the edge of enthusiast and fanatic). But, I appreciate a good pair of sneakers none the less.

I appreciate them so much that I have refused to work in an office setting that doesn’t allow for everyday wear. There have been times that I have outright turned down interviews that didn’t allow for sneakers in the office. It’s not that I am looking to pull off the full-blown just-got-out-of-the-gym look when I step foot into the office (you can consider my daily office look to be more aligned with Jerry Seinfeld). But, instead, I make the requirement known right from the very beginning because of what sneakers represent to me.

What does it mean for someone to skip the oxfords or the loafers and go straight for the running shoe? It says they are on a mission, they have somewhere to go, and they need to get there as efficiently as possible.

I make it know that I am ready to hit the ground running from the second I get into the office until the job is done. I am in it for the hard sprint, the long marathon, no matter how hard the race is. If your office isn’t prepared for that sort of energy, is that really the type of environment that is going to motivate you to jump out of bed in the morning?

Of course not! A company that doesn’t see sneakers as an option is an office that doesn’t have the energy for the long race. A company whose culture does not emphasize flexibility, freedom, movement.
But, embracing more flexible footwear doesn’t mean you need to peacock in the office with a pair of tie-dye basketball shoes. With the modern day workplace becoming smarter, agile to the growing demands of top talent, and more progressive in developing its culture, there are alternatives to the over the top basketball shoe. From the Adidas Stan Smith to the more luxurious Maison Margiela Replica Sneaker, there has never been a better time to embrace the new age of serious yet flexible workplace office sneakers. Who knows, a change in shoes might just spark a whole new conversation with a coworker, client or potential client.