Debbie F on Birkis

She has just suggested that you could wear the Florida 3-strap Birkis to the office.

If a member of my department turned up in such beach wear I would send them home to get dressed in something more appropriate. I must be very old-fashioned to expect a modicum of formality in the workplace.

Linda :angel:

Depends on the nature of your work I suppose. Smart casual is the code for me, and I wear my birkenstocks to work.

Our office is smart casual too, and birkies are acceptable, plenty of people do wear them or equally casual styles when the weather is warm. I'm not keen on birkenstocks myself (wear them round the house as slippers and that's it!) but I was wearing gladiator sandals earlier in the week - back in my boots now though, tis freezing cold and raining here today :sad:

Pinkpussycat said:

The only footwear that isn't acceptable in my workplace are trainers which I agree with as they are vile things imo.

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Particularly clunky white ones worn with black leggings.

I've worn my Birkenstocks & Fly flots to work as well as they are really comfortable when it is really hot. I probably wouldn't have when I had a job where I had to wear a suit but for normal day to day offices I can't see a problem with them.

I used to wear mine, but I am a Manager now so only wear them on dress down day, even then I wore a pair of clogs which had a ladybird on each one, someone has a word! Mind you I was wearing a ladybird dotty skirt and red top too - teehee!

I wore my white birkis to work the other day and my manager told me how nice they were!

There's no way anyone in my place of work would wear Birkis. It is a bit of a formal workplace - but I don't think presenters should chat about who could wear what in any environment unless more specific.

Would love to wear birkis for work - but i fear my feet would get terribly wet in the welly wash.....

I dont see anything wrong with them myself and would happily wear them to work,they can look ok whatever you wear...well maybe not with a suit but with a skirt or trousers I think they are acceptable

I'm with Erics Mum on this one: too informal for work imo. Of course, it does depend on your place of work, but to me even revealing the toes is too informal! And I don't like sleeveless tops for the workplace either. Toes, armpits = too personal in the workplace somehow for me. I'm old fashioned I suppose lol!!

I totally agree about sleeveless tops, That's never right in the workplace, especially in food shops........call me old-fashioned:grin:

I would be horrified if any of my staff turned up in Birkis on the ward. Even in the community I do not think it is appropriate in nursing.

I would not want office staff to wear them either, I guess I'm old fashioned and think that first impressions counts. (But I love my Birkis for the garden on a hot day).

Choppysocks said:

I would be horrified if any of my staff turned up in Birkis on the ward. Even in the community I do not think it is appropriate in nursing.

I would not want office staff to wear them either, I guess I'm old fashioned and think that first impressions counts. (But I love my Birkis for the garden on a hot day).

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I am a community nurse and would never wear them to work,good old clarks for me!!

I'm a community nurse and wear mine for work regularly :happy:
Our social workers wear them too.

Choppysocks said:

I would be horrified if any of my staff turned up in Birkis on the ward. Even in the community I do not think it is appropriate in nursing.

I would not want office staff to wear them either, I guess I'm old fashioned and think that first impressions counts. (But I love my Birkis for the garden on a hot day).

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only wondering here but would have thought as you are on your feet all day they would be the perfect thing to wear actually? Supportive for your footbed and comfortable? No, I do not sell them :mysmilie_17:, but was simnply wondering. I used to teach and wore them all the time in the summer as I was on my feet all day.

star234 said:

only wondering here but would have thought as you are on your feet all day they would be the perfect thing to wear actually? Supportive for your footbed and comfortable?

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Yep until you drop something on your feet, fall over when running to an emergency, patient stamps on your toes, trip over when restraining someone and someone ends up hurt (I work in mental health). Also they do not look professional or hygienic, I want my staffs toes well under wraps please. :grin:

Like I say, I love Birkis, but not for work.

Birkenstock make a range for medical personnel and they are closed over including heels on some if not all but have the foot bed. Also some models dissipate static electricity which .can be aproblem in certain environments

I think as this thread has shown that it wholly depends on the place you work. I usually wear shoes but with the really hot weather, and the awful heat in the classrooms where I teach students, I have been wearing sandals (although not Birkis but similar to the 3 strap ones).

I can't see Lloyds Bank employees being able to wear sandals somehow - Lloyds are so old-fashioned. Only 20 years ago my friend was sent home from there for daring to wear a very smart trouser suit - one can't have women in trousers now can we? She didn't work for Lloyds per se, but we were contracted there via a computer company for which we were installing a system.

Health and safety also plays a part and open toed shoes shouldn't be worn in hospitals, hair dressers and similar.