The black single sole pump
pics: minimamaxima
I needed a classic black pump for interviews, and found one at Brooks Brothers a few weeks ago. It was my first experience with the brand, and the WASP aesthetic is totally over the top (especially out here on the West Coast). However, I’m very pleased with this shoe. The heel height is just right, as is the fit and style–I needed an anonymous, non-flashy shoe that would see me through a variety of situations, not the least of which being job interviews. There is a decent amount of padding in the insole, and the heel is narrow enough to prevent your foot from slipping out, while the toe is almond-shaped and not too constricting. (*and they’re currently 50% off*)
For the last two years after grad school, I’ve been a temporary hire in my city’s school district. Basically, this means I’ve been hired in mid-October, once student enrollment levels have been confirmed and an extra teacher is needed, and I’ve legally been required to be laid off in mid-June, due to the nature of the contract. While I’m enjoying the part-time nature of the work (and the high hourly pay that somewhat makes up for it), a little more certainty about my next paycheck would be, umm, nice. Good thing I like my night job, which is playing music, and blessedly year-round.
At any rate, these last two summers I’ve spent interviewing, as the economy has resulted in an unusually large amount of teachers laid off, and a correspondingly deep candidate pool. I’m proud to say that I’ve made it to the last round of interviews several times, but when you’ve had one part-time teaching job under your belt, compared to teachers with 7-8 years of experience and former heads of math departments, well you know how it goes.
At any rate, to make a long story shorter, I anticipate these heels to get lots of use this summer!
Gorgeous! I love Brooks Brothers – their shirts are so well-made. I bought a bunch a few years back and have never needed any more since they still look new despite being worn all the time. Fingers crossed these shoes will prove lucky for you!
Thanks Ammu! Great tip on their shirts–I haven’t explored the clothing part of their store yet–definitely something I’d like to do in the future.
What instrument do you play? What kind of music? Just nosy…
http://www.nomadicd.com
Acoustic bass–I play jazz in a lot of clubs around Portland and the NW.
That is cool. The bass is such a bad-ass instrument.
First: wow I’m from Portland! I’m back at university now in the midwest, but still very cool.
Second: Very nice choice in shoe, I especially like the cap toe detail. I’ve been in a similar situation of needing simple black pumps that are still comfortable and came across a great pair at Nordstrom Rack.
A fellow Portlandian! Hooray!
I’ve got to say, I’m a huge fan of your Tumblr–I love the quotes that you include. Does your area of study at school have any overlap with your Tumblr topics?
Thanks! And yeah, I guess in a way there is an overlap between my studies and what I like to put on my tumblr. However, I think it’s more that my tumblr is a reflection of my interests, political/social/religious leanings, etc. (in addition to things I just find funny) and those interests have lead to my choosing the subjects I study (majoring in Latin American Studies, minoring in Spanish and PoliSci. I also thought about minoring in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies which probably isn’t too surprising)….It’s also simply the fact that I follow some supremely intelligent and well spoken people who express what I’m thinking in a better way than I ever could and bring things to my attention that I think are interesting and want to share with the small amount of people who follow me.
P.S.: I think the only direct correlation between my studies and what I post on tumblr is probably quotes in Spanish because I started taking the language when I arrived at college and really enjoy it.
Congratulations on making it to the final rounds of interviews so many times. That’s an accomplishment to be proud of.
The shoes you picked out are perfect for an interview. Not to high, not flashy and discreet- excellent choice. I haven’t tried Brooks Brothers’ shoes, but I swear by their button down shirts. I think they are the only button downs aside from my bespoke shirts that have worked for me.
That’s another strong endorsement for the Brooks Bros. dress shirts–Ammu said she swears by them as well.
I need to schedule an unstructured hour exploring their store one of these days, by the sound of it.
I recently got (very on sale) a J. Crew Liberty print blouse in their “perfect” shirt cut–the material is a soft cotton which is thin enough to layer under a sweater without the bulk, but not see-through. And it’s also tailored nicely with darts, and well-fitted through the shoulders. It was basically the first time I tried on a button-down and realized what magic a proper fit could have.
And thank you, that’s a nice compliment!