Living in Tennis Shoes in the Professional World

Regardless of the event or the attire, I wear athletic tennis shoes every day. Interestingly, one of the first things people say when they find out about this is that they wish they could get away with that. I might have said the same thing a few years ago, but I have to say, it's not as easy as one thinks. First, there are the awkward social events. There is nothing like walking into a formal event with a dress and tennis shoes. People stare, they make joking comments like "nice shoes." For the most part, it is well meaning, but at the same time, it's a hit to my self-confidence.

I am very blessed to have a job with an understanding boss. She lets me wear tennis shoes with my professional clothing and never says a word. It becomes more difficult when I have a professional lunch or happy hour to attend. While it is true that most people could care less over what shoes I am wearing, I feel less confident in such clearly mismatched attire. Adding to this, many of these events involve standing. Networking by nature requires the ability to work the room, which is hard to do when you can't stand for more than 5 minutes.

This is a very small issue in the grand scheme of things, but I can't help but stare longingly into my closet at all of the beautiful shoes I used to wear. I have donated a few of them, but have kept the rest in the hopes that one day I will get to wear them again, if only for an hour.

My graduation shoes - if I was stuck in tennis shoes, they were going to be fun ones!

What I wouldn't do to wear these shoes again!