Office wear - Skirts or Trousers

[Rebecca54]

We were having one of those random discussions over our coffee this morning and for some reason got onto the subject of skirts v trousers for office wear.

When I started office work after leaving school we all wore smart black skirts It was quite rare for a woman to wear trousers to work. In fact I didn't own a pair of trousers in my early mid 20's preferring dresses and skirts.

I then had my "parenting break" and started full time work again in my late 30's. and the culture had changed. It was now the norm for women to wear trousers rather than skirts. I bought some black trousers a year or so ago and now wear trousers more than skirts something I wouldn't have dreamed of a few years ago. I now tend to wear skirts in hot weather only.

Is my office typical or are there women that still prefer to wear skirts rather than trousers?

[ExConstance]

I prefer dresses, looks very smart with suitable jacket and all go in the washing machine.

[YaySirNaySir]

Much prefer dresses and skirts.
Hate trousers unless they fit perfectly.
Too many in our workplace are half mast/ Ill fitting/ cheapo Asda type trews. Awful.

[cruikshank]

I agree that dresses are best, better even than skirts - much more forgiving of a less than perfect body shape. Although skirts are better than trousers unless you spend a bit of wodge on them and shop around - different cuts suit different shapes, so it's trickier to get right, ime.

[SueLawleyandNicholasWitchell]

I read something over the weekend that women wearing trousers command more respect!

[cruikshank]

How funny. Our chief exec is a woman and favours the dress + suit jacket combo. She certainly gets a lot of respect! (Largely because she's a great boss and very good at her job). It's the more junior ones in our office who wear the (cheap ill-fitting) trousers.

[SueLawleyandNicholasWitchell]

Yes, my boss is a woman and is normally wears a skirt suit and she's fabulous. I'm a trouser wearer!

[Feawen]

Skirts and dresses are definitely the norm in our office, with a cardigan or jacket. I sometimes wear trousers and a blazer, though, and while I'm in a minority I don't stick out like a sore thumb or anything.

I have a problem with many of the cheaper end high street shops sell black polyester trousers in dress sizes: 8, 10, 12 etc, rather than using waist and leg measurements. They hardly ever fit properly.

[foofooyeah]

I wear trousers or dresses. Cannot remember when I last wore a skirt .... Used to wear them all the time.

[RaisingSteam]

I'm about 50-50. Agree though, I started work in the 1990s, exclusively wore skirts, then sort of went over to trousers in the 2000's feeling a bit too "dressy/feminine" in skirts (technical job), now I'm about 50-50.

It so depends on the office, your personal style and what the trousers/skirt/dress are like. Today I'm in slim black trousers and a dark red merino jumper over a black top, and ballet flats. I've not got any meetings so just dressed for comfort and editing a massive Word document all day.

In my business women wear a whole range of smart/casual clothes, management often wear jackets or those jacket-like cardigans (where DO you find them?)

[KeyserSophie]

When I first started work in 1996, we were not allowed to wear trousers to client sites on Day 1 of an engagement- i.e. until we had checked that it was considered appropriate at the client company.

I think the issue is that more women look good in dresses than trousers, or at least, the type of trousers that are considered office wear and a really good pair of trousers is more expensive than a passable dress. I wear cigarette trousers quite a lot with pointed flats but I never really wear a jacket as it's not cold enough. They are hard to find though- Theory and Joseph are my go-tos.