What to wear over work dresses?

[StealthPolarBear]

I used to live in trousers and a top with a jumper. If I needed to be smart I had trouser suits.
I've mow started to wear dresses most are black or grey with various pattern. Is a decent black trouser suit jacket ok to go over all of them? Or do I need something different for each one?

[StealthPolarBear]

Be kind to me, I am not stylish or beautiful :)

[LookWhatTheCatDraggedIn]

Yes, that'd be what I'd wear. I'd also invest in a lovely cardigan to wear for a more relaxed look.

[StealthPolarBear]

But a black suit jacket doesn't look quite right over all of them I don't think.
I'm crap with this stuff.
or maybe I just need a decent jacket. Can you link to the sort of thing

[LippyLiz]

I wear a lot of skirts and dresses and I usually wear fitted suit jackets/Blazers with them. I have all colours. H&M have some hot around £20 each. Because they're fitted, they're slightly shorter than others and so they look better with dresses

[LippyLiz]

Actually, they're £24.99

m2.hm.com/m/en_gb/ladies/shop-by-product/blazers-and-waistcoats/blazers.genericdevice.html?offset=0&page-size=16

[StealthPolarBear]

I thibk that's the sort of thing I need. Thank you

[StealthPolarBear]

Might do some shopping tomorrow.

[Longislandicetee]

M&S do some great Blazers SPB. After years of searching, I eventually found a black blazer (and same again in navy) there that go with all my dresses. Also Zara do some good Blazers as well. If most of your dresses are black or grey then you only need a black one, or grey if you want it to be less funeral like. Last summer, after much trial and error I found an ivory jacket from Miss Selfridges which I have been using in the summer.

[Bobochic]

I think cardigans can be terrific over dresses, but you need to buy them together, from the same brand, at the same time. They shouldn't match but they do need to coordinate.

A gold or silver cardigan looks great with black or grey dresses.

[Longislandicetee]

M&S do some great Blazers SPB. After years of searching, I eventually found a black blazer (and same again in navy) there that go with all my dresses. Also Zara do some good Blazers as well. If most of your dresses are black or grey then you only need a black one, or grey if you want it to be less funeral like. Last summer, after much trial and error I found an ivory jacket from Miss Selfridges which I have been using in the summer.

[StealthPolarBear]

Ooh I'm in and s tonight thank you.
Yes that was my worry. The dress I'm wearing today is black and spotty so black would be fine. But I have another dress which is all black so presumably ill need a light grey to go over it.
Are you all sure it doesn't matter if the blazers are from a totally different range / slightly different shade of black etc

[RebelandaStunner]

I have a dark grey Jaeger one - not as expensive as you'd think. About £60 iirc.
Also Hobbs black that I have had a few years but looks so good still and a neutral sort of light oatmeal one from Next which I got this year to replace an old starting to look tatty one
Also sorry but All Polar bear's are stylish and beautiful 🐾

[RebelandaStunner]

Oops They are all blazers, I also have cardigans in various colours from H and M mostly.

[Middleoftheroad]

I agree that a shorter fitted jacket/blazer works best over dresses

H&Ms are good
House of Fraser always have some too

Yes, black on black could be too much so try a different colour jacket. I have jackets in various colours. In the winter it's tougher as I then have to put a coat over jacket which bulks it all out - maybe that's when a nice cardy coild come into play.

[Christabella21]

I have a next black workwear jacket that looks great over anything. It's dry clean only and part of a skirt suit. I also have several m&s waterfall open blazer jacket type things which are lovely over dresses and can be machine washed. A nice waterfall cardigan in grey and black also looks nice and a shorter fitted cardigan (again m&s) goes with others.

[Christabella21]

In winter I find cardigans with a coat over more comfortable and warmer as a jacket and coat tend to feel too bulky.

[truemovies]

OP I wouldn't go with black Blazers with a black dress/grey dress with grey blazer for precisely the issue you raised; unless you're terribly careful, they will be different shades. If they are different shades it will look awful and cheap.

[rubybleu]

I wear dresses to work; I have two navy jackets (one blazer style, one collarless)and two blue toned patterned jackets (again blazer & collarless) to pop over the top. My dresses all work with a navy jacket, or patterned jacket if they are plain. I have a cream collarless jacket that comes out in summer.

Mango, Hobbs and Jaeger Outlet are good for this kind of thing.

I also have a couple of cardigans (Banana Republic is excellent for plain merino) but only for when I'm sequestered at my desk & wanting to be comfortable.

One of our "womens network" presentatioms recommended avoiding cardigans in situations where male colleagues are wearing jackets, as it diminishes your power/presence.

[StealthPolarBear]

Ok thank you so I need a plain black one, a patterned one (to go with my black dress) and maybe a light grey / some other neutral colour one.

[Longislandicetee]

hi SPB, yes I agree with that. You might want to consider a caramel type colour for your neutral one. Depending on your colouring it provides a good contrast to a black dress and even a grey one.

I am not going to disagree with the pattern advice as I would say it's very much personal taste. I am more of a classic dresser so prefer solid colors at work to patterns. I also think that patterned jackets are potentially less transferable from dress to dress. I tend to think of the blazer as more of an accessory than the main part of the outfit. As i say, i am a classic dresser though so its very much personal taste!

Hope that helps! Do come back and let us know what you get? And make sure when you get home you try them on with different outfits and get someone to take a photo or do a selfie so you can really see how you look.

[DailyFailAteMyFish]

The boden cropped cardigan is good over dresses. There is a good deal on the non cashmere ones on ebay in grey, navy, black and ivory.
The cropped nature makes them sit better over dresses than a standard length cardigan.

[happypoobum]

I always wear a dress and cardi or dress and blazer.

Cotton blazers are useful for summer, I bought a navy one from Tu this year and it's served me really well and was vair cheap.

I have a black blazer from M&S and 752 different coloured cardis only a slight exaggeration for winter when I need a comfy indoor cover up. Always a jacket for formal meetings etc though.

[StealthPolarBear]

Well I went to m and s and the selection was dreadful. I suspect the new stock will come in soon. However I did find the only blazer on the place, on the sale rack, in my size! And I even like it. It's a sort of biscuit colour. It will go with my black dress but no others I don't thibk but for £30 it's a good start

[StealthPolarBear]

I am really not a cardI person. I'm a fleece person embarrassingly. So far I just wear it when no one is watching thwn whip it off when I need to look smart. Decided I need to grow up :o