capsule wardrobe/new job

[overthemill]

I need some work clothes! I am now going back to work in 3 weeks and have nothing to wear! Honest, I live in jeans

I have

1 pair black trousers that are quite new and basic (M&S limited collection).

1 pair 3 year old boden check wool (brown ish) trousers (bit tight but I am doing sit ups!)

1 green (jigsaw) cord suit (much nicer than it sounds was quite trendy) 3 years old

1 black long cardy bought this year from Laura Ashley

1 brand new long length cardy with a tie (F&F)

1 nice, new last feb black cardigan from laura ashley

1 beige (much nicer) cardy from banana republic

1 knee length cotton skirt from zara (kind of chino colour - nice and fitted looks good i think)

couple of banana republic tops s/sleeved

1 banana republic knitted top - always get compliments - bought feb

1 dress boden 3 years old like a shirttwaister but loks really shapeless on me as i am little and reasonably skinny (when i have done those sit ups)

I can see a thread here (ie i love cardigans!)

I am aged 50 (think I look/act younger)

will be in a corporate client facing role (basically management consultancy)

need 'business clothes' for out of the office days

need 'less formal but still msart' clothes for when in the office

i am 5' 1"

size 10 top
size 8 bottom (but do need to tone up and get back into preholiday good eating habits for afew weeks)
basically blonde/shoulder length hair (might have a restyle later on but not too much all at once)

so over to you HELP!!!!

[overthemill]

go on! someone must want to make me over

[overthemill]

bump - are you all feeling frumpy like me, surely not!!!

[JackieNo]

I'm not great on capsule wardrobes, but the stuff youve got may work for your 'in the office' days. It sounds as if you need a couple of good suits, that you can wear for client meetings etc - maybe Zara, Jigsaw or Reiss, or somewhere like that - not sure what your budget is, so a couple of jackets, and for each one, one 'bottom' - either skirt, or trousers, or even a dress, plus a couple of tops that you can use with as many of the options as possible. Good boots, if wearing skirts, can make things more versatile.

For the Boden dress - does it have a fabric tie belt? If so, can you replace it with another, more structured one, to give you some more shape? Or ditch the dress altogether.

[JackieNo]

Reiss. Not sure about the skirts, but the jackets and trousers look nice.
Ooh - forgot Hobbs - businesswear

[overthemill]

thanks for this. i'd thought one good suit with both skirt and trousers to start. maybe add a dress later. then a second suit when i get paid!

i used to love jigsaw and laura ashley when i worked full time (this was 6 - 7 years ago andnothing fits anymore). i like hobbs but find their sizing a bit odd.

never seen reiss before so this is interesting.

i have an appointment with banana republic personal shopper next week and hope to get good advice there (I like them but only got stuff in US before).

this is the first role for years that i have to wear actual suits for, even in cabinet office i could wear structured separates and i am now lost! It seems to be quite 'posh' and most people dont have kids so they wont have the hassle i will have in even getting dresssed in the mornings.

budget is small but i want to get good stuff that will last - and can add to it bit by bit as i get paid. need to get shoes and boots (one pair of each thsi month)