What on earth is smart business dress?! I'm totally lost.

[CajaDeLaMemoria]

I have an interview on Thurs.

At the moment, I work at home, so no smart dress required. I don't have much money at the moment.

The only smart dress I have is this in orange which DP assured me is nice, and matches what people at work wear. But someone just pointed out that it's a bit low cut on another thread, and now I'm lost again.

I'm a 32E/F, so hiding my boobs isn't an option. I don't wear anything high necked, because it looks really top heavy and horrid. I tend to live in jeans and vests, but ripped my jeans last week and don't have any more. I don't own black trousers. At the moment, I'm wearing colorful playsuits that really aren't workwear.

I am utterly lost for what to wear. I had hoped to borrow something but DP's mum is a 14, and I'm an 8/10, and she only has a very posh wedding skirt. It keeps falling down, I can hardly walk. It looks stupid.

What on earth do I wear?

If you have big boobs that dress is too low cut for an interview. I would probably pick a safer colour as well

sorry, no.
that dress won't do.

I think that is fine for an interview - nice dress!

When I interview people for office jobs I expect them to wear a suit. A lot of them don't tbf - but the best candidates usually do.

Doesn't matter if its supermarket or charity shop but if you can beg, steal or borrow one, I think you should.

UNless you are going for an interview at an undertakers, or something.

I work in a professional environment and to me smart business dress would mean suited and booted I'm afraid.

Def not a low cut bright orange dress I'm afraid.

But I'm aware my workplaces have always been on the conservative side of things.

I thought my boobs helped, to be honest. It holds the top bit quite high up.

Any suggestions then?

I'm very pale, with very light blonde hair, so black and navy wash me out completely and make me look really ill.

My stomach isn't great at the moment as my kidneys are causing a lot of bloating, and my legs are pretty rubbish. My boobs are my only okay feature.

I can't get to a high street so I guess I'll have to find something cheap online, but I don't really know what I'm looking for. Even in a minimizer bra, high necked things look stupid and feel really uncomfortable.

Any advice?

Sorry, that dress is no way suitable. Is there absolutely nobody yo could borrow some clothes from? How smart do you need to be - would a skirt/trousers and smart shirt work, or do you need a suit/tailored dress?

Black trousers, white blouse, low heels but not flats. Add a jacket if you can.

It's a PR related job, if that matters. I haven't been to the workplace before.

It's taken so long to get to this stage, and now I feel really embarrassed. I feel like cancelling

Smart business dress to me means a skirt/trousers, shirt/blouse and jacket if it's not too hot.

I am a size 8-10 and a 32f so totally feel your pain. However that dress is not smart business attire. I am maybe a bit over-conservative as work in extremely male dominated and old fashioned profession but I would not wear anything that bright or low cut to work. I think similar, in black, less low cut would be fine. If you like colour use your accessories for this just don't go ott. What industry are you in?

Don't even think of cancelling.
Beg or borrow something.

Sorry, cross-post.

I don't know how smart. It just says 'smart business dress'.

I wouldn't be able to afford a suit, or trousers, a top and shoes, I don't think.

I was struggling enough to afford a bag and shoes to go with that dress

I know nobody here. It took 4 hours on the train to get to DP's mum, and her suit is a '70's throughback and is far too big. I can't get it taken in because she still uses it for weddings and funerals.

I'm absolutely hopeless, aren't I? I'm not sure I can save this.

I think that dress would be fine for an interview in PR. I'd be tempted to team it with a smart tailored jacket though.

I could wear the black suit jacket over the top, and team it with a minimiser bra?

I'm tempted to iron it and put a photo up now, but I'm so shy.

Although my career was in entertainment PR where everyone dressed like that.

If the agency represents accountants something more dull would be more appropriate!

Don't cancel!

What shoes DO you have?

Whereabouts are you?

What is your budget?

If you are going for a PR job I would go pretty smart, maybe something like this:

www.next.co.uk/X5220s7#863053X52

with a scooped top (not too low) underneath so you feel comfortable.

Don't cancel the interview!

Get yourself to your nearest Oxfam or similar in a half-decent area.

You will probably find a smart women's work shirt for under £10. Combine with supermarket trousers. Or, look for a smart summer dress, nothing too tight and knee length.

Or do you have any similar-sized friends?

Where are you caja?

this

I'm a PR manager and, as long as there was no cleavage showing, I'd think the dress was ok. I'd put a jacket over it though.

Depending on the PR firm/sector, you could maybe get away with the orange outfit if you added a black or white cami top underneath and wore lowish black heels but you really need to know the firm well to decide on this.

Otherwise I would suggest you buy a grey pencil skirt or trousers and a plain white blouse and dress it up with existing accessories, jacket/shrug etc.

Good luck with the interview!

I think if you wore a jacket with it that dress would be ok for a PR interview, but it depends how low cut it is. If it's anything like the picture it is too low.

Good grief. Do not wear that dress.

my boobs are my only okay feature

This is an interview for a professional position, I assume. Your boobs don't come into it and should be covered up. Otherwise the interviewer will not be remembering you for the right reasons.