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?

[CajaDeLaMemoria]

DP has a Very account I could probably use, if keeping it under £30 is going to be impossible.

Gosh this is hard. I felt quite confident in the bright colour, but now I'm not sure I should be allowed to dress myself.

[HandMini]

The Asda one that coffee linked above looks great for someone of your size and figure. Only £18 as well!

[Alwayscheerful]

NO to The french connection and the Myleen Class dresses. Only wear them if you do not want the job.

The jaeger dresses are great.

What colour shoes and handbags do you have ?

[BIWI]

Whilst I like that orange dress, it's really not suitable if they've specified 'smart business dress'. The whole way it's cut (never mind the size of your boobs!) is to emphasise your chest/cleavage.

I like the Superdry one, and if it's long enough on you (which it should be if you're only 5ft tall), and you have a black jacket to wear over it, I think that would be fine. If it's a PR company, something a little less boring than just plain black should be well-received.

[thaliablogs]

No it doesn't have to be black, but black is safe and is what is available, lots of the other colour ways sold out and the autumn stuff not yet on sale. Fwiw I also found you this one but think its too far out of your budget and is more of a personal choice.

www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eight//Dove-Print-Dress/202229287

[MrsBertMacklin]

I think you could pull off the pink if you put a neutral jacket, bag and shoes with it, yes. See thaliablogs' concerns about its clinginess, though! Have you had a look in the Hobbs outlet?

[AphraBehn]

The Jaeger one in cobalt blue looks like a good compromise to me.

[EhricLovesTeamQhuay]

The great thing about littlewoods is you can order several styles and sizes, try them on at home and send back any or all with no cost.

[MrsBertMacklin]

Actually, forget Hobbs. Nothing in the Sale or Outlet under £60 that would suit.

[CajaDeLaMemoria]

Ah, just saw the clinginess comment. That could be a problem...I'm very nervous about my boobs now.

I don't think I can do Littlewoods because we have Very, but if anyone wants to suggest anything from there, I could order tonight and post pics tomorrow?

I'll wear black if I have too. I avoid it because I'm so very pale, so bright colors suit me better, but I will wear it. I clearly have a lot to learn!

I'm v. tempted by Jaegar, too. I'll have to wait for DP to come home to order. Do Jaeger do free delivery or anything?

[LucyTheValiant]

This? Asos I bought it for an interview last week. I'm a shorty too so it's not as short as it looks there - it's just to the top of my knees, and I'm 5 foot 2. Or is it too high necked/casual? (Please nobody say it's completely inappropriate and you would never employ anyone who turned up wearing it, I'm wearing it again for an interview on Thursday! )

[LucyTheValiant]

Oh sorry, just saw that you're looking for something from Very... I will have another look this evening if you're still looking when dinner is over!

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

Jaeger with a bright smart bag ideally, that would be smart business dress for pr in my book, but also show a bit of personality and you sound like you'd be list comfortable with some colour.
How senior is the role? I'm wondering if they've soecified smart because they're fed up of students rocking up in hoodies?

[CajaDeLaMemoria]

If I get the first Jaeger dress in pink, and wear it with the black suit jacket, could I use a toffee bag?

I have <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=3.bp.blogspot.com/-py-Wlhd0zFs/T0qtk4yN5cI/AAAAAAAAAvA/tyWVldBLGGA/s640/SSA59574.JPG&imgrefurl=misspandorablogs.blogspot.com/2012/02/modalu-toffee-pippa-bag-birthday.html&h=1600&w=1200&sz=309&tbnid=1YV6ZHEPiSBWzM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=69&zoom=1&usg=__qUAHaMSGbYnYANsoI4N9KhAXoqU=&docid=XAzwHe4Gdak2vM&sa=X&ei=7cLuUZrGA8HPhAfxl4H4Bw&ved=0CEIQ9QEwAA&dur=238" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">this already.

Or is the cobalt one better?

It's quite a senior position. I was under the impression that it had a fairly casual dress code, but the agency have told me to wear smart business wear. If they'd told me a few days ago I'd have been okay, but it's a bit of a rush now...

[mrsminiverscharlady]

How about this: www.marksandspencer.com/Cap-Sleeve-Peplum-Shift-Dress/dp/B009G6C9GW?pos=PDP_cav_3/10_text&rrClickthru=PDP

I know M&S can be a bit but I had a similar one last year which I wore for my graduation and it was really, really nice. I think in this weather you could be forgiven for not wearing a jacket tbh, which would keep the cost down.

[MrsBertMacklin]

Yes, I think that bag would work perfectly.

You will probably walk in and see lots of people dressed casually, but you have to go smart to an interview. Most of the things I wear at work day to day (smart day dresses, pencil dresses with a print pattern) would not pass muster in an interview.

Jaeger do not offer free home delivery, but if you have a store near you, they will deliver there for free (and quicker).

[Alwayscheerful]

Toffee handbag is great. What shoes do you have?

[travailtotravel]

If it's the interview I am going to on Thursday, yes wear it.
I'll be the one in a drab suit and you'll look awesome.

If its another one, then can you just borrow a jacket to wear with it?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Something like this would be fine, and if they haven't got a sale one then this full price one is cheap too.

Please don't wear the orange one, or any of those clingy and bright ones you posted. They are unprofessional and I think you'd feel very uncomfortable. You say that you are shy and then post dresses which are very 'notice me' so you clearly like bright colours, but looking professional and business appropriate means playing safe to begin with and maybe restricting your colour to a bag or shoes.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

The bag is perfect btw.

[flowery]

Please don't feel pushed into wearing black if you wouldn't normally or it doesn't suit you.

Recruiters often face a parade of black suit/white shirt combo after black suit/white shirt combo or black dress, and everyone blends into one.

It's perfectly possible to do smart professional business wear with colour and I would say for PR, showing you are not just one of a crowd and have personality is a must.

Wear a colour that you like and that you feel confident in. No cleavage, not lots of leg, and not clingy.

[soaccidentprone]

I think that very ponte dress looks cheap. The John Lewis dresses wouldn't flatter the op due to her self confessed large norkage. She is also petite, so needs something not too revealing, but which also balances out the proportions of her body and flatters.

Round or slash necked tops don't tend to suit as you just end up with a 'shelf' of fabric below the neck which is less than flattering. A v neck or wrap round, or button down with the top couple of buttons tend to be the most flattering as they add definition, and break up the proportions.

So this kind of shape would be good.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I'm also a 32E and that kind of shape is a disaster on me, Accident. Slash necks work much better for me, perhaps because I have a very bony collar bone, so v necks make me look scrawny and then with huge norks?

OP - do you possess a jacket at all? Or any skirts?