Office Wardrobe from scratch what would you recommend as a Staple?

[NothingMoreScaryThanAHairy]

I may in the next week be returning to work (possible job offer to start next mon?!) However I have NOTHING to wear. My previous work has always been in uniform so never a problem before.

Everything in my wardrobe is old and (V)tired. (It took me 2 years to get out of maternity gear). I've lost a little weight this year with BIWI and the lo carb team. But I'm still 5' 4" and 14 on bottom 16-18 on top (or 14 SC in pepperberry) (I'm also over 35 and don't want to look like mutton)

What would you recommend to get me through a week at the office what are the real basics. This is on a budget as I have been out of work for sometime now so finances are not fantastic...

As a minimum you need a well fitting pair of trousers and skirt - whatever style suits you. A variety of different colours tops and cardigans you can mix and match. H&M is good for this sort of thing. Maybe a suit jacket or smart coat depending on the role. This should see you through until you know how everyone else dressed.

Phase two involves a dress - wrap style or shift depending on how formal your office is.

Would you wear heels or flats?

don't forget some cardigans or thin jumpers to layer up if the office is cold!!

Try and think about colours too. Charcoal grey is good for trousers as it goes with most things. I wear trousers, a top and a cardi most days, fine knit, nothing too chunky. I try and stick to a few colours so everything mixes. Wrap dresses too.

If you are on a budget then visit matalan. They have trousers in every shape, length and are cheap.

Their blouses are inexpensive too.

I would invest in decent footwear and have your hair cut/styled/well groomed.

You can wear cheaper clothing if you pull the look together with some nice accessories such as a scarf if allowed to wear one.

I would personally stick solely to jersey style dresses. Cheaper than separates to make a whole outfit and can be layered up with cardigans when cold. Buy plain block colours (navy, charcoal, black - or be daring and try red, emerald green, purple).
Matalan
H&M
TU
Then contrasting plain cardigans which you can pick up cheaply from supermarkets, Matalan, Primark, wherever.
H&M
Tesco
As BestIsWest says, try and go for a similar colour palette. I like grey as its not as dense or draining as black and perhaps easier to mix than navy.
Then you can add in accessories (statement necklaces, heels, glasses, scarves, handbag etc) to make those basic pieces more exciting, and look different every day.
Good luck and congratulations on landing the job AND losing weight (I'm a lo carber too}

Grey and/or black blazer - goes over everything. I second Matalan for cheaper trousers that are good quality.

Yes, Matalan do some really good workwear. I bought some suit style shift dresses last year that were £20 each, they looked just as good as expensive ones.

For me, I would go for a skirt or trousers, depending on what you feel most comfortable in, a few tops, maybe the silk-stye t-shirts that a lot of places are doing for cheap or Next have some great 3/4 length sleeve thin jumpers, and thin cardigans. H&M is really good for basic cardis. As others say, you can add necklaces or scarves to change the outfit a little once you know what the company is like.

Longer-term, my work wardrobe that I've built up is now about 8-10 dresses and half a dozen cardigans. I find dresses easier in a rush in the morning. Everything goes with everything else, lots of blues, greys and burgundies, which means no planning in the evening. And honestly, with that number of dresses, if they don't get dirty in the office I can wear them twice, and then that's nearly 3 weeks without doing a big wash!

Thank you so much that's great advice, Black is really draining on me so I will avoid that, I am tempted with some dresses but don't want to go overboard if it's more relaxed arggghh!

What about trouser shape? My old 'smart' (not anymore) black trousers were bootleg but I'm guessing they have dated somewhat! But I have huge calves and thin ankles (great genetics !). What would be best to hide these pieces of meat?

Straight leg? I always find Next trousers good and they have some decent straight leg ones.

I'd maybe think about a sweater dress or cardigans. with nice skirt etc. or nice shirt dress.

Wrong season but you can't go wrong with a sort of shift dress with sleeves or without - just because you can then put jumper/cardigan/jacket over it and you have the bottom half you can show as skirt type item or you can show whole dress. Picture it...

Next trousers as Thurlow says are good.

Also what Thurlow said re Matalan workwear I don't go there but friend does and it looks more expensive than it is.

oh also if you want something smartish to cover up.

H&M do a nice longer length fitted cardigan in black with one button and you can see lapels of it if you kwim. about 19.99 GBP and seemed new in - was with the smarter knitwear.

I got one today and it seemed great for jazzing up a top but looking smarter and warm. can't find it on bloody website of course!

I'd maybe think about a sweater dress or cardigans. with nice skirt etc. or nice shirt dress.

Wrong season but you can't go wrong with a sort of shift dress with sleeves or without - just because you can then put jumper/cardigan/jacket over it and you have the bottom half you can show as skirt type item or you can show whole dress. Picture it...

Next trousers as Thurlow says are good.

Also what Thurlow said re Matalan workwear I don't go there but friend does and it looks more expensive than it is.

Oh one more thing.

I think what would be great for you too is as you don't do black think of colours that do suit you, plums, purples, greens etc and contrast with that and nice reasonable jewellery (which you probably have at home).

That will give you confidence I think too which is needed when going back to work! Good luck!

Thanks Hello boys confidence is needed in spades....

Sadly I don't have a huge amount of jewellery either (was a nurse in a previous life so considered a hazard !)

Ah well it's a good job dh's credit card is clear!

good places for jewellery are New Look, Primark etc... for stuff that livens up an outfit.

Oasis have sales on their jewellery too. its all about the junk stuff - not junk but just decorative.

I think with tailored trousers bootcut is fine, or a wide leg maybe?

Re: jewellery - agree about primark, dead cheap and doesn't look it. Also Accessorize mark their stuff down to up to 75% in their seasonal sale. I stock up when I spot a sale!

My office "uniform" is:

-black or other plain trousers (tailored)
-knee length skirts
-tops and cardies for the warmer half of the year
-fitted jumpers for the colder half of the year
-some dresses that I wear over jumpers in the winter or under cardies in warmer weather

I wear the more fashiony stuff at the weekend.

Yes office wear is not so trend based as casual wear IME (unless you're going to work for Vogue). Look at outlet sections of stores like Hobbs, good quality stuff much reduced.

I work in a "business casual" dress policy office and I wear:

• Tailored wool trousers, dark grey/black. Get proper lined ones to hide any lumps/VPL. Whatever shape suits you, don't worry about being dated.

• For summer, chinos in black/navy/khaki/stone.

• a tailored skirt - try to find a shape that suits you, I am pear/hourglass and wear skater style skirts generally. But tbh I mostly wear trousers or a dress.

• Jersey tops that are smarter than basic t shirts - so for example they are made of a thicker or fancier fabric, and/or have detailing like beads at the collar.

• Smart cardigans or jackets to go over the tops when it's cold (or when they've ramped up the air con). A smart dark grey open cardigan will go over most things.

• Jersey dresses - these usually need to be quite thick/good quality in order to look smart - but if you can find good ones you will live in them

• opaque black tights (now acceptable for all but the smartest work situations)

• leather shoes - I mostly wear flats but also have some heels. in winter I wear ankle boots with trousers or knee high boots with skirts.

oh OP - forgot - jersey dresses you can get jersey wrap ones from Ebay (FWM) etc and other stuff from there. I have done so and perfectly good quality.

can also save you a bit if you buy it and find it's not YOUR style.

You gave had some fab advice here. Off to read again!!

Thanks all for the advice.

I have been revisiting my wardrobe today (after the opticians where I discovered it was 5 years since my last pair of glasses / sight test!!!)

In the depths of the wardrobe I discovers a grey precis petite suit (really lovely wool content which fits (Just- the trousers are an odd shape tight at the waist an huge on the hips) but I think that willl do in the short term. I also have a bright pink jacket (last season) that I wore to a wedding that I may be able to reuse with a navy dress.

I met with someone about the job and established that rather than office based project management it will be out and about in other work places which makes the dressing even more tricky!!!!

Once again thank you all, looking for a necklace tomorrow for the informal interview (don't worry I'm going smart and prepared!)

My view - it's a nicer feeling to be dressed a little bit smarter than everyone else than a little bit more casual than everyone else. So if you're not sure how to call it, err on the side of smarter! It will also make you feel more more polished, even if inside you are a jelly.