Late 30's ladies - where do you buy work clothes?

[Jemster]

I have completelh lost my way when it comes to buying clothes. I desperately need some smarter work clothes as hardly have anything since return from mat leave.
I want to buy in the sales but I don't know what to buy or where from. I am 38 and 5'3 and had a browse around town yesterday but came home empty handed. I feel too old for some shops but then not ready for others. I really don't know what to buy.
I'm aldo trying to be strict about only buying in my autumn colours but this narrows it down even further as I have to rule so much out that I might like.

Please can anyone give me some advice to make this a bit easier and less time consuming? I would rather go shopping with a bit of a plan as at the moment I'm just wandering round and not getting anywhere. Thanks.

What job do you do, are we talking suits, dresses or just tops and skirts/trousers?

I love Hobbs, but only buy machine washable as dry cleaning is an expensive waste of time. You can do a filter for machine washable only clothes on their site. The clothes are a bit more expensive but last well and are cut well and I buy in the sales.

Hobbs and Laura Ashley for dresses. Karen Millen for jackets, Gap or Banana Republic for trousers. M and S for shoes. Whistles for tops. Keep an eye on Ebay for LK Bennett and Whistles dresses too. Cos in the sales. But yes depends what sort of job you do obv! My 'uniform' is a dress with opaques and boots / heels. Statement necklace if a plain dress. Fitted black cardi if it's cold.

I work five mornings a week in an office which is smart but not overly so, so I don't need to wear suits. I do like dresses but as I'm quite short I find a lot are too long on me. Trousers I find tricky too as often too long and petite ranged too short!!
I hate scrabbling around on a busy morning trying to throw an outfit together. Most of my current stuff is tat from primark or next which look dreadful now after a few washes.

I love the look of Hobbs but have never ever spent that much on clothes and feel a bit unsure about doing so as money is a bit tight for us right now. Maybe it would be worth it in the long run though to save me going through this situation too regularly!

Hobbs outlet has some good bargains
Jigsaw sale
Great Plains dresses
Gap, Banana Republic trousers, knitwear

I just bought this for work- wasn't sure, but it's lovely.

This also nice

lots of posters raving about this dress

there's an extra 20% off sale stuff with code GIFT213

Have you tried
Me and Em
Mint Velvet
Banana Republic
All Saints
Great Plains

All places I have workwear from. I buy mostly online as choice so much better and just accept the inevitability of a lot of returns

Dresses are much easier to put together than trousers/skirts and separates. Dresses are also comfortable IMO because many styles don't cut into your waist. They are also forgiving in that they can skim in the right places. 5 outfits should set you up for the week with a comfortable pair of shoes/boots.

If you are short (as I am) and don't have a lot of cash to splash, you could try Dorothy Perkins, which has a petite range. Boden also has a petite range - I wear one or two of their more sober coloured outfits to work. Have you looked at Baukjen/Isabelle Oliver - they are also having a sale at the moment and have some good basics.

Aw, that code doesn't seem to work on any of my items tether send.

Hobbs and similar may look expensive but the price per wear is much lower than, say, Next where the quality is so poor nothing lasts.

You can buy a dress in Hobbs sale for the price of two dresses in Next but I guarantee you'll still be wearing the Hobbs one after the Next ones have gone in the bin.

I take a chance on dry cleaning Hobbs and similar when the reduction is good and stick it on a delicates wash with Woolite or similar and so long as it comes straight out the machine and onto a hanger to dry the item comes up lovely.

Wrap dresses are my best friend.

Tesco have some nice ones. I team them with black/brown Clark's natural sugar boots.

Dead easy to wear and super flattering

Thank you, yes I see what you mean about things lasting better if you pay more. Perhaps I could build up slowly with one or two things at a time rather than lots of cheap things that don't last.
Could you tell me what the sizing is like in Hobbs as I'm quite short and size 12 roughly although bigger hips than waist, quite curvy. Would their styles suit me do you think?

Hobbs sizing is generally quite generous, and I'm very curvy (big hips, smaller waist, big norks) and generally get on quite well in there. Phase eight is also somewhere I have success with

Their styles definitely suit curves. They are true to size, bordering on a little big.

Not sure about length though. I'm 5,7 and they fit me really well although I like my dresses and skirts cut above the knee so I guess it depends on where you like things to finish.

Dresses all the way as you don't have to co-ordinate. I am 5ft 3 too.

Definitely me + em at the moment as they are smart enough for meetings! but so easy to wear. Real no brainier dressing. I have about three of this years, but particularly like the faux wrap dress which is much nicer than the picture. I have to size down.

Other than that lots from jaeger bought in outlet and sales, some Dvf and a tiny bit of Boden.

Lambzig I had a quick look at me+em but thought the dresses would be too long on me. I don't really like them below knee length. How do you find the length?

I've also had good luck with warehouse (not always workwear) and H&M. Mostly for sweater dresses and cheap black cardis.

I wouldn't bother with Zara (their old hems on work skirts came undone quickly.

Jigsaw on eBay or sales great for suits and skirts.

A lot of Me&Em (from sales) and Banana Republic. My work Me&Em dresses are ruched, so I tend to wear them on the knee, but they're slightly adjustable via how you place the ruching. Banana Republic trousers are great, wear so well.

I'm the same age as you and trying to sort my work wardrobe out post mat leave.

I just ordered this yesterday along with some charcoal Linea trousers in HoF sale. I've bought a couple of bits from Banana Republic too, although some has gone back as their sizes seem huge. Their ponte blazers are great value in the sale and a good smartish but easy to wear option - here

If you keep an eye on Banana Republic they seem to do one off reductions all the time. I bought a sale blazer a couple of weeks ago when they had a one day 25% off - so it was down to £30 from £100.

Hi, sorry went out to dinner with the DC. I find them just hitting the knee on me.

Hobbs all the way, and sales are your friend here. I have dresses that I wear week in, week out that have lasted years and still look good as new. I buy one or two dresses a year, keep a black jacket and couple of pairs of heels at work in case I need to be smart and that's it - easy. I might then buy a new cardie or two to go over the top.

Hobbs and Phase Eight

Great Plains and boden. Phase right in the sale but when I go in there I'm the youngest by about 20 years :-(