Workwear orientated fashion blogs?

[snowgirl1]

I lot of the fashion blogs I've looked at tend to be more 'school gate' fashion - great for inspiration for weekend wear, but I work full-time and would really like some inspiration for workwear. I follow twentymumthings blog as that's got some workwear, but are there any others that you could recommend?

Yeah I'm a huge COS fan but their website is beyond dreadful. You cannot get any sense of the clothes with all the amazonian grey bored looking models. What IS the idea? Yet, when I go looking, I nearly always buy something...

"Looking online and everything is styled so far off the mark from how I can wear things so I end up closing the site and not spending." Carrie I'm not sure if my styling will be especially creative (black or nude closed toe mid heels, anyone? ), but I will go to Whistles and try things on and take photos. They don't have a plethora of natural fibres at times, it must be said, though.

J Crew have just informed me that they can't authorise shoots in the store, and Massimo DUTTI also asked me not to take photos of their stock (despite the fact that their website doesn't impart any visual information at all), so I'm my sneaky change room selfies will have to continue.

Wilting - I agree re the Cos website, and I wonder if they put the models in a size down and asked them to smile, they might solve their problem. I was surprised how flattering some of their things are when you size down. Some of their fabrics and prints are lovely, but you really do have to push past some awful looking shapeless stuff.

Remember blinners- lots of smart casual workwear folk too. :)

Sure thing, thanks, milord

Well done Belinda - like the blog a lot and I have just repinned a lot of your pins for inspiration.

I recommend a trip to Jigsaw: they seem to have fewer muddy colours at the moment and the shapes are crisper than they used to be. I got a lovely heavy cotton skirt there the other week, with some good colours in the pattern, and it fits beautifully:

www.jigsaw-online.com/products/manhattan-check-print--skirt-7980

I have never seen anything I like at Jigsaw before but at the moment there are lots of nice smart things.

I don't have to wear very corporate clothes but I have to be prepared to go out for meetings/lunches, so need to be reasonably presentable and do have a pinstriped suit (very old, Margret Howell: I love it. I do wear jeans with heels and the suit jacket sometimes.)

Damn - why aren't links automatic:

www.jigsaw-online.com/products/manhattan-check-print--skirt-7980

Thanks so much, Liberty, that's really nice to hear and encouraging that you could use the Pinterest boards. I will transfer the content over to the website, but need to hire some luckless person to do it for me. IT is not my forte [understatement].

Bearleigh, hi! How funny - I went to Jigsaw and then Cos yesterday (I'll do the posts on that when I can, soon). I think I tried on all the workwear that I could, but I didn't see that skirt. I did see www.pinterest.com/pin/414401603184595024/ this skirt, which is really lovely (although I think I need to size down). Their wool mix pencil skirt was beautiful - I felt so elegant in it. Good point about the usefulness of buying a suit and just mixing it up with casual pieces when you don't need to dress so formally.

One blog I like is The Women's Room. It's not workwear specific, nor indeed clothes specific, but it is written by two older working women, albeit (inevitably?) working in fashion.

www.thewomensroomblog.com

What I like best is that they give pointers to what is good in particular shops at that moment, and they aren't slaves to fashion so those of us who aren't tied to corporate wear can get good ideas.

Thanks, Bearleigh, I'll have a read of that blog. I really like Wearing It Today (she works in fashion, obv I don't) as she does include a bit of workwear, along with her more "extreme" fashion choices. Also, she seems to have a lovely life, so the aspirational factor is present.

I can't add any links, but wanted to say thanks for this thread, I'm following with interest as another person who doesn't need to wear a suit every day but would still like to look smart.

I like the women's room too.
What about workwear for jobs where you can wear anything (and people do) but still want to look smart but individual but not as if youve tried too hard in case you don't get taken seriously - not asking too much am I?!

Well done with the blog, Belinda - I'm following you.

Thanks so much, ladies.

Notgoing - why don't you aim for classic business casual outfits, and then just add your own subtle twist (easiest w accessories or choosing slightly different fabrics or cuts)? I once worked somewhere where anything goes - quite amazing that some people wear t shirts from trade shows (we were in IT) and orthopedic sort of flip flops to the office. I soon found my kindred spirits - I am still friends w the lady who had/has a massive Stuart Weitzman stiletto collection. She's lovely, but takes no nonsense so no one mocked or belittled her shoe love. Probably helped that she was/is quite senior, too.

Carrie - I just got an email that the Grazia Whistles code expires today. In case it helps, here are the things that I've seen at Whistles that I think look good, and not as crazy £££ as some of their stuff (God knows if their dire website will actually link properly):

• silk square spot blouse (£125) (A friend also bought this on the weekend): www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/clothing-tops?resetFilters=true#product=903000061355

• Melodie silk blouse in blue (£95) (its semi sheer, but lovely looking in real life): www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/clothing-tops?resetFilters=true#product=903000061444

• Melodie silk blouse in ivory (£95): www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/clothing-tops?resetFilters=true#product=903000061260

• spray print silk shell top (£115) (a bit out there, but I don't know your style): www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/clothing-tops?resetFilters=true#product=903000061356

• Lorrie ripple print body con stretch silk dress (£155) (not sure if you do bodycon, but these dresses are v flattering, although maybe not for work): www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/clothing-dresses?resetFilters=true#product=903000061354

• Cassini mid heel shoes (these are the perfect height, IMO - good looking but comfortable) (£135) (a bit annoying that you can only get them in black or pink suede this season): www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/shoes-shoes?resetFilters=true#product=903000061352

Hope you find something you like. I really liked the Lulu Frost jewellery, but that seems to have stopped. And they aren't doing some of the nice bags and shoes that I liked last season [no pleasing me].

Just catching up here. Love the blog Belinda and am now following. Great choices. I'm smart casual at work.

This thread has been so useful for workwear guidance! I posted a thread yesterday because I'm needing to find some new workwear - now I'm going to find it hard to fight the temptation to spend the rest of my working day on Pinterest/online shopping

Belinda - loving the blog and especially Pinterest boards - I like looking on there for style ideas anyway, but sometimes it's difficult to track down British high st stuff, but your edit look fab!

Thanks so much, ladies, that's really nice. I have to say, I fear this website and blog is going to prove expensive for me - I keep finding things I love / "need". Anyway, I hope no one feels they can't provide "constructive feedback".

Since there was some chat about non-workwear/clothes blogs, I found this blog last night and was fascinated. She is a clever writer with exotic / glamorous taste. Bourbon and Pearls blog

That's my friend's favourite blog!

I'm not surprised - it's clever, beautiful and compelling. I also read The Women's Room today and enjoyed that, too.

Thanks for your blog, Belinda and to everyone else for all the links. I fell behind with this thread but am now catching up.
I'm intrigued by Cos; so many people recommend it on S&B but there are so few stores outside London that I'm unlikely to visit going any time soon. There's no way I would order anything from that website so they will have to do without my custom!

I went again to cause the weekend, I was in London, and it is still shit. All space skirts and prison type dresses horrendous!

Cos you need to size down a lot ad try on. Plus heels

I beg to differ, M'Lud. Yes, Cos can look like shit on the hanger, but there are gems to be had. Even with my hips. Try on try on try on.

Another voice saying "size down and try it on". Admittedly, there were lots of shapes I didn't even bother to try on. I'm not tall or broad / athletic enough to carry off certain, umm, "bold" shapes, so I tried the simpler, slimmer shapes and was really surprised by how good some of them looked when I sized down. And since I am "careful" with money, I was pleased to find elegant clothes in a natural fibre for normal high street prices.

Has anyone tried the scarves? Some of them, especially the mid blue one, are beautiful and wool and around £35-40, while Zara et al are churning out polyester at £20. They also do this beautiful necklace w squares in both matte and shiny finishes, that looks v sleek. Obv, I was really impressed.