Please help me dress like a Proper Grown- Up

[caoraich]

First time venturing into Style and Beauty but I need help!

I have worked for years in healthcare where I'm used to wearing plain smart trousers, sensible short-sleeved tops and blouses and flat shoes. A while ago I was seconded into a more office-based role where I have to interact with senior people and they all dress VERY smartly. Most men are in 3-piece suits. There are some women, all quite a bit older who wear trouser or skirt suits too. There's a lot of big hair and shoulder-paddage in that age group. The one closest to my age is about 45 and very tall, quite glamorous. She wears lots of pencil dresses and little jackets. There is a lot of tweed. The PAs/admin staff all dress casually.

I am 30, 5 foot 1 and a size 12 (14 on a bad day). I have size 32G boobs and a large bum/hips. I get a lot of my casual clothes in Oliver Bonas, H&M, New Look and vintage stores. I have one Oliver Bonas dress I feel OK in for work as it has long sleeves but I can't keep wearing it! I also have a shoe problem as I'm not used to wearing heels. I'd normally shop in Next for (my previous) work clothes as they're affordable and do a good petite range but I can't find anything that feels smart/non-frumpy enough for work these days.

I'd love to feel confident wearing pencil dresses but they feel clingy in the wrong areas and I feel like I'm dressed up as my mum. This job is a great opportunity for someone at my stage of career and I want to look the part! For anyone who's read this far, help would be really appreciated. My DP just says "you look nice" to everything

I was at a birthday party recently and there was a woman doing just that! She seemed quite happy to ask total strangers to do her up but did confess that she'd had to wait ages for someone to come into the loos earlier that night

Gah! Sorry - wrong thread!

Maybe it's worth trying a personal shopper at somewhere like John Lewis?
www.johnlewis.com/our-services/fashion-advice-service?

Some of the services are free and they might give you an idea of what shapes/styles suit you even if you don't end up buying anything they suggest. I know people who've used the JL service for work wardrobes and have been really pleased - they're in the legal sector so pretty smart.

I work in an office like that and I would suggest trying out dresses in places like Hobbs or Linea, or going round John Lewis or house of Fraser to try out different styles and see what works. These are more comfy than pencil skirts and can be very dressy. Can be fitted, or stretchy (no ironing better still).

How exciting to have an excuse for a new wardrobe

With a tiny number of exceptions (e.g. barristers when they appear in court), senior women don't wear suits these days. But a (non-matching) jacket will always make an outfit look smarter. If I were you, I'd start by finding a couple of jackets that suit you. As you're quite short and well-norked (like me ), short jackets in soft fabrics that don't stand to attention over your boobs will probably work best, but you need to experiment by trying them on. Once you have got the jackets, you can look for skirts and trousers that work with them. 2 jackets, 2 pairs of trousers and 2 skirts are all you need.

I'd also look out for some dresses. Amidst the hideous jumble sale that is the M&S website, there are usually a couple of smart black or navy dresses that you can bung in the washing machine. Jigsaw and Whistles are also good for work dresses, if your budget allows.

With shoes, don't wear heels if you can't walk in them - it looks terrible and unprofessional to teeter. Personally I think heels in the workplace now look a bit dated and smart flats are more modern but, if you want heels, go for lowish ones or a wedge.

JW13 I had no idea they were even a thing in the real world, thank you!

I do actually have a John Lewis nearby that I seldom make it past the Clarins counter of so thanks for the tips there.

I LOVE Whistles and have a couple of nice going-out type dresses from there, hadn't thought of it for workwear. I do usually wait for the sale there though!

This sounds a bit silly but if I went with trousers and skirts plus jacket, what's the best thing to wear under them? Most of my tops have a pattern and shirts are a nightmare for bursting open. Is there such a thing as a fancy T shirt? I'd normally wear a boxy or wee bit floaty top with my trousers but don't think that would look goo d with dresses.

That's very reassuring about the heels - will stick with nice but sensible for now.

You want to avoid the "school uniform" look of a traditional cotton shirt & jacket. But a silky blouse under a jacket can look very nice. I find that wearing a vest top underneath the blouse, so you can have an extra blouse button open without flashing your boobs, is good for minimising norkage - anything high-necked makes them look even more ginormous.

Boden are good for work tops. I hate anything that screams Boden but they do good quality basics in plain colours too. Also M&S though you have to wade through acres of crap to find them. A smart, long-sleeved T shirt is fine for work these days if worn with a jacket.

J Crew are another good option for work wear that's smart but modern.

Search Petite ranges. Get three Trouser suits in dark colours. Jazzier tops, - different one for every day so people notice the top not the suit. Make sure you have a decent bag, a decent coat (needn't be expensive, - trench mac from new look is fine.)

Oh christ I hadn't even thought about a coat.

I'm currently wearing a North Face jacket on my way to/from work as I've gone from driving to commuting by train and I live a mile from the station. The rain is usually horizontal.

I have an Oxford satchel that people have commented positively on. Don't know if they're just being nice though...

Hey OP

I am 5 3 and also a curvy 12. I get my smart work dresses from Cos. Heels from Clarks can be super comfy but I am a massive fan of Boden Ballet flats for work. I wear them with the Richmond crop trousers (in a few different colours) and pair them with a couple of Boden blazers & Cos cardigans. They also do nice work dresses. I find Topshop also randomly often have some nice dresses that work for work. I also wear knee high boots with smart dresses in winter as it makes me feel less 'dressed up' than heeled shoes. I have lots of plain tops (& Breton stripes) and tees from Boden that work well with a statement necklace. They also do nice shell tops for workwear. I struggle with skirts to be honest, at my height and hour glass sfigure they just make me look frumpy by somehow cutting me off a bit in the middle.

Get three Trouser suits in dark colours

Maybe. Trousers suits can look sharp and amazing but, unless they are well cut, and a great fit, they can also look very '1990s junior clerk in first job'. They are also much easier to carry off if you're taller, I think.

Court heals, trouser and pencil suits all look really dated these days.
I would go for seperates: cropped slim fit trousers, cool flats and a silk t shirt.
This seems to be what the senior women I know wear.

Definitely yes to whistles dresses (and there's a sale on at the moment which helps). They also do nice tops. As do Reiss (although haven't shopped in there for a while now I work in a more casual office) and Zara/TopShop occasionally. When I worked in a law firm I was a big fan of the silk boxy tee shirt/top with trousers or a pencil skirt.

Yes also to Cos - and Finery have some nice things as well (online or in John Lewis).

Zara also do some good shoes which aren't too expensive - flats and heels. And blazers too - definitely worth a big trying on session there.

Coat is mostly important if you wear it for client facing meetings or have to visit other offices for meeting senior colleagues. I would keep an eye on sales in more expensive shops or look in Zara as they seem to nail smart coats pretty well each season.

I've been looking at predictions for autumn/winter dressing and it sounds like tailoring and, in particular, trouser suits might be a thing again. Of course they might turn out to be frilly trouser suits but it could be worth hanging on to see what comes along in a couple of months.

For plain 't shirts' under jackets I rate French connection. Kind of silky material. In all sorts of colours.

I'm taller and bigger than you, but it sounds like we are both blessed with boobs and bum - I would say don't try to force yourself into a pencil skirt if it's not your shape!! There are more options, behind pencil skirt and heels, to look smart in!

As another poster, I like Hobbs - plenty of smart dresses, or trouser suits if you prefer.

Ditto not wearing heels if you don't like them. I don't, and I don't think it's hampered my career!

Satchel is classic stick with that. There is a lady in the next office to me that's so glamorous she makes me feel like a scruffy child. She is also tall and skinny with maximum pencil skirt age. I notice she wears dresses a lot - I think they look more pulled together they separates. I have bought some decent dresses in oasis recently that are smart and classy but not too sexy for work

I find some rieker shoes great for being not completely flat, a lot of them have small heels and look pretty smart and stylish.

I'm an inch taller but have a very similar shape to you. My favourite work jacket is from mango. Their cropped length is perfect for me. I recently got some nice chinos in Benetton. I got a lovely linen Hobbs skirt on eBay and I have some linen t-shirts from la redoute. Hamble oaks brogues from Clark's are a very comfortable and stylish alternative to heels. I also have a couple of good smoothing slips which work wonders on my many lumps and bumps without restricting breathing or blood flow.

I am a bit older than you and an inch or so shorter but otherwise have the same figure. I recently bought 2 of these jackets from www.oliverbonas.com/search/ottoman%20jacket#size=4&show=3 and they are perfect for smartening up any outfit whilst distracting attention from the boobs.

For tops, have a look at Benetton. I've just ordered a couple of shaped like a T-shirt but nicer tops and the sale is pretty good.

www.oasis-stores.com/gb/clothing/tops/formal-tee/061369.html

These are nice under suits- come in lots of different colours. I size up though as my chest is a generous size!

I disagree that senior women don't wear suits depending on where you are nationally - I'm in a big city (outside london) and it's definitely normal for lawyers/ accountants/ execs to wear a suit. I do notice when I go to london though that women dress less formally.

And jigsaw do some nice suits- mix and match jackets/skirts/ dresses which they only change the fabric of every few years so you can add to collection. I think the range is called Paris?