What do women wear at Westminster?

[mrsstephentoast]

I've got a mid level job offer, dealing with Ministers and Civil Servants, but mostly admin.

As I've been working from home until now, I need to build up a professional wardrobe. To complicate things, I'm an 18 so no Zara, Top Shop etc.

Do any of you work in this sort of area, and what do you wear, please?

Thank you

Don't forget to do a (subsidised) bar crawl - great fun!

Treasury, I think not quite on a par with MOD and HO, but yes, one of the smarter departments. I was at the Foreign Office earlier this week and saw someone crossing the quad wearing very short shorts and a crop top. It was pouring with rain at the time...

MrsSchadenfreude you seem to have spent a lot of time analysing how people dress in different departments they are big departments with a huge variance. I have worked for 4 of the ones you have mentioned and my experience of how they all dress is completely different to yours.

Excellent introduction to inter-Departmental wrangling and oneupmanship for the OP. Bravo.

Oh lighten up, Purplemac, it was only meant as a bit of lighthearted fun. Unless it was you in the shorts and crop top earlier this week?

Nicely captured schadenfreude you made me smile.

And purplemac the sense of humour transfusions are over there on the left...help yourself

Foreign Office has its eccentrics, I rember an ambassador's pa who would regularly wear fingerless orange gloves with knitted cats on. Love the generic descriptions MrsShadenfreude

MrsSchadenfreude You got the last two departments I've worked in spot on.

OP I fear you may still be stuck in Reception at DCLG, it takes aaaaagggggeeesssss. If not, how did it go?

MrsSchadenfreude yep definitely rockin' a crop top and shorts - figured it might scare BoJo off!

Au contraire - I think it might have him licking his lips...

MrsSchadenfreude I was about to say "I wish" but eeew no.

(Apologies for the lack of humour-getting in my earlier posts...after airport delays, a longer than expected flight and then being stuck on a hot sweaty transfer bus, I apparently was feeling rather grumpy!!)

So I'm starting in the morning.

I bought those shoes:

https://www.eccoshoesuk.com/ecco-touch-ballerina/p3407 and I'm wearing them in today around the house.

With pass-photo in mind, I invested in this blouse:

http://uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/ukcatalog/monn1,mon1.3/3409220620

I'm feeling faintly sick with nerves!

This is the blouse, as link didn't work:

Thank you so much for all the advice - if any of you still working in Westminster would like me to set up a Mumsnet WhatsApp group for mutual support and departmental in-fighting, let me know

Surely you don't need heels to 'smarten up' ? Brogues and loafers look smart.

Good luck for tomorrow!

Aww, don't be nervous! It will be fine! Love the shoes.

Enjoy!

It's smart casual there. No one looks like they work in the city. Mind you, no one who works in the city looks like they work in the city anymore!

That is a perfect first day outfit! Best of luck

Good luck today OP!

MrsSchadenfreude's post made me smile - definitely echoes my own experiences!

I used to work for DCLG, can confirm that dresses and cardies were de rigeur even in those long ago days

Good luck in reception, may the force be with you. It will fine once you get through that!

I love you all

Good luck! Don't forget your pass once they've issued it, or you will have an even longer wait at reception tomorrow!

Oh god, don't forget your pass! It's so easy to do and an absolute pain when you do! Develop a system that works for you. I put it on in the morning and tuck it in my top.

Hope you had a great first day.